Yet another crazy week

The good news is that I have hired a new person to take Jerk's place. More good news is that I told Jerk to take a hike. The bad news is that he took the opportunity to wipe his hard drive clean, uninstalled programs and even erased his e-mail identity. But does he still get paid his two weeks: Oh, yes he does.

Since we backup our e-mail on the server nightly, I was able to retrieve his e-mail. Here are some choice snippets:

From jerk to his former boss:
"So long as they can pay me enough, I’d take it in a flash. It’s gotten pretty unbearable over here. XXXXX has reverted back to her old ways, I don’t even speak to her anymore. Should I leave, I may go in and talk to XXXXX, in defense of the unlucky bastid who replaces me."

From jerk again to another colleague within my office:
"The point is, she's trying not to hire someone who is better than her."

He also called me insecure and untalented and that the publication is a "shit storm."

It's pretty interesting that someone who worked for me for less two months (and three weeks of those two months were the vacation time) had these strong opinions about me. I let him take a ton of time off, he came in late, left early and basically got to do whatever he wanted, and he still hated me. And his former boss barely even knows me — very strange.

I know none of this stuff relates to fashion or being petite but here is the one thing that does about this whole mess. When I heard Jerk deleting stuff on his computer, I asked him to stop and leave, but he refused to listen. So I went to the VP of my company and asked him for back up. The VP told me to take a deep breath, calm down and to give Jerk some more time to finish up. Well, by the time he finished up proprietary company information was gone. Was I brushed aside because I am a woman? Possibly, but something else came up in that exchange that was quite interesting. The VP said he had forgotten how young Jerk was because he is so tall and you think he is older than he is.

So a tall person equals older? That equates to giving a substantial raise that wasn't deserved? And because I am shorter that meant I didn't deserve the same amount of money when I was in that role? Isn't that discrimination?

That aside here are the facts: this kid and his former boss lost the company more than $1 million. They were the team on a newly launched publication that never got off the ground. It folded and that is why I inherited him. Its interesting that this kid and his former boss don't seem to find fault in their contributions to this loss. I've been running a fairly successful (we are still in publication) book for five years now.

A co-worker of mine from another department sent me this e-mail:
"All I can say is, XXXXX is going to have some seriously bad employment karma
at some point in his life."

One can only hope.

Hello again

So, as work has continued to be super stressful, my shopping has increased. I nabbed two new boatneck tees from J.Crew during their Extra 30 percent off sale; a black trench dress from BR (below) two v-neck sweaters, a floral tee and a khaki skirt from BR; a new pair of AG jeans; and a pair of petite linen pants and a cute sweatshirt from J.Crew today. Jeez ... typing it all out makes it sound like a heck of a lot more. Yikes!

Yesterday, the new member of my team (who got the job after we laid off another worker. The new guy was deemed "more valuable" by the powers that be than the previous guy) gave his notice yesterday. I'm not surprised (anyone who takes 13 days of vacation in a new position is bound to be out the door) but here's how it went down:

He had a really bad attitude about working a full day (8 hours) and completing his job tasks so yesterday I sat him down and said something along the lines of "I'm concerned. You don't seem to be very engaged in your role here." Then he said he was expecting a job offer to come through that very day and if the offer was right he was going to give his notice. And he said that the fact that this offer was coming right at the same time his girlfriend was moving to New York and this job is going to be in that area, was just a coincidence. Yep, and I'm Angelina Jolie.

Why do people have to lie? I understand the approach to leave your job on your own terms. But letting a company lay someone else off so you can keep a paycheck for two months is something awful. How do you sleep at night?

I was glad though to hear he was on his way out, even if he did tell me that he plans on taking Friday and Monday off again! it'll clear the way for me to bring in someone who really wants to be here and learn — I'm actually looking for a little mini-me.

So, now the search is on. And hopefully, for my bank account, I'll find someone fabulous who will make my life easier and subsequently, make me cut down on the retail therapy.

Back in black, literally

I returned from Arizona, tanned and relaxed with a few additional items in my suitcase. Most notably two new shirts from Banana, a new bra and a pair of panties from Victoria's, and a bunch of new cosmetics from Sephora (including a new bottle of Prada perfume. It's so fabulous!)

