Power Suit, Baby!

So this suit. I've worn it (or pieces of it) several times already. And you know what? I get why people wear them. I just felt so much more...together.

The first time I wore it was at the fundraiser for Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor in Beverly Hills. The parents of one of the girls in College Republicans hosted it, and was nice enough to invite the club. So last Sunday, I wore my suit, ate a delicious brunch, and even spoke with Eric Cantor himself.

This photo was taken before our discussion about Middle East policy. He spent nearly ten minutes with us, which is amazing considering that there were about fifty other people there, all of whom had donated generously for the privilege. He also gave about a twenty minute speech, followed by a question and answer segment. If any of you gets a chance to hear him speak, I highly recommend you take advantage of it - Congressman Cantor is excellent, and very engaging.

I also wore the suit for interviews for two on-campus internships (admissions office intern and tour guide intern). The first interview, I wore the whole suit, which was good, but I no one else in my group interview was wearing the whole thing (sometimes girls were in suit skirts/pants w/o the blazer, or vise versa, but the great part it didn't make me feel overdressed).  For the next interview, I wore a pink skirt I already had, a white top, and the charcoal blazer, which was really cute. 

The competition is really stiff for those positions, especially because they're looking for diversity in the final group on so many levels, not just racial, but also socioeconomic, geographic, educational, major, and extracurricular. And they already have about 3/4 retention from previous recruiting years, so a lot of it is luck of the draw - if you have whatever specific qualities they happen to be looking for this year.

If I don't get it, though, I'll know it's not because of attire...

Two Things that Should Never, EVER Happen

As far as I'm concerned, there are two things that should never, EVER happen in this world.

1) STANFORD IS LEADING THE PAC-10.

Stanford, through no skill of their own, I assure you, is currently #1 in the Pac-10. It bothers me even to write it, or see it in print, or have to acknowledge it as fact. We are discussing a team that does not even have a real mascot. They are "the Cardinal" - and not like the bird, like the color. And they are leading the Pac-10. Mostly just because all the other teams (like USC, regrettably) have messed up, and not because Stanford's actually GOOD, but still. 

To make me feel better, and to remind everyone that Stanford has a lot of pain to look forward to, here are a couple of photos of the Trojans kicking ass on "the Cardinal" last year: 

This is a lovely shot of Fili Moala (#75) and Brian Cushing (#10, I have that jersey!) sacking Stanford's QB, Pritchard. I don't know what his number is, but he's the one that's about to experience a lot of pain.

In case you missed the game (it wasn't very exciting if you like close ones) and think that was some kind of coincidence, here's another:

In this one, Fili Moala is sacking Pritchard all by himself! Pretty much the whole game went like this, which is why USC won 45-23. This will happen again on Nov 14, almost exactly a year later, when Stanford experiences something similar. 

So at least their whole No 1-in-the-Pac-10-thing is going to be relatively short-lived.

Which brings me to possibly an even bigger issue, an even MORE pressing example of something that should NEVER, EVER, EVER happen:

2) I AM GOING CAMPING NEXT WEEKEND.

A week from today - I cringe to even think it - I am going to be in a tent somewhere, exploring California's geology along with the rest of "Crises of a Planet" class. And I will be camping. Overnight. 

Make no mistake, I would not be participating if this field trip wasn't mandatory. But it is, and I am currently in (temporary) possession of Christine's outdoor sleeping bag, which is rated down to 15F, just as the prof ordered. 

This is a problem. Because if you know me at all, you know I don't camp. And if you know my mother, you know why. And if you know my sisters, you know that - even if my father somehow got my mom on board with a camping trip - the three of us would stage a coup and avoid the whole thing. We just don't like the idea of being in nature without plumbing. We like some of those activities though, so every summer we try to get to an absolutely gorgeous place by the river where we do all of that stuff, and have the kind of fun I imagine most people have when they actually camp for real.

My dad actually did some tent camping as a kid. As for my mom, my sisters, and me? This is where we "camp":

It's Sunriver, Oregon! We have a lot of fun there doing all kinds of outdoor-sy things together. And this is the inside of where we stay, in one of the little baby cabins between the pool and the golf course:

We love it. Summer's not summer without a little Sunriver. 

But this is not going to be a Sunriver kind of weekend. This is going to be one of those weekends where there's an actual tent involved. One of THESE kinds of weekends:

I realize this is a lot of fun for a lot of people. And that's GREAT. But I am not one of those people, and I don't think I ever will be. Nonetheless, I will be experiencing it next weekend.

God help me. 

You know what? I'm gonna try not to think about it. Instead, I'm going to think about the amazing Eric Cantor fundraiser I'm going to tomorrow morning in Beverly Hills. Wearing that lovely suit. It's a much more pleasant thought...

All Suited Up

Yesterday, I bought my first suit. Actually, my parents bought it (thanks, Mom and Dad!) but the point is, it's hanging in my closet.

The lovely and fabulous Christine took me to the Grove on Wednesday afternoon, and am extraordinarily grateful.

For those of you who have never been to the Grove (my condolences) it's well-planned, beautiful, and basically the Disneyland of retail. I love it.

It also has a fantastic Banana Republic location, where I forced myself past all the soft, slouchy sweaters and preppy cardigans I didn't need (but loved anyway) to find the suiting. 

Before I go on, you should know that suits are, for some reason, one of those Big Things in my mind. One of those Grown-up Things. 

I think it's because I've watched my Mom - high-powered, empowered woman that she is - stride off to work in those lovely, well-tailored suits of hers, and somewhere along the line I got it in my head that, once a girl has one of those, she REALLY must be a "Grown-Up."

So procuring one for myself actually seemed somewhat terrifying. 

Until I found this. This perfect, professional blazer gave me hope that I might not hate a suit after all...

...then I found these crisp, somehow effeminate trousers...

...this exquisite, tiered-ruffle top in "lotus lilac"...

...and THIS. This stunning, high-waisted skirt that's so much more flattering to my body than I deserve. 

Paired it with these suede, round-toed black pumps. They're cute, classy, and business-like all at once. 

And it all comes together to form this smooth, professional, perfect charcoal suit. Equally fabulous and un-frumpy in the pants-variety...

Or with the skirt. Just imagine it with the "lotus lilac" top, if you please. It makes quite the combination. 

Sigh. I am unexpectedly but utterly in awe of my new suit.

Many thanks again to my Mom and Dad for the purchase of the loveliness now hanging in my closet (in a garment bag, no worries!) and Christine for taking the time out of her day to help me get "all suited up"!

Stay tuned to see what happens when I actually WEAR it...