Everyone knows that your style starts at home in the morning… picking out your outfit, selecting shoes, grabbing a great bag… and running out the door. But I’ve found that the work day is the enemy of style — things happen. Creases form, lint finds you, mascara runs, shine appears, shoes hobble… but a little forethought and a well-stocked top desk drawer has saved my look many a time.

So dear Readers/Feeders, I give you: the Top Five Top Drawer Style Essentials (and where you might find them online.)

1. The Garment Salvation Kit

Go to www.drugstore.com or the like to select some cheap and portable products to fix style emergencies. Put together a little Fix It Kit online, and then ship it right to work. Unpack to your top drawer and bask in your preparedness, you good little Scout. Some of my personal must-haves…a lint roller, some stain removers, and a wrinkle spray.

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If you are a working girl like me (and I mean that in the professional sense, not the street-walking sense), then you know that the ability to carry all your “stuff” in style is of utmost importance.

The ideal work bag must be roomy… On any given day, I’m hauling about a laptop, notebook, small make-up refresher bag, a bottle of water, and potentially my lunch. If it’s a gym day, throw workout clothes and sneaks into the mix, too. Among all that, it’s easy to lose a cell phone, blackberry, extra pen, wallet and glasses… so clearly, compartments are key.

The perfect work bag is over the shoulder, not handheld. But, the straps should be short enough that you COULD carry it by hand or on the crook of the elbow as well. It should be leather (in my opinion), and a neutral color to ensure you don’t have to change it every time you change your outfit.

It might be high end …

Or it might be less expensive…

Or it may be somewhere in between…

Or, break out of the neutral box and get something colorful like this sunny yellow number…

Either way… the bag is only half the style battle. Make sure you don’t overstuff (a very bad look), and make sure you pick one big enough to truly carry your essentials. Otherwise, the collection of work bag, gym bag and lunch/shoes in a shopping bag looks disheveled and sloppy — not a good look for a working girl… not THIS kind of working girl, anyway!

Casual Friday… oh, how I love thee. And I lovest thou more when you closeth early.

In my workplace — not really known for formal office dress to begin with — the differentiator between everyday and “Casual Friday” is that jeans — oh, jeans! — are gloriously permitted. And while some may take that to mean pulling on old comfies is appropriate, I merely look at it as a time to sport denim in a way that is still polished and professional.

So start with a nice dark wash trouser jean, I say… maybe like this:

Then top with a rich colored sweater (cashmere always looks and feels great) and a tweedy blazer to keep it a little bit professional:

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I faintly heard rain on my window… the gentle snore of my dog nestled in the crook of my knees… the whir of my programmed coffee maker grinding beans…

What I did not hear was my alarm.

When I finally made the connection that the smell of brewing coffee meant time to rise and shine, I opened my eyes to see the clock reading… oh… an hour to conference call time! I threw off the covers and did what any self-respecting PR gal would do in this emergency — walk into the closet to search for a great dress.

I ended up throwing on a graphic wrap dress, some black tights and some tall black boots. I added a cuff bracelet and simple earrings, and grabbed my bag. My husband even offered a heartfelt “you look nice”… and with that and a quick kiss, I ran for the bus.

What a difference it made to be able to show up feeling as though my late night (and therefore late morning) was my little secret… hidden by a one-piece wonder of fashion salvation.

I’m of the belief that every working woman should have a handful of great dresses she can throw on to look pulled together on days when you just can’t deal with rifling through your wardrobe to find “all the pieces”… and so here are some picks I’m considering adding to my closet:

I like this one from Kenneth Cole… love the bold lines and the work-appropriate cut…

I work in a creative environment, so this print may not work for everyone’s office… but I love this dress and in fact am planning to purchase it this week…

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Buying a coat this season just isn’t what it used to be. Thank God!

Circa 1995-2006, the routine was: enter store… feel force of pull to the racks laden with black wool… select shapeless style in the name of warmth and utility… hope for sale price… justify boring purchase with “It will go with everything!”… check out, go home, envy other people’s cool coats all season long.

Not this year. I’ve decided to forgo shapeless for a waist-cinching belt. I’ve decided to go for a 3/4 style so that the look is sophisticated, not like wearing the same wool peacoat I purchased in college or the long coats that make short people (like me!) look frumpy. I’m looking for color — maybe even pattern! And I’m willing to buy two — a conservative style as a classic investment piece, and then a moderate or cheap one “for fun.”

Here’s the catch — neither coat can be black, unless that black is in a pattern. That’s the whole point of this style update — break out! I’d like the investment piece to be neutral — after all, I do have to look professional and a bubble-gum pink wool coat likely won’t have me taken very seriously. But the “fun” piece can be as bold as I dare.

So right now starts the No-Frump Winter Coat Challenge. I’ve started adding a few contenders to my StyleFeed… let me know what you think.

Should I go for a to-die-for color?

Fun pattern and a belt?

Frilly, feminine details?

Hurry, people! It’s getting chilly!

I stood in the middle of my closet and turned 360 degrees, surveying my options. Black pants… maybe with a black sweater? Or black blazer? Or black skirt maybe… I could pair that with my black slingbacks, and… well… oh, yes! My black wrap blouse.

Are you feeling my rut, people? Like many women in New York, I’ve been dressing like I’m going to a funeral everyday for years. You know you’re in a fashion rut when your color decisions come down to whether or not your blacks match.

So this – coupled with the frumpy feeling that I had an insane amount of clothes and yet no wardrobe – led me to embark on a style overhaul. I’ve got some folks in my corner, of course, helping me make it happen – including the secret weapon every girl should have – a Gay Work Husband (GWH) who has a great eye and ability to tell it just like it is.

And “how it is” according to GWH is this: “You need more color, a good tailor, a fierce bag, and a goddamn haircut. Your clothes need to tell a story, and your accessories need to make people want to read it.”

So what’s the story I want to tell? The one about a 34-year-old, successful woman who takes her work, but not herself, seriously. My story is about someone who is creative, vibrant, funny and social… someone who takes pride in herself. Someone who carries a laptop for work but might be using it to type the Great American Novel (or a style blog) in her spare time… and someone who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to put herself out there to get it.

My story is about comfort in myself, enjoying my life, and having my priorities straight… about appreciating nice things, but loving a good bargain… acknowledging the trends but knowing what works for me. My story is about a woman who wants to feel beautiful, sophisticated, sexy and stylish – but isn’t a size 10 (or even a 12, usually!) My story is about a woman who has her act together – work-wise and life-wise – and wants it to show in her outward appearance.

My story may sound a lot like the story you want to tell for yourself – or maybe your story is totally different, and you just came upon this when you Googled the term “Gay Work Husband.” Either way, I’m glad you’re here. Tell me what you think of my choices along the way – make some suggestions, talk me out of things, offer some encouragement, give me some advice. Don’t hold back, people! I can take it!