This week, I attended a networking event hosted at our local aquarium and it was a blast.  People always say that first impressions are important, and style can say a lot about you!  I am definitely not one to dress formal or wear a suit, so I love finding professional pieces with a fashionable twist.

 
Right now, I'm loving the sleek look of pencil skirts, and most of mine are either textured or have a print.  This time I chose to style a black and white striped pencil skirt.  The organic placement and the different sizes of the stripes created a slimming effect!


I chose a ruffle tank instead of a button down and paired that with a yellow cardigan as my pop of color.  I thought the combo paired well with the skirt!  I kept my accessories simple.  I didn't want to compete with the ruffles on the top, so I went sans necklace and wore large earrings and a cocktail ring instead!  And I completed the look with a belt and simple black pumps.

I wanted to also share a few networking tips that I've picked up!
  • Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to someone, especially if they are standing alone.  Don't wait around and hope for someone to come to you!
  • Don't monopolize the conversation and just talk about yourself or start with explaining what you do at work.  Find out if you have any common interests with the other person and the conversation will evolve!
  • Always follow up after the meeting.  I usually follow up the day after an event and try to continue the relationship building through emails and social media, like LinkedIn!
Hope these styling (and networking) tips helped!  Stay tuned for a separate blog post on different ways to style this same pencil skirt for different occasions!