The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(9)

I promise to give you all the juicy details about the event as soon as I wake up tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are the top three trends I’m seeing around New York as of late:



Chunky overalls. I’m serious, people. Moms everywhere are pairing them with white converse and Berkin Bags. I’ve linked a few pairs below. BEWARE: as with all ‘kitschy’ trends, this can go south, fast. Be sure you aren’t pairing your overalls with any of the following: chunky tennis shoes, baggy t-shirts, or—god forbid—a fanny pack.

Bright lip stains. (I’m wearing this red shade tonight. It’s a little bold, but I want to stand out.)

Big, loud statement necklaces. Pair ’em with a jersey dress or layer them over a J. Crew tee. These necklaces will be trending for multiple seasons, I guarantee it.





All right, I have to go get ready for the gala! I’m already nervous, but I’m going to think back to the title of this blog post every time I feel like giving up: you’ll never get anywhere by staying in your comfort zone!!!



Until tomorrow,

XOJO




I was impressed enough by her wit to browse through a few more pages of her archived posts. Her writing was approachable and real. Most of the women who worked in New York fashion would never admit to thrift shopping, but Josephine had a freshness about her that her readers seemed to appreciate and connect with.

After scrolling through a few pages, I clicked back to my email and attempted to run through a few more resumes. There were plenty of well-qualified applicants, lots of graduates from Parsons and FIT. There were applicants who had interned with Tommy Hilfiger and other top brands, but as I finished off my drink, I was still thinking of Josephine. She had hardly half the work experience of some of the other applicants, but I found myself already imagining her in the position. She and I could work well together. She’d make me laugh. Wasn’t that important? And sure, maybe I was also craving another glimpse of those lips. Every man has his weakness.

Before closing down my computer for the night, I opened a new email window and started typing away before common sense set in.

Subject: Interview Request from Julian Lefray





Chapter Six


Josephine





I woke up bright and early the morning after the gala, ready with a full cup of coffee and chock-full of false optimism. I was planning on checking my emails, finding my most businesslike outfit, and then waltzing down to Lorena’s office for an interview. The fact that I had no clue where her offices were seemed like a negligible detail.

Unfortunately, my go-get-em attitude wasn’t needed. The first email, sitting right at the very top of my neglected inbox, was from Mr. Fuck-Me himself. Er, I mean, Julian Lefray. It had been sent at 1:14 AM, which immediately made me wonder if he’d been up late thinking of me, but I knew better. Nope. No. Don’t go there. You need a job and he’s looking for a new assistant. Nothing more, nothing less. Ignore the tall, dark, and handsome vibe. Book boyfriends exist for a reason.

Julian needed an assistant, and while being organized wasn’t exactly my forte, I needed this job badly enough to pretend it was. One look at the mountain of bills sitting on my kitchen-turned-bathroom counter drove that point home.

I immediately replied to his email with my availability, and then dragged my laptop right back to bed to type up my next blog post.



What Jo Wore



Post #1250: Job Interview Attire (Or how I pretend to be much more professional than I actually am…)

Comments: 55 Likes: 513



Tomorrow I have a super important job interview. I know, YIKES. Send some positive vibes my way!

You guys are always asking me to do posts about workday attire, so I thought I would share three of my favorite interview outfits with you all. Most of the items are thrifted or from a few seasons ago, but I’ve linked to the few items you can still find around the web.

Also, disclaimer: I snapped these photos using a timer on my camera so please excuse the poor composition. I’ve yet to find someone to help me with photographs in New York. I used to bribe my best friend Lily to take my photos back in Texas. Let’s hope for y’all’s sake I find someone soon! For now, just squint and pretend these are awesome photos!



Until tomorrow,

XOJO



…



The day of my interview, I woke up extra early and slipped into a pair of fitted navy slacks and a cream long-sleeved blouse. The day before, I’d researched Lorena’s company while watching a marathon of murder mystery shows. Sure, I was now highly paranoid about getting kidnapped, but at least I felt prepared for my interview.

Julian wanted me to meet him at Blacksmith Coffee at 9:00 AM, sharp. Once again, I tried not to read too much into his choice of venue. Late night emails, coffee shop interviews…sure, most interviews were conducted in a boardroom with stuffy, boring businessmen, but maybe Julian liked to stretch his legs.

I was nearing the coffee shop, giving myself an internal pep talk, when my phone buzzed in my hand.



Lily: Good luck with your coffee date. Oh, I’m sorry, “interview”. ;)

Josephine: STOP. Seriously. There is no hanky panky happening. I’m a professional career woman.

Lily: I looked him up last night per your email… Y’know, maybe you should have mentioned the fact that he is a 10/10 on “Josephine’s hot guy scale”?