The heat in Arizona definitely made me (and everyone else) flock to the mall. I found the cutest dress at BCBG, which may very well be my new favorite store, but didn't buy it. Totally regretting it. I was also going to buy a new Coach purse, but the store was definitely lacking in classic yet fashion forward designs. Louis Vuitton's Speedy 25 was calling out my name from the LV store, but I couldn't justify the $550 cost, especially after losing $150 at the casino.

Arizona — Phoenix especially — was a ghost town with the 108 degree heat blazing. No one walked the streets, no one jogged, no one visited the outside shopping centers. I could barely find a place to eat that was open — right in downtown! Isn't this one of the largest cities in the U.S.?

I will say the desert is beautiful. I was out in Fountain Hills — home of the world's largest manmade geyser — right outside Scottsdale. No one bothered me at the pool, where I felt like a kid again doing underwater somersaults and the place was very quiet.

I found a local yoga studio — At One Yoga — and tried out a few classes there. All the instructors teach to music, which I found a bit challenging since it was hard to focus on your breath. But it was challenging nonetheless — my studio at home is heated to 100 degrees for the power vinyasa style I study and this studio was heated to 85 degrees. I was sweating the same regardless of the temperature difference, so the degrees were made up with cardio points.

So I came back home late Wednesday evening and was back at work promptly at 9:15 am the next morning. I bet a colleague of mine that my zen mood would last two hours. In reality, I made it to 2 1/2 hours. If anyone is looking to hire a motivated petite and fashion-loving editor looking to escape from a badly managed company, send me an e-mail.

I know, just spank me

Yes, I haven't posted in two months. It's shameful! I really want to take time out of my day to tell you all what I've been doing and more importantly, what I've been buying, but it's been a crazy summer. Not because I have taken any time off or been sipping on pina coladas, but because work has sucked. Here's a sampling:

*I had to lay off one of my staff members because of a company reorganization.
*I then had to hire someone from another department and train them.
*I had to buy a new car (Not really a bad thing. Just time consuming. Love my new Volvo.)
*I had to program the educational portion of a conference my company is putting on.
*Needed to stress out about conference we are putting on because only two people have signed up yet and its less than three months away.
*The keynote speaker for said conference has been called a "fraud" by some participants.
*I fear I may get fired.
*I've been looking for another job.
*I've been working my tail off and I am paid much less than the men in the office.
*I haven't been shopping as much as I normally do. (Partially due to the new Volvo.)
*I had to go to "hot as hell" Orlando.

I think that about sums it up. My focus on fashion has just not been there lately. I haven't even been excited about Banana's summer line. Or its fall preview. Or the fact that they are offering some of the monogram pieces in petite.

With all of this in mind, I am taking a much needed break. I'm off to Arizona on Saturday for some sun, yoga, relaxation, golf and cocktails. I hoping to return back to old form, with lots of fashion excitement to share.

But we'll see.

Summer is here

Ok, since I deal with business news in my day-to-day job, I have this undying compulsion to read People magazine on a daily basis (Pathetic, I know!) But this weekend they actually had something useful for us petite girls.

It's that season again — swimsuit season that is — and here are People's picks for petite girls.

Spring wardrobe

Once again, I've been traveling and that has put a hold-on my posts here. My apologies. But I have definitely found time to get some shopping in. Unfortunately, my birthday trip to Miami is off but I plan on visited the spa this weekend instead and possibly do some more shopping. Here are a rundown of some new purchases:
I got these capris from J.Crew in the papaya color below. I wanted the grey mist color but they weren't shipping for another week to to a drop in inventory.




I love J.Crew's 3/4 sleeve boatneck tees. I picked this one up in black. Black is always great for a plane ride.




There are two things about J.Crew that bug me. Ok, maybe three. First — their shipping charges are outrageous and they rarely offer a free shipping code (they even asked that their codes be taken off the Retail Me Not forum.) But I will say their regular shipping arrives much quicker than Banana's. I'm hoping these items come by Friday — to be continued.
Second — their petite line is built so that us petites have to order a size up from our normal size. I know it's only a number, but it still gets to me!
Third — Their prices are high, period. But the quality is definitely up there so I guess it balances out.

I also recently picked up this dress from Banana. It is so fun to wear. I've been wearing it with a black or white tank underneath to dress it down a bit and it is super cute both ways. Perfect for a good dinner out.

Happy brithday

My birthday is this month and even though it is still a few weeks away, the gifts are coming in already. Well, not really gifts but birthday coupons for some of my favorite retailers.

