Pick of the Day: Sole Survivor Leather Briefcase

Every working Lezsquire needs a good briefcase. 

And you'll be hard pressed to find a more awesome briefcase than Style No. 1005 from Sole Survivor Leather. 

Let's face it: after law school (or once you otherwise enter the professional world), a backpack will no longer cut it.  Your supervisors, clients, and co-workers expect you to look put-together and adult.  So being the young'un who marches into work with knapsack slung over your shoulders (no matter how cool it may be...) is a big mistake.

Those of us with more masculine taste in style get a hard rap when it comes to bags.  Feminine women have a plethora of purses and totes to choose from.  It's a bit tougher finding something that suits those erring toward the other side of the gender spectrum. 

Reminiscent of the harness belt, this sole survivor briefcase has striking good looks, classic styling, and a bit of an edge (hello "tongue" clasps).  The fixtures are solid brass, so you know it's built to last.  I think this is the perfect type of briefcase for the working queer who is going for professional respect while still remaining style conscious.  At $350, this bag is an investment but quite a steal compared to some of those designer purses our more femmey friends may tote.  And my bet is that it will last a lifetime and then some. 

Look of the Day: LA Style

Lezsquire readers!  I am happy to report that I am back from my extended business trip to Ohio.  Although some excitingly gay events coincidentally happened while I was in town, I have to say... damn, it's good to be back. 

(And before you ask regarding my trip: No, I sadly did not see one fashionable outfit [besides those in the mirror] the entire month I was away.  Better luck next time.)

In honor of my triumphant return, here is a slice of quintessential LA lesbian style for you.

Note the artfully slicked back, sun-kissed hair, dark aviators, and double breasted black suit.  The perfect look for effortlessly doing justice on the idyllic palm-lined streets of LA. 

Suits Me: Power Dyke Couple

What's the only thing better than a hot power lesbian?

TWO hot power lesbians! 

Observe:

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I'm really loving this picture for several reasons.

Androgyny.  Nothing gets me like androgyny.  The ladies here are rocking their looks with masculine confidence and feminine grace.  The poses (wide legged stance, jaunty hips and shoulders, squared jaws) give every indication of assertiveness while subtle cues (the tilt of the head, grasping of hair) belie a tender vulnerability.  The perfect combination.

White suit.  This is an excellent example of pulling off the white suit.

Vest & Oxford.  A great way to look professional but not too uptight.  After (or during) a hard day of work, it's okay to take your jacket off, roll up the sleeves, and keep on being awesome. 

The Hair.  Here is an excellent example of how one can still have "longer" hair and pull off a masculine look.  The standing figure has more meticulously groomed locks while the seated figure has a more free and unkempt style.  Both look great. 

I can't get enough of the hot lesbian power couple.  So use the comments to tell me about any such experiences!

Pic of the Day: Lady Gaga in Drag

... Does that make her Mister Gaga?

In any case, Lezsquire is a huge fan of the incomparable Lady Gaga.  Today for your viewing pleasure, Lady G lets her more masculine side out.

Lady Gaga makes quite the dyke.  I'm loving her James Dean-esque hair in this picture and the artful tailoring of her white fauxedo shirt.   Once again, being a hot lesbian (or anything else, for that matter) is all about attitude.

Look of the Day: Go-to-Hell Pants

The go-to-hell pant is back envogue, and Lezsquire couldn't be happier.  I've always harbored a little not-so-secret love for prep style ever since I first laid hands on a copy of The Official Preppy Handbook as a young Lez.  Aptly named, the go-to-hell pant is a fashion conundrum.  The button-downed prepster's Ivy League attempt to bring a bit of punk rock abandon into their lives. 

Dandy and white suit wearer Tom Wolf is credited with first coining the phrase in an article for for Esquire about the elite preps vacationing at Martha's Vinetard.  He writes:

The jackets were mostly navy blazers, and the ties were mostly striped ties or ties with little jacquard emblems on them, but the pants had a go-to-hell air: checks and plaids of the loudest possible sort, madras plaids, yellow-on-orange windowpane checks, crazy-quilt plaids, giant houndstooth checks, or else they were a solid airmail red or taxi yellow or some other implausible go-to-hell color. They finished that off with loafers and white crew socks or no socks at all. The pants were their note of Haitian abandon… at the same time the jackets and ties showed they had not forgotten for a moment where the power came from.

