A Day In The Lalz: Friend Feature Friday

Meet this week's Friend Feature Friday Farrah Khan from Virginia!

A Day In The Lalz; Fashion Blog; Modesty; Friend Feature Friday; Girl Power

I am super stoked to feature the lovely Farrah this week for Friend Feature Friday! Farrah and I officially first met digitally when she reached out to me on Facebook. She has an awesome blog - Greater Lengths - which is a style and shopping guide for modest apparel. She was gracious enough to ask me to be a part of Fashion With Compassion as a Style Panelist back in October - which I throughly enjoyed and ever so grateful to her. Back in November she was a rockstar and ran the NYC Marathon!! A huge accomplishment! Farrah is extremely kind and full of light! She definitely is calm and cool under pressure from what I've seen and I aspire to be as awesome as she is!
Keep reading to get to know Farrah!

1) Educational Background?

Bachelors, James Madison University

Masters in Business Administration, University of Maryland College Park

2) Current Job Title?

I have the innocuous title of “Manager” at a large professional services firm, where I consult for the government. Whenever I describe what consulting is to people, I say I give advice professionally. My clients rely on me and my ability to “plan” the future to ensure communication, strategic outlook, and mission alignment.

What I am planning to do is transition into the fashion and retail industry, within marketing. I want to do strategy marketing for the likes of Nordstrom, Macy’s, Target, and other retail stores– which means connecting clothing to industry by downselecting from a list of characteristics. Matchmaking for markets. I do that now on a small scale through my modest shopping and style guide, Greater Lengths. I curate modest style items from the average retail store for all occasions. Modest fitness clothing (workout pans and tops) is one of my top draws, as is modest formal wear (modest gowns). I’m very price-conscious about the items I post, so I try to keep them under $50 for most occasion items, and under $125 for more upscale items. I basically make it easier for women who are shopping for modest clothing to shop in the here and now!

3) Zodiac Sign? Age?

Pisces, 32

4) Ethnic Background?

I’m an American by birth, American and Pakistani by culture, and South Asian by ethnicity.

5) Why did you choose or why do you love your profession/field of study?

In honestly, I don’t love my profession – and I’m realizing that’s okay, as long as I make an effort to get to where I love. I chose federal consulting because it was an easily accessible path in the DC area and related to what I enjoyed – directing big picture efforts end-to-end. I’ve learned over the years what my professional preferences are, which has helped steer me towards a more fulfilling career. I’ve stayed in federal consulting it because it’s enabled me to grow in a number of different directions and take my career upwards.

6) What is the most rewarding thing about your profession/field of study?

Being in consulting has allowed me to experience new and evolving tasks, rather than cycling through the same routine over and over. It’s broadened my repertoire of skills beyond simply project management, expanding me into fields of organizational change behavior, risk management, financial management, and more. Also, consulting continues to challenge me. Ladies – never allow yourself to get comfortable in a job. The second that happens, it’s time for something new.

7) What is your 5-year goal?

This is a hard one to answer for me because I never really know – but if there’s one thing I could go back and tell my college-self is that to live with more intention. Be more thoughtful about your interests and desires. It’s hard to decipher what motivates you as you are growing, but try to hone in on it as much as possible as early as possible. In 1 year, I hope to be in a profession that I love talking about. In 5 years, I plan to be an industry expert in my career, speaking on panels and inspiring women starting off their careers to find an interest they are passionate about.

8) What are your hobbies or interests outside of your profession/work?

I’ve always been an active girl and I love to be outdoors! I grew up doing gymnastics, from elementary school through high school, picking it up after a break in college. I love running – it’s a great way to release all the pent up thoughts in my head. I’m also a knitter, which is another way I release tension and stress. I’ve made it a goal to read a new book every month this year, which is becoming another pastime of mine.

9) Favorite Website?

I’m a big believer of money management and financial literacy. I think all people, but especially women, should have a budget and understand the importance of setting themselves up for ease in their financial futures. Mint is my favorite site to visit – it aggregates all my accounts into one place and allows me to monitor my expenses, earnings, and tracks my progress towards goals.

10) Favorite TV Show?

Favorite show of all time is The Office! But it’s followed very closely by Dawson’s Creek! I “grew up” with the characters of Dawson’s Creek – they were the same age as me when the show was airing.

11) Next travel destination?

New York, New York! My mom and I are taking a train up to the city. She hasn’t spent real time in the city in over a decade, so I’m going to re-introduce it to her!

12) Who is your style icon?

This was the hardest question! Katie Holmes has amazing style in almost everything – glamorous red carpet events to simple errands, I love her look all the time. I wish Jessica Alba would open a boutique comprised of everything from her closet; I’d shop there. Olivia Palermo is a hit with everything she wears. Finally, Audrey Hepburn never goes out of style.

13) What are 3 wardrobe staples you can’t live without?

A good pair of fitted jeans generally become the base of my day-to-day looks. 7 for All Mankind is my favorite brand, hands down, of jeans. If you can get them on discount, even better! In all honesty, my favorite article of clothing is my JMU hoodie, but for style purposes, everyone should have a relaxed fit button down blouse. You can dress up for work or dress down for a social gathering in a button down blouse easily. Finally, no woman should be without one signature piece of jewelry – whether it be a watch, a necklace, a ring – something that is classically hers.

14) Three words that describe your style or personality?

Vibrant, Experimental, and Feminine

15) What would you tell your 20 year old self?

“Meander with purpose” – I was told that at a women’s professional development conference last year. It’s okay not to have an end in sight, as long as you know why you’re going where you’re going. I also have a number of favorite quotes, which dispense advice better than I could! I’ve listed a few – and sorry this is SO long – but I couldn’t decide.

“Don’t let anyone, ever, make you feel that you don’t deserve what you want.” From my favorite movie of all time, 10 Things I Hate About You
“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time. It is regret for the things we did not do that's inconsolable.” –Sydney J. Harris
And finally, a quote that struck me right in the chest. My friend bought me a great book called, “Letters from a Young Poet” – a collection of letters Rainer Marie RIlker wrote to a mentee, in which he dispensed the following advice. I received this book at 25 and everything about this quote put my quarter-life angst into perspective.
“You are so young, so before all beginning, and I want to beg you, as much as I can, dear sir, to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answer, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." -Rainer Maria Rilke