*Sephora is giving me a 2.5 oz helping of Sephora Vanilla Cupcake Bath & Shower Bubbles. Sounds yummy! On a side note, I LOVE Sephora — the best place for beauty and if you haven't yet tried LipFusion, Smashbox O-Glow, DiorShow mascara or Nars blush in orgasm, get on that right now.

*Victoria's Secret's annual $10 birthday gift certificate came in mail last week. I plan on putting it towards a few new undergarments tonight. I head out to California, again, tomorrow (this is the month of me half-living in the O.C.), what better excuse is there is buy some new goodies.

*DSW sent over a $5 off coupon on a purchase of $19.95 or more.

*And even though BR didn't send me this for my birthday, a friend gave me a $25 gift card. I think if anyone, BR should send me a pretty nice birthday reward, I spend enough with them for sure.

So, if you're birthday is coming up you might want to sign up for these stores' e-mail lists or join their forums. If you can stand the constant e-mails, the rewards are worth it.

It may be warm, but please ... dress your age.

I know summer and warm temps are just around the corner (it's even warming up here in New England!) and I am ready to break out the warm weather gear. But I have to voice my opinion about one thing: Short shorts.

I know short shorts are supposed to be elongating on us petite girls, but you also have to think about class and age appropriateness. I hate to be a bummer, but I don't think short shorts are made for women past the age of 32, no matter how fabulous your legs are. My friends and I even agree on this (a first) because you can elongate yourself all you want but if you look like a cheap, whore doing so, you haven't accomplished anything.

I won't buy anything shorter than a 4-inch inseam anymore and I will only have one pair of those (the BR shorts below). Bermudas and capris are just as cute, and a heck of a lot more classy than 2-inch inseam, low-rise shorts that leave NOTHING to the imagination.

There's something to be said about picturing yourself at a summer party in the Hamptons with George Clooney before heading out the door. If you wouldn't wear it there, why where it anywhere?

Couldn't help it!

I was only "allowed" to spend $100 on the BR web site the other day, but I went a little bit over that (only $24, sorry honey!) But I couldn't say no to this navy blue sweater jacket.

Or these shorts:

Or these flip-flops:
Yes, I am a shopaholic.

Sale alert!

Banana Republic has 30 percent off some of their super cute summer clothes — it only lasts until May 4 so hurry up.

They have some super cute petite shorts — Bermudas too! So catch yours while you can!

Frustrating search

I've continued to search for some beachy dresses for my upcoming trip to Miami but haven't found any that really jump out at me (if you have any suggestions, PLEASE leave a comment below.)

But here are a few that I am considering:

This is from the Gap and comes in petite. Love the color.


From Victoria's Secret:


From VS as well:

Sun and sand

I'm taking my yearly trip down to Miami for a little R&R in about a month and I am on the hunt for some cool resort dresses. I'm looking for suggestions — where's the best place to stock up on resort wear?

Spring sales

Here's a run-down of our favorite stores with petite lines on sale now:

Banana Republic:


J.Crew:


Anthropologie doesn't have a lot of petites on sale right now but I do love this green cap sleeve shirt dress.

Good day for a run

I know I talk a lot about fashion, spending money on clothes, work and travel, but I do have other interests. Yoga and running are my top two hobbies. It has been so cold up here in New England this winter that running outside hasn't been a possibility. But this week is has warmed up, and me and my Siberian Husky have run outside twice this week. First time, 3 miles and tonight we completed 3.25. I can't tell you how exhilarating it is to run outside after being stuck on a treadmill at the gym all winter.

I am so glad to be able to get outside, especially after a long day at work like today. And to give you your fashion hook, I will tell you I washed the Lucy yoga pants and they did shrink so I will not have to visit the tailor to hem them after all. But I have to admit, not sure if I was the biggest fashionista on Back Bay today as I topped off those cute pants with a Nike San Francisco Half-Marathon T-shirt. Hey, if you completed it (even in a very slow time) you have to brag.

Anyway, here's the view I had this evening during our run:

Follow-up on exercise gear

I told you I'd follow up on the Lucy yoga pants I purchased a few weeks back. They didn't arrive until after I got back from Vegas, which is part of the reason I have yet to claim my opinion.

They are made well, are a great comfortable material, BUT are still too long. I am perplexed by this. A 28-inch inseam is the shortest I go with pants — with jeans and other pants I wear a 29-inch.

I put them on after yoga the other day and they were about an-inch too long. I hadn't washed them yet so threw them in there and hope some shrinkage occurred. If not, off to the tailors. Uggghhh ...

