Rachel Cleveland

For the last 7 years, I have had the privilege of leading a leadership development and mentoring program in Texas. It has truly been one of the best experiences of my life, and I have grown tremendously as a professional over the years. Along with my individual professional development, my professional wardrobe and fashion have also expanded. When I used to be uncomfortable in a suit or stepping outside of corporate norms, I am now fearless in my attire and helping young women figure out their own professional fashion through seminars and dress for success conversations. This past week was the last time I would give this presentation to the students of the University of North Texas as a staff member. So, in the spirit of one of my favorite topics, I wanted to share with you my personal professional favorites and faux pas.

My first must in any fashion, especially when it comes to work or professional attire is to have at least one MAN I LOOK GOOD outfit. This can be for interviews, big presentations, or you are just feeling it that day. For me, this is a Bright blue suit that fits perfectly, paired with a black top and black heels. I usually go more traditional when on interviews, but once I am on the inside, I spread that color around like confetti. I love wearing colors and spicing up traditional suits with pops of color in tops or accessories. So, my best encouragement to you, no matter who you are or what industry you are part of, have an outfit that always makes you feel like a million bucks!

What about when you aren’t feeling it? What should you wear on those days that going to work sounds like the absolute last thing you want to be doing? Well friends, I strongly recommend you get yourself a FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT outfit. This is something that looks way better than you are feeling and will instantly give people something to complement you about, thus improving your mood by all the praise you are getting around the office. For those that know me, they know I tend to branch out of the professional attire comfort zone from time to time and with my FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT ensemble it is no different. My go-to for those days when I just don’t have it together is to throw on some red lipstick or black leather pants. On the really rough days you’ll see me rocking both of those together (see picture below!) and boy, do those comments come rolling in. Usually after two hours at the office, I am in a better mood and ready to face whatever comes my way. Maybe leather pants or red lips aren’t for you, which is totally ok, we can still be friends don’t worry. But whatever it is that is different from your norm that is comfortable and helps you feel prepared for the day you will face (that is clean and doesn’t have holes in it) then wear it!

Now that you have two outfits in your closet you actually like wearing to work, somehow you have to fill it with other options for the normal days. Professional attire can often be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. I frequently enjoy browsing through TJ Maxx or Banana Republic Factory (BRF) store for great deals and items not everyone will already have. BRF is my favorite for women’s suits and professional style dresses. They are often on sale and tend to offer free shipping with most online orders. TJ Maxx is hit or miss for me and I have to be in the mood to dig around, which usually I am not. But I have found some great, trendy blazers over the years. Most recently, I found a great mustard yellow blazer that I LOVE and seems to go with so many different pieces I have. It instantly dresses up a black jeans and top for Friday business casual or adds the professional touch to a dress and heels.

My outfits don’t always work out, especially at the office. The worst one was a t-shirt dress I wore under a maroon blazer with a scarf. Sounds super cute and I looked great, but the material of the dress tended to get caught on the seats of cushioned chairs when I sat. And guess what would happen when I stood up? That’s right, it would pull and fly up EVERY SINGLE TIME. You see, sometimes the material of what you are wearing matters. If it is a more casual material it can get caught (Like mine did!), be see through, ride up, shrink after being washed, or any number of other problems. These are not problems you want to be facing at work, you have plenty of other things you have to take care to start worrying about your clothes. So, my new rule of thumb is, when in doubt, don’t wear it. Don’t even try it! Better safe than sorry, or embarrassed, which is just as bad as sorry sometimes. As I’m sure you can guess, I haven’t worn that dress to work again.

From there, I always encourage my students to find their style. Find what you are comfortable in, what expresses who you are, what is affordable, and for sure what is within the dress code for your working environment. As clique as it sounds, you are a blank canvas and you get to determine what colors, prints, materials, and styles best express who you are or who you want to be in the office. Mix it up and try something new the next time you are heading to the office! Let me know what your FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT or MAN I LOOK GOOD outfits are in the comments below! I’d love to hear how you use clothing to conquer your workday.

I am an avid traveler, or at least as avid as my time and money allow me to be. If you don’t know this about me, feel free to check out my Instagram feed for some of the photos from my recent trips and let me know what you think! Anyways, I do my best to leave the country twice a year and stay gone for a minimum a week while abroad, usually 10 to 14 days. I do all of this while only taking a carryon-sized bag with me. And it is amazing! I wanted to share a few of my favorite things to bring with me, clothes and items that help me look great while on a long trip without having to bring my entire closet with me. Here we go!

First, I have two bags I chose from when leaving the country for a 10 to 14-day length of time. I usually take my Patagonia duffle bag or my eBags roller. The Patagonia bag was purchased at REI 4 years ago and has yet to show any issues or tears for that matter. It has removable straps to allow me to carry it like a backpack or a duffle bag. It is made from heavy nylon and mine is a bright teal color which makes it easy to spot should I decide to check the bag rather than carry it on board. My eBags roller is a hard case style in rose gold. It has great space inside and is expandable if needed. This roller is new for me, so I am still working on how best to utilize it on long trips, but so far it has been on some great 5-day trips to Costa Rica and Washington DC and I’ve had PLENTY of space to play with. In addition to having a great bag to travel with, I also utilize packing cubes. I found a great 4 pack with a variety of sizes on Amazon for about $20. This investment has been the best space saving thing I have done and allows me to travel more easily and organized in my little spaces.

Ok now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s get to the fun part- the clothes! I tend to travel with comfortable, versatile clothing no matter where I travel or what season I am entering. Because of this, I usually don’t buy new clothes for a trip unless it is absolutely necessary. When I am abroad, I want something I know will fit and be able to hold up throughout the day rather than taking a risk on something that hasn’t been tested yet. Even without buying new clothes for a trip, I have never felt unprepared or underdressed for the places I have visited, and I didn’t have to bring my entire clothes to feel this way! So, with that being said, here are the basics I typically always have with me on any extended trip.

1. 2 Lightweight dress- When packing for a long trip, I do my best to utilizes dresses for a variety of reasons but at the top is, it’s the entire outfit in one piece. One piece means it requires less room in my bag, which I am always for. The same can be true of rompers and I do sometimes travel with one, but now always. Anyways, I usually take one solid color cotton or jersey dress with me and one patterned maxi dress. Either can easily be dressed up or down, are comfortable in hotter climates or can have leggings layered with them to add more warmth. They can also double as beach cover-ups or nightgowns if that is your style.
2. Scarf- I always, ALWAYS travel with a scarf. The weight of it varies depending on where I am going, but usually, I do my best to have a brightly colored or patterned scarf with me to dress up the solids I tend to travel in. A scarf is a super easy way to add color, warmth, modesty, etc. I have used scarfs to cover my head, shoulders, or legs in religious buildings, as a bathing suit coverup, and a blanket on the plane. They take up very little space and are always handy to have around.
3. Jacket or sweater- I usually have some kind of jacket or sweater with me with the weight of it depends upon where I am going. Usually, I wear this on the plane, so it doesn’t take up space in my packed bag. But either way, I pick durable fabrics, solid colors, and pretty neutral palate so it will go with any outfit I need to add it to over the trip.
4. 3 Solid shirts- Again, I go with solids in my pieces because that allows for more outfit options and can be easily layered without having graphics bleeding through. For a long trip, I usually bring 3 shirt options, a chambray button-down, a solid dark gray or black shirt, and maybe a white or light gray option. Again, I go with solids in my tops and focus more of my patterns on accessories or even bottoms depending on where I am going.
5. Black jeans- These are my go-to and are the first thing in my bag. They go with everything and can be dressed up or down. Plus, if I spill something on me early in the day and won’t be back to change my clothes for a while, you can’t tell in black jeans! I have a super comfortable pair from Old Navy that I love.
6. 2 pairs of shoes- This one is difficult for most people, to only bring two pairs of shoes with you when you travel. I have had to work on this one myself, but in the end, I have found great shoe options that allow me comfort and style without needing to bring a pair of shoes for every day I am out of town. I would only bring one pair with me some places but having shoe options help provide back up when a pair is rubbing you the wrong way or fails you while you are abroad. For warmer or mild temperatures, I usually bring a pair of sandals and Keds or Sperry’s. In cooler temps, I have a great pair of riding boots that are comfortable and well broken in and then I take along a pair of Keds for the warmer days.
7. Colorful jewelry- This is a great way to play an outfit up or down. It takes up little space in the suitcase and can add color instantly. I light light-weight jewelry when I travel, so it doesn’t weigh me down if I wear it all day. Good options for this are jewelry with tassels, earrings or necklaces. They are fun, add lots of color and don’t become too heavy over the long day of sightseeing.
8. 3 bottoms – Leggings, shorts, jeans, whatever the weather calls for is what goes in the bag. But they are black, denim, colored, or patterned. Usually, jeans can be worn a couple of times before they need to be washed, so these are a great option while traveling. Leggings can easily be layered under dresses or worn as pants, depending on your personal style. I tend to go more towards athletic leggings while I am traveling as they keep their shape longer and offer more support for the day. Shorts can be anything from linen, denim, or athletic for me. It just depends on what the trip needs. These also can double as PJs for me, reducing, even more, the number of items I am bringing in my bag.
9. PJs- I am not a fancy PJ person, so when I travel, I often sleep in t-shirts and shorts that can double as workout clothes or be used with other pieces to be an outfit. A soft spun shirt can be used to sleep in or worn during a touring day with shorts/ jeans. And athletic shorts can be worn to sleep in, for a workout, for a beach day, or taking a hike around town. Having versatile pieces, rather than an item that only serves one purpose, reduces the number of articles you are bringing with you and gives you more options when putting outfits together.
10. Airplane outfit- This ensemble is to be worn on the first and last day of travel or on any flights during your time away. I have one style of outfit I usually wear on an airplane when I am traveling abroad. When the flight is domestic, I have a bit more variety, mostly because they are shorter flights, but otherwise I stick with this type of outfit: long, soft shirt (Like a LulaRoe Irma or Old Navy Luxe Shirt), black leggings/ workout pants, sweater or jacket, Keds and a scarf. I am able to be incredibly comfortable while still looking like I have my life together. The colors can vary, the shoes and jacket may change depending on the climate, but otherwise, this is what I wear anytime my flight is over 5 hours long. Wearing this outfit on the front and back end of my trips takes out my guesswork in figuring out what I will wear home once everything is dirty. This is set aside, and I know it will be ready to go when I am.
11. Activity-based clothes- These are items you need when you already know you have something planned. This could be a bathing suit, hiking clothes, formal dress for an event, etc. Whatever the event or activity is, only pack exactly what you need for this and see if it can be shared among other clothes already in your bag. For instance, I have a great swimsuit I love and have used the top to double as a sports bra when I want to work out while on a trip. If I am going hiking, I will usually back athletic shorts or pants, which are already in my bag for other reasons, then maybe all I am adding is a long-sleeved shirt or sunscreen shirt to help with my pale skin from hating me the rest of the trip. For a more dressy event, the maxi dress I take can easily be dressed up with only adding a pair of heels to the bag or dressier sandal options depending on what look you are going for. Jewelry can also be an easy add here.
12. Do laundry- The only way I am able to pack clothes for 5 to 7 days and it lasts up to two weeks is by doing laundry. Laundry mats are typically easy to find around the world, but hotels offer laundry services (though they are expensive!) or Air BnB’s have access to facilities you can usually use. And if all else fails, you have a bathtub at your disposal. Whatever way you able to make it happen, do it and bring Tide pods with you. These are easy to pack and allow you to bring the detergent of your choice rather than depend on finding a good alternative when you are out of town.

These are a few of my favorite packing things which help me stay stylish while traveling and still have room in my bag to bring home souvenirs! They also are comfortable and don’t cost a million dollars. This makes me feel better in case something happens while I am gone, or I want to leave something behind to make more room for purchases I’ve made, I don’t feel like I am breaking the bank to do so. What are some of your favorite things to travel with or in? Let me know your secrets in the comments box below!