Guest Blog: The Southernista’s Post-Grad Essentials

By Brookedujour @brookedujour

Welcome Shelby Foster, the blonde, bubbly blogger behind The Southernista, to Brooke du jour! My style crush on Shelby first started when we took Digital Journalism together at SMU in the spring. We both always seemed to be peeking at the same fashion blogs when we should have been paying more attention in class. Plus, even at 9:30 a.m., Shelby looked like she hopped right out of the J.Crew catalog (think oversized, black, square glasses and lots of striped sweaters). Shelby graduated a few weeks ago with a B.A. in Journalism and received the Outstanding Digital Journalism Student award. I know we can expect a very exciting and stylish future from her. I’m turning the rest of the post over to Shelby, so we can all learn about life post-grad.
All photos courtesy of The Southernista

Essays, all-nighters, and boring lectures are now a thing of the past for my fellow 2013 graduates and me. But now a whole new chapter is beginning! Here are my absolute essentials for life post-grad. These items will get you from the first interview to the first day of work, and everything in between.
1. Tory Burch tote - A big bag will come in handy once you have to carry more than lip gloss and your iPhone. Go ahead and splurge on a nice one while you're at it. A beautiful leather tote in a fun color will last you through a multitude of meetings and work trips.
2. Kate Spade heels - You'll need to upgrade your shoe selection, too. It's due time to toss out all of those $50 sky-high platforms you wore out every night (and are now destroyed).
3. Sugar Paper flat stationery  - If you haven't written all of your graduation thank-you notes yet, get on it!
4. J.Crew pencil skirt - Yes, the pencil skirt is ubiquitous to the working world, but why be boring with plain black? Liven things up with a fun print, like polka dot. You can still dress conservatively for work while also letting your personality peek through.
5. Fresh cleanser and Clarisonic Mia - Passing out with a full face of makeup on is no longer an option. Get serious about your skincare with a quality routine. Trust me, it's worth every penny to have beautiful skin now and years down the road!
6. Design Darling business card cases - Whether you are handing out networking cards or just receiving fresh ones from your new company, a cute case to carry them is a must. Always have them on hand, because you never know whom you will run into.