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The above look is a great example of how to pull off the go-to-hell look.  Things to note:

• Subdued accompaniments.  The most important part of pulling off the "go-to-hell" look well is to not go over the top, or you'll just look like a clown.  This means going for an overall "conservative" look with one shocking element.  Here, note that the classic look of the sweater, button-down, shoes, belt, and watch really allow the pants to shine.  
• Get the color or pattern right.  It's called "go-to-hell" for a reason.  Now is not the time to be shy.  Go with the boldest and most clashing color or pattern possible.  Think yellow, salmon, red, or seafoam for solids and big bold plaids for patterns.  If you go embroidered pattern route (tiny sailboats, flamingos, or the like), make sure it's something representative of your personality.
• Boat Shoes.  Sperrys are a prepster essential, so if you're planning on pulling off the go-to-hell look anywhere near an ocean, make sure to grab a pair. 
• Fun socks.  Also envogue nowadays.  Just 'cause it's too cold to go sockless doesn't mean you can't have fun "down there".  Spice up your Sperrys with some fun patterened or striped socks.  

So when you're feeling a bit punchy at your next work picnic or romp with the friends, consider telling the world to go to hell. 

Suits Me: More Milla Jovovich

If you haven't noticed already, I think Milla Jovovich has (or had, circa the 1990s) the perfect hot lesbian look. 

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Check out that haphazardly slicked back mane.  Professional with an edge.  In addition to the spectacular lesbian hair, Milla is rocking one excellent grey suit.  This lighter shade of grey is particularly great for springtime.  Pop the collar a little.  Because you're a badass. 

But the best part is the gaze.  Threatening?  Playful?  Dismissive?  Enticing?  Aggressive?  Challenging?  All of the above?  Yes please.

The hot lesbian look is all about attitude. 

(And with that kind of attitude, who needs a shirt?)

Deal Alert: Land's End Riding Jacket

There have been rumors around the fashion community that Land's End is the "poor man's J. Crew".  Depending on who you talk to, this could be a good thing or a thinly-veiled jibe.  Well, Lezsquire is a blog for the young professional.  Like many of my readers, I have student loans to repay, bills to take care of, and other things to save up for.  So although I tend to feature a lot of nice, and consequentially pricey, items on my blog, I recognize that most of us can't always have everything we want.  Therefore, although I appreciate good quality, I also appreciate a good deal.  This Land's End riding blazer appears to be both. 

Land's End Riding Blazer

This gentlemanly riding jacket is a herringbone wool blend and comes fully lined.  It features a fashionable ticket pocket and playful yet sophisticated notch collar.  The description says it has a little extra length, which is great because there's few things that peeve me more than a jacket that's not long enough (something that has become a veritable plague in modern women's fashion).  It also says it's "great for times when you don't feel like carrying a purse".  I.e., when you are a dyke.  The best part?  It's on sale for only $99.97. 

Since I already made a big blazer purchase this weekend (more on that soon), I don't see this jacket in my future (also, I tend to be more of a size 4 nowadays and the smallest they have is a 6).  But, some dapper young reader out there needs to get this!!!  It's just too awesome to pass up.  And when you do, dyke it up and send in the pictures so I can feature your fabulousness on Lezsquire. 

Formal Friday: Cufflinks with French Cuffs

As you might recall, I do not remember the first time I saw a woman wearing a suit.

I do, however, remember the first time I saw a woman wearing cufflinks. 

It was mind-blowing.  Intimidating, sexy, and sophisticated all at once.  The essence of masculine power worn as a token on a female body.  I was wrecked. 

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The essential companion to the cufflink is the french cuff shirt.  The french cuff/cufflink combination is dressy.  It's for select occasions.  Unless you've already made your first million, it's not your everyday wear.  It's for those select times when you need to be at the height of your power. 

And god... when that power is harnessed.  The things you can do with it. 