Here's my question to you all: Why are low-rise pants always longer than regular-rise pairs? I have always found that if both say they have a 28-inch inseam, the regular rise fits fine, but the low rise is always too long. Can anyone fill me in on the reason?

Notes from Ohio

Two words: Ohio sucks.

I'm sure if you live there is a perfectly fantastic place, but as a visitor, on business no less, it really didn't have much to offer besides chain restaurants, chain hotels and chain stores.

I miss Vegas.

Back home

Sorry about the delay in posting. Between the busy-ness of the conference, social outings, my relaxing extra day in Vegas, traveling home and getting back into the swing of things at work, I've been straight out. Now, I'm finally back on Eastern time (somewhat) and obviously want to catch you up on what's been going on.

Although my first shopping trip was a disaster, Saturday's was fantastic. I got two new dresses from BR at the Canal Shops in the Venetian. (I worked hard to spend the couple hundred bucks I won gambling!) Here's the pic of my favorite — perfect for an upcoming trip I have to San Francisco.



I also went to one of my favorite restaurants — Alize at the top of the Palms — on Saturday night, which was fantastic. I had a hot stone massage at the Venetian, fabulous again. I came home, fairly relaxed, until I got back to work.

I head out to Ohio tomorrow, I'm positive I will not have as much fun there.

Early morning thoughts from Vegas

So, I made it here in one piece without accosting any badly dressed travelers and so far things are going well. Since I don't have to present at this conference, I'm able to slow down my pace a bit, which is definitely the exception. And I can honestly say that I have not been hungover ... yet.

I got in Tuesday and immediately headed over to The Forum Shops. My trip to BR was VERY disappointing. They only had ONE petite dress style for me to try on. Such a bummer and it really didn't fit the bill that I was looking for. I did get a cute skirt, but didn't spend a quarter of the money I had expected to! I headed over to Ann Taylor and purchased a dress — I can't find a pic of it — but I might return it. So not a great shopping trip.

It seems as though times are booming for short girls. A co-worker's buddy said he prefers shorter women. And last night at Tao, I went up to the bar to order a drink and the bartender said "I LOVE short girls!" It was hilarious.

More reports from Vegas to come!

Come on America. Step it up!

I have a lot of pet peeves about airline travel — and it has nothing to do with the delays, baggage mishandling, cancellations, etc. that I have become accustomed to. It has to do with how people (passengers) dress when they are on an airplane. It really is a disgrace.

I've been told stories about how people used to get dressed up for air travel. It was a luxury and people treated it as such. Of course, back then they served steak that wasn't freeze dried.

It seems as though many passengers are dressing in response to the lack of service/amenities on airplanes today. Most people I see are wearing sweats (just because it is Juicy Couture does NOT make it right). I actually saw a woman wearing a Nike track suit this morning — it's like it has become the official uniform of air travelers.

Well, let me tell you something. There is NO WAY IN HELL you are going to get upgraded if you dress like a slob. Leave the neck pillow at home. You can wear jeans, but wear jeans as though it were casual Friday at work. I always wear dark denim with a black shirt (either a turtleneck or a cardigan usually, depending on the destination) with black heels. And I wear my fabulous cream-colored BR trench when I travel — no matter what the temperature — because it just looks fabulous.

Tim Gunn has a great chapter in his book about how to dress when traveling by plane. It's a good read if you haven't checked it out yet.

You never know who is going to be sitting next to you — could be someone who could offer you a job or it could be Patrick Dempsey. Be prepared and fashionable.

Remember: Good clothes open all doors.

Can't wait for Vegas

I admit most business people HATE going to Vegas — I LOVE it! It's an opportunity to shop (see post below), gamble (love to, even though I really shouldn't throw money away), eat great food at some of the most fabulous restaurants (Social House, Tao, Alize) and drink fantastic cocktails (Social House makes the BEST vodka green tea concoction). It really is about being overindulgent, but since most of my life is filled with restraint — working out, watching what I eat, and being thrifty and responsible — this is a great time to let loose. I'm even staying an extra day to lounge by the pool at The Venetian.

Speaking of restraint, do any of you fellow petite girls out there feel that you have to watch every little thing you eat? Let's be honest, an extra five pounds on a 5 foot tall girl looks like 10 extra pounds. I always feel restrained when it comes to food and I know most women do, but I feel as though it is tougher for us. What do you think?