Business Casual

Let’s Define Business Casual

What is business casual considered?

What is business casual considered?

What is business casual considered?

What is business casual considered?

What is business casual considered?

What is business casual considered?

Top: Abercrombie ($11) | Pants: Brandy Melville | Shoes: Calvin Klein

Photography by: Ban Avenue

Hi friends! It’s been entirely too long since I’ve posted a Work Wear Wednesday look so I apologize! Since quitting my full time job, traveling the world and having major hip surgery it’s been hard to shoot looks for you but don’t worry there are lots of Fall/Winter looks and office inspiration coming to the blog soon.

A question that comes up a lot is always “what is considered business casual?”. I can guarantee that every person and company will define it a bit different. Handy dandy Google defines it as such: “relating to or denoting a style of clothing that is less formal than traditional business wear, but is still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression”. In my opinion this is still pretty darn vague. The obvious answer is that it is somewhere between business professional (think suits, button downs, the whole shebang) and casual (jeans and a tee shirt).

The great thing about business casual being that it is somewhere in the middle of the two is that you can buy pieces that could either be dressed up or dressed down. For instance, my top that I am wearing in today’s post is just a “fancy” cotton tee that I wear on the reg with jeans or leggings. It actually comes in 5 colors and is only $11 right now so if you are needing a few basic tees I would highly suggest stocking up! Then take these pants for instance. While I did dress them up with a pair of heels, they