Pic of the Day: Youthful Professional

Not every professional occasion calls for an all-out matching 3 piece suit.  As a young professional, you can still have some fun with mixing and matching your business wardrobe while avoiding the dreaded label "business casual".

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Khakis and a nontraditional belt can be paired with a subdued gray or navy blazer and button-down for a sophisticated yet youthful look for springtime.  Put on a nice watch and your favorite pocket square, and you're good to go!

Packing for Business Travel 101

I have been traveling on business lately.  So since it's been on my mind, today's post contains tips for what the lesbian professional should pack for business travel.  These recommendations will assume that 1) you will be away for more than a few days, and 2) that you will be needing to wear "business attire" during at least part of your trip.

1. Be aware of your destination.  This seems like a no-brainer, but there have been several times that I (as a Californian) have failed to realize how cold other parts of the world can get at varying times of year.  Does your destination have tropical rainstorms in the summer?  Tornadoes in the spring?  High liklihood of a blizzard?  Check the weather predictions for your destination and do a little research into it's quirks.  Then think of the key items you will need for this weather - coats, umbrellas, etc.  Keep in mind that cold weather clothes are bulkier and will require more packing room.
  
2. Build your wardrobe bottom-up.  And by bottom-up, I mean first determine what color of shoes you will be bringing.  Shoes take up a lot of space, so if you're traveling for a week or less you should consider bringing only one pair of business shoes.  Black and brown are the business traditionals (black is typically seen as more professional), so pick one of the two.  (And for god's sake, don't wear those horrible bulky slip-on "business travel shoes".  Having to take 2 additional seconds to untie your shoes at TSA won't kill you.)  Ok, picked your shoe color?  Then throw in a matching belt.  Now choose a classic suit that goes with it.  You get the idea.

Some classic black shoes like these wingtips from H by Hudson will serve you well on business travel.

3. Wear bulkier items on the plane.  Wearing bulkier items on the plane will both save you packing space and protect you from the extreme temperatures of air travel.  Consider wearing bigger sweaters and other items on the plane.  Wearing one of your suit jackets or blazers on the plan will better protect it from wrinkles than leaving it in the bag. 


4. Versatility is key.  Packing space is a pain and airline baggage charges are insane nowadays.  So it's important to think of outfits that will be versatile. You'll have to come to terms with the fact that due to limited space for accessories and different wardrobe pieces in your luggage, you will probably not be the height of fashion during the duration of your business travel.  Nonetheless, you can still build a basic, sharp and professional wardrobe for your trip. While I am not crazy about the exact outfits, think of the below picture as a guide. As you can see, the outfits all build off of the same scheme of a dark suit, black shoes/belt, and a couple of button-down shirts and sweaters worn in different combinations.  You could technically only have one or two basic suits or blazers for a week or longer, but by mixing and matching smaller pieces you can create vastly different looks.  Bring a couple of different colored button-downs, then try  layering a vest or sweater in different combinations on different days.  On more casual days, you can ditch the suit jacket and go with some slacks and a sweater or one of your more casual button-downs.

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UPDATE: Also check out this awesome infographic from Style Girlfriend for inspiration.

5. Bring some key accessories.   There are several smaller accessories that are small and easy to pick that can spice up your basic business wardrobe and be mixed and matched with the pieces discussed above.  Think about bringing a few small accessories like pocket squares, ties and tie clips, patterned socks, sunglasses, scarfs, or gloves.

Cool accessories can bring a spark to an otherwise plain business travel wardrobe.

6. Consider your clothing's comfort, too.  Suits should be kept in a garment bag and packed properly while traveling.  Shirts should be wrinkle-resistant, or (if you enjoy ironing like me), make sure there is an iron available at your hotel.  As much of a pain as it is to unpack everything, hanging up your suits and shirts when you arrive will keep them looking nice until you need to wear them. 

7. Take advantage of your employer's business travel allowances.  Most employers will cover checked luggage fees.  They also might reimburse you dry cleaning expenses while on business travel.  Look into your employer's policy and take advantage of this!  If will help ease many of the stresses of deciding what to pack and whether you have too much or not enough.  

With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way to a successful business trip, Lezsquire-style.