Much has been said about the understated struggle of a SAHM as well as a working mom’s juggle of the sometimes-conflicting responsibilities. Many women in the first year of their baby’s life make the transition to go from one role to the other, or vice versa. But not much has been said about this unique process, i.e. one of the toughest transitions a woman goes through in life.

Recently, I made the life decision to go back to work after being home for a year since my daughter was born. We thought it was a timely decision because of the nature of the opportunity, the commute, my mental readiness, and how baby S seemed developmentally ready to have more than just mom and dad as primary caretakers. It was a decision that we made together as a family with a lot of discussion, thinking, and planning for the changes to come.

I had about 3 weeks between accepting the job offer and starting the job. During this time, the husband and I went through so much preparation and communication to make sure we, especially baby S, were prepared for this new way of life and that we would all continue to thrive.

Some of these decisions were difficult to make, and the conversation that we had to have in order to make the decisions was no easier.

In today’s post, I wanted to share with you the various aspects of our lives we had to modify in order to meet the demands of a household with a working mom, and how we went about having these conversations and the things that made our communications successful.

1.      Budget do-over

Personal finance and being debt-free are big in our family. I’ve written a few blog posts on this topic (how fashion blogging ruined my finances, becoming debt-free, living a financially responsible life) if you’re curious. With starting a new job, I was going to be driving more, eating out more, probably shopping for little stuff more, even though I was also going to make more money. We spent a couple of family meetings to create a new family budget based on our new combined income but also changed the budget amount for not only the mundane things like transportation and restaurant but also fun things like shopping and coffee. 

The one brand new budget category we had to create was for an in-home nanny. We made the decision not to send Baby S to daycare because my parents and my husband’s parents offered help out a few days a week. This makes it so that the cost for a nanny (3 days a week) is relatively affordable. We also wanted to be able to keep Baby S home so we don’t have to drop her off/pick her up, and also minimize her exposure (therefore our exposure) to sickness/germs. It took some shuffling of allocations and we made it work within our budget.

2.      Simplifying things – wardrobe

One thing I was semi-worried about was getting my wardrobe in line again. It’s been almost two years since I’ve needed to go into a corporate office where “PJ all day” does not meet the dress code. So, imagine how elated I was when a web-based styling service company, Allume, reached out and asked me to try out their service.  

Once you sign up for Allume, they take a $20 fee for you to work 1:1 with a stylist that will learn about your wardrobe needs & styles through a questionnaire, and create three looks that you can purchase directly through vendors that are selling the pieces. The $20 styling fee also goes towards any purchases you make through Allume. They have kindly agreed to give my readers a 50% discount code to the styling fee – use “CHIC50” to use the service for only $10!

The below was the winning lookbook that my stylist, Michelle, created for me. I ended up purchasing the striped top through Neiman Marcus and the pair of gold chain earrings through the LOFT outlet. I wore them for my new brand photos and have been wearing them at work regularly! 

Due to COVID-19 and the number of us trying to work from home and practice social distancing, I can only imagine the Allume service will come in handy for many of us since shopping in any retail location is out of the picture at this point.

3.      Simplifying things – communicating things to do, buy, and take care of 

I’m sure this sounds very familiar to those of us that live in a house with a domestic partner of any kind. You are constantly trying to fit each other’s schedule and activities together, and despite all your efforts there still are times when one of you goes “we’re doing WHAT tomorrow??” Or you’re at the grocery store, standing in the dairy aisle trying to remember what kind of cheese your spouse told you to get, three times. 

The system that the husband and I have been leaning on is Google Keep. It’s a simple note-sharing app that you can both edit and see each other’s edits in real-time. We keep multiple shopping lists (Costco, local organic store, Trader Joes each has their own list) at all times, cross things out when we get them at the store, and re-build the list as we notice things that we need around the house. It’s made grocery shopping so much easier.  We also have packing lists for when we have to travel (not doing that for a while). Lastly, we use these Google Keep lists to keep track of the general house chores that need to be taken care of – like hanging up framed photos, donating old clothes, or rolling over my old 401K plan, etc. 

4.      Simplifying things – meal planning

To some of you, this may be a no-brainer or something you’ve been doing for a long time. It wasn’t for us. In the last few months we started to have more “crap, what can I make with a pack of sausage, celery, and half a cabbage?” moments than we liked in the middle of the week, an hour before dinner time. My husband usually shops for groceries with a recipe in mind. It’s me, the free spirit in the house, that tends to pick up some bell peppers and eggplant because they both look fresh and think “I’ll figure it out later” and end up not knowing what to do with them. And they both go bad. So, we decided to change that.

We curated a list of recipes with pictures of things that we have made in the past and know that we like eating. This repository of images and recipes is what we default to when we grocery shop and don’t have new ideas or time to find new ideas on what to cook. 

5.     Communicating better and more frequently

This is something that, as married couples, we should all be improving on, regardless of employment situation or if you’re a stay at home mom vs. working mom.  The truth is, when we get busy and get pulled in multiple directions toward things that all feel like priorities, we get so lost in our minds and we forget to simply talk to our spouse. Yes, you can use all these tools and tricks I mentioned above, but if you and your spouse are not communicating and communicating well, no tools will make you feel like you are rowing in the same direction and speed in this little boat we call life. So, how do you improve communication with your spouse?

Start out with intentions. Get on the same page with the need for better communication – you have to both acknowledge that you need to hear each other out! Once you’re in agreement, then set pre-determined times when you sit down with each other and talk it out.

Secondly, remove distractions. When you talk with each other, make sure it happens after most of the chores of the day have been completed, kids are in bed, and there aren’t other priorities tugging at you. Put the phone away, and yes, it’s hard, but do it. I still have to keep reminding myself to put my phone away when I talk to my husband about important stuff.

“No one wants to talk to a person who is always 50% focused on something else.”

Lastly, when you are talking about things on your mind, especially when it comes to feelings, start with the way that you feel, as opposed to what our partner did that made you feel that way. The truth is our intentions are usually good, but when we are reacting or panicking or just plain autopiloting sometimes, we aren’t aware of the consequences of our behavior or action. So when we start by the way we feel, we sound less accusatory. And what we really want is to stop feeling this way, not so much to make our spouse feel bad that they made us feel that way, right?

I hope my advice on how we transitioned, as a family, from me being a stay at home mom to a working mom. Really, whatever you do as a mom, let’s just take a moment and agree that it’s a hard job. And being a dad is also a hard job. We are stronger, better, and happier when we are in this together. Can you share your experience on how you and your partner made things work more efficiently and smoothly in your family life?

The post 5 Lifestyle Changes I Made to Transition from a SAHM to Working Mom appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

June is graduation season. As new graduates toss their caps in the air, they are also dreaming of their future, creating new paths, and dipping their toes in fields that may or may not turn out to be their life-long careers. To many, starting out their career with a big name – getting the shiny Fortune 500 company mark on their resume – seems like the correct entry point. We all know the allure and the vanity reasons why these names are good for those shorter-than-you’d-like-resumes. Sure, bigger companies tend to pay better and provide better benefits and boost your resume with more credibility. But what about the fact that you get to “wear more hats” in a small company environment, where you have more opportunities to apply yourself?

As the title conveys, a new graduate has a ton to gain from a working in corporate America.  Aside from the prestige and credit that the name of a big company carries, it’s the perfect place to build a solid foundation when it comes to interpersonal skills, networking ability, and even work ethics, among others. As for wearing more hats and being able to do more in a small company setting, worry about that when you have 5+ years under your belt. You have plenty of opportunities to wear different hats for the rest of your career. Think about building a house – the depth of your foundation matters more than the width. After you’ve got a solid foundation is when you can start to get fancy with applications or showcasing of your skills.

Definition of Corporate America

Before we dive into what makes corporate America the prime place to start a young professional’s career, let’s define what I mean by corporate America. It doesn’t have to be a publicly traded or conventionally “large” company. But to be considered the right environment, the company should:

• have at least 50-100 employees
• have somewhat defined functional groups & established processes
• have a steady revenue stream (you’re not worried about the company going out of business next month)
• have clearly stated and shared & business goals

The defining features that constitute “corporate America” are critical because they have everything to do with the exact benefits that a new graduate would gain from working at such a company.  If you are one of the graduates of 2018 and are considering beginning your career in the corporate world, here’s what you’re in for.

Why Corporate America Is The Best Place to Start Your Career

1. In the beginning, your employer has a lot more to offer than you do

In the first few years of your career, what you give to your employer will pale in comparison to what they can provide you. Everything that you are going to learn in the first year of work is what will propel you and your career forward. Whether be it learning the technical details on how to master your job, getting people to listen & pay attention to you when you have a great idea, resolving interpersonal conflicts when you work with difficult personalities, or simple time management tactics… the list goes on. This is what I call real-world education. In Corporate America, as opposed to small businesses or start-ups, you’re more likely to find professionals who you can model your behavior after, learn specific lessons from, and ample opportunities to hone in on the skills you’ve acquired. Yes, you will work hard and contribute as much as you can. But in those formative years of your career, soak up as much as you can in your work environment. That’s what will count in the long run.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

2. Low-risk learning in a sheltered environment

When you are a single person on a big rowboat with a big crew, if your oar breaks or if your arm cramps up for a few minutes, the boat will continue to move forward. It may slow down or lose efficiency for little, but it won’t come to a complete stop. This is what I mean by low-risk learning – in the corporate world, results always come from a team. This environment makes an individual’s learning particularly low-risk and safe from creating actual, lasting, and irreversible damage. Additionally, you are hopefully being mentored and developed by someone, i.e. your boss, who will benefit from your progress and improvement. This was never the case when you were in school.

3. A readily available and rich network for you to tap into

One of the reasons why I emphasize that this has to be at least a 50-100 employee company is because this determines the size of the network that your employment brings you. Outside of your coworkers and managers in the department you are in, there are many more professionals that you could reach out to. If you are the passive type of are unsure of your networking skills, there are always company events and activities that put you in the vicinity of other coworkers in the same company. Talk to people. Get to know folks outside of your own functional group. When you are young, this is how you learn about what other paths there are in the business world and what people do in different fields. Heck, this is where you develop your networking skills by talking to people that work at the same company with whom you don’t regularly interact with.

4. Understanding of how a cog helps the wheel turn

“A cog in a wheel” is often used to describe the insignificance or lack of a single person’s impact in a larger environment. But when you first start out with not a whole lot under your belt, it’s unlikely that you’re going to be revolutionizing the company anyway. So, this is the perfect timing to be learning how, a little and new cog you may be, you can fit into this new and complex ecosystem. Take the time to learn the complexity of the organization, the expectation of each functional group, what the check and balance levers are at, and where dependencies and co-dependencies exist. This way when you are more skilled and equipped, you will more effectively and efficiently create impact.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

5. An existing roadmap when you are directionless or lost

In the beginning of your career, where you end up finding employment isn’t always the result of clear-cut decision making, and definitely not an end-all-be-all. If you are ambitious like I was when I started out, you spend a lot of time thinking about what you want to be 5 or 10 years into your career. When you work in a corporate setting, there are many people that have been in your shoes when they started out. So when you “don’t know what you want to do when you grow up”, there are existing roadmaps for you to follow. Junior to senior. Specialist to Manager. Manager to Director. These are defined paths that make up the corporate ladder. When you don’t have a specific direction yet, it’s simple to just follow a defined path.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

Photos by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post Why Corporate America Is The Best Place to Start Your Career As A New Graduate appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Outfit details: Jumpsuit: c/o London Times // Heels: Missguided // Purse: Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB

December is everyone’s favorite month for many reasons. For me, the festivities and getting together with friends and family, amongst all, is definitely the biggest reason! Side note: I am hosting our first ever Friendsmas party in San Diego a week before Christmas this year. I will be sharing some decor, invite, and recipe prep details next week! But back on the original topic – for many of us working in the corporate 9-5 environment, it also means there might be a company holiday party coming up soon.

Earlier this week we discussed style faux-pas to avoid when it comes to what to wear to a company holiday party. Today, I have yet another classic piece to share with you that’s perfect to wear to a company holiday party by London Times. But on top of just outfits, I also rounded up some useful tips to make you enjoy the holiday party with coworkers more.

Outfit details: Jumpsuit: c/o London Times // Heels: Missguided // Purse: Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB

Jumpers make for great #girlboss outfits

Less feminine and conservative than dresses, jumpsuits by nature convey a bit more power and confidence. It’s modern, unconventional, and just a little different. I always feel like a big girl when I wear one. So if you’re in management, and wearing a skirt isn’t your thing, a jumpsuit might be just the outfit for you!

Outfit details: Jumpsuit: c/o London Times // Heels: Missguided // Purse: Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB

Outfit details: Jumpsuit: c/o London Times // Heels: Missguided // Purse: Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB

Here are a few other jumpsuit selections that will be perfect to wear to a company holiday parties.

Outfit details: Jumpsuit: c/o London Times // Heels: Missguided // Purse: Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB

Now that we have your outfit selection squared away, let’s talk about mentally preparing you for the company holiday party. We all know that the company holiday party basically a networking event. So, it means on top of socializing, you should probably watch how much you’re drinking and avoid topics like politics, money, and overly personal topics. But what CAN you talk about?

Be curious about the other person, and limit talking about yourself

A simple tip in having any good conversation is to ask about the person’s life whom you’re talking to. Get the other person to talk about himself /herself. Be curious about the person you’re speaking to if you’re starting a conversation. Reciprocate with your own stories but keep that to a minimal. The rule of thumb to keep talking about yourself under 20 seconds (according to the 20-second rule) and listen more than you talk.

Keep your cell phone out of sight

We all know the signal that you send when you decide to bury your face in your phone and not look up at people – “don’t talk to me” is what it is. But did you know that even having the phone near you even when it’s turned off, it’s still distracting enough to impair people’s decision making and problem-solving skills? Don’t succumb to the temptation of looking up the latest tweet or what your favorite Instagram star is doing. Stay in the present and enjoy – there’s a reason why it’s the “present”!

Prep your talking points

Always have topics ready in your back pockets. For this time of the year, you can ask “Are you done with all the Christmas shopping?” or “Planning any fun trips anytime soon?” One question that worked really well for me in the last few years is to ask for marriage advice since I just got married this year. This one really gets people talking. Of course, be careful who you ask. Make sure you know a little bit about their marital status. You don’t want to spring this question on a recent divorcee. Here are 48 other topics for you to consider in case you want to expand your list.

All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post What to Wear to A Company Holiday Party & Easy Small Talk Tips appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Outfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie // Choker: Madewell

Guys, It’s December!! Where did the last 11 months go in 2017!? With Thanksgiving just in our rear-view window, Christmas is hovering around the corner. Which means you’ve been getting invitations for Christmas parties from friends and families! But not all holiday parties are created equal, and especially not the Company/Employer-hosted kind. The age-old “what to wear” question takes on an entirely different meaning and so much more is at stake if you were to wear the wrong thing. Still thinking about what to wear to your company holiday party this coming weekend or the next? I got you covered!

Outfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie // Choker: Madewell

Product details:Outfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie // Choker: Madewell

Product details: Outfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie // Choker: Madewell

Outfit details: Outfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie // Choker: Madewell

Eliza J is My Go-To Brand for All Special Occasion Dresses

Let me just preface this by saying this is not sponsored in any way shape or form! If you’ve been following me for a while you know how many times I’ve blogged about their dresses. It’s A Cubicle Chic tradition! I blogged about it in 2015, 2016, and this Christmas is no exception!I have a few outfit ideas to share with you this week.  In particular, this Eliza J  floral lace dress has these cute flare sleeves and is INCREDIBLY FLATTERING. If you are looking for a dress that will cover a food baby bump, this is it!!

You can find this exact Eliza J fit and flare dress from a variety of sources – compare & contrast before you buy. Some of them are actually discounted right now!! Eliza Eliza J dresses are almost always form-fitting enough and still flattering no matter your figure. If you like the style above but aren’t into this color or the sleeves, here are a bunch other choices that are pretty similar, ALSO made by Eliza J!

So now that we got the outfit selection out of the way, let’s talk other fashion-related etiquette for the event. I’m calling these faux-pas because I’ve seen them happened in the handful of company hosted holiday party myself. Some are embarrassing while others are downright tragic.

Avoid Cotton Dresses unless You’re a Boho Goddess

There may be a very flattering and company party appropriate cotton dress out there, I just personally have never seen one. The problem with cotton dresses is that they wrinkle easily, don’t normally flatter you (at least not the party dresses), and usually make you look very casual. Casual is the codeword for sloppy at a company holiday party. So avoid it at all costs.

Got a Big Butt and Want to Flaunt it? Don’t.

This is simply not the right occasion. I know you work out. I know you’re very proud of it. Heck, I wish I had your butt. But no. If you want to be respected for your professional competency, don’t let the impression of your nice butt tamper with people’s image of you. They say men are visual animals… I say people are visual animals. Especially when it comes to a woman’s figure. I think the line needs to be drawn at what do you want people to remember you of.

This is potentially a controversial stance to take on this topic. If you disagree with me, what are your thoughts?

Pick the right color of dress for YOU

This is a tough one. Everyone’s complexion is different, so there is not a one-color-fits-all solution here. There are general principles out there like warm skin tone is complimented by warm colors and cool skin tone is complimented by cool colors. Also, there are simply psychological associations that we unconsciously form when seeing different colors. Honestly, if I was ever to give ONE fashion advice to everyone who wants to know out there, it’s find the right color that compliments you. For me, I stick with feminine colors (white, gray, blush/light pink) and for the right occasion, I will rock bold colors like royal blue, dark green, or bright red. This is a general rule of thumb but I think everyone should have colors they always stick with!

That’s a wrap! I have another outfit coming your way later this week so stay tuned. In the mean time, if you want to find inspiration on what to wear to a company holiday party, here are all the other posts I’ve done over the years:

2015: Outfit featuring Dailylook faux-fur and jumpsuit

2015: Outfit featuring Eliza J two pieces dress 

2015: Outfit featuring Dailylook Juliette Dress

2016: Outfit featuring Morning Lavender Dress

2016: Outfit featuring Maison Jules 

Let me know which dress you picked to wear to your company holiday party!

All photography by Natalie Alvarado  @ Stylenfuse 

The post What to Wear to a Company Holiday Party & Style Faux Pas to Avoid appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Within one month of moving into a new house, we have finished decorating it! Well. Most of it. Mainly the living spaces, including our family room and the office. You see, I scheduled a house warming party with friends and family somewhat soon so that we would get our act together with decorating! And it worked LOL. During the party, many were asking where I’d sourced the different decor pieces in the office. I’ll be honest, it took quite some effort to find all the chic office decor you see in the photos here. I decided to put all the information and link for everything I could find online here in one post!

By the way… this is a short one with very little text and mostly photos. Enjoy :p

My Concerns With Office Decor

This is where I write, edit, proofread and publish my blog posts. So it’s important that it inspires me to create! First, I am so flattered that people liked my first ever attempt at decorating an actual house! I was a bit anxious because prior to moving into this house, I’ve only decorated smaller spaces like apartments and individual rooms. Second, I was afraid my place would end up looking too “trendy”. Because God knows I want to fill the space with pineapple everything.

Opted Out of the Traditional Living Room

Instead of a living room, we opted for a dual functional space that serves as my home office as well as the library. At the moment it’s still more of an office than a library. But I am on the hunt right now for a bookshelf which could store and display all my books beautifully. Stay tuned for even more chic office decor for the library!

Chic Office Decor: Furniture

Writing Desk $317: Houzz.com

Lewis Storage Bench $182 (similar): Jossandmain.com OR Wayfair.com 

Chic Office Decor: Wall Art

My portrait on the left: AKR Design Studio

Inspirational quote on the right: Yellow Heart Art

Chic Office Decor: Stationary

Macbook Air Labatop case $21.99: eBay

Ban.do: $13 File Sorter; $13 Tape Dispenser

Ideal of Sweden: $29 Boho; Floral Romance

Last but not the least, here are the few websites that I regularly visit to find interior design inspirations and just examples of chic home decor:

My Domaine

Wonder Forest

Yellow Brick Design

Where do YOU shop for chic home decor?? Share with me below so I can continue to add to my space!

Photography credit: Partially Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post Where I Shop For Chic Office Decor // New Office Reveal appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I am spending my money a lot more carefully these days.

I have a budget and a plan for what I buy. I still get tempted into random online “browsing sprees”, where I let myself throw things into the shopping cart as if I had unlimited funds. But I let the items sit in my shopping cart for at least ONE DAY before I hit the order button.

If I still like them after a 24-hour pause, that means I truly like them. And honestly, a lot of times after the 24-hour break, you’re feeling less impulsive and somehow all the things are just less appealing.

Nordstrom’s semi-annual sale is one of those things that I look forward to every year. I don’t have a lot of credit cards left anymore (under 5) but Nordstrom is one of those credit cards that I just can’t bring myself to get rid of … I love their customer service, selection of products, and the physical stores are like my haven. An iced coffee in hand (eBay, anyone?) and I can spend a whole day in a Nordstrom shop.

Here are a few things that I am eyeing in the Nordstrom semi-annual sale; everything is perfect for the professional working women in the corporate world!

What are you shopping for this Memorial Day?

The post Cubicle Chic Workwear Shopping List for the Nordstrom Semi-Annual Sale appeared first on Cubicle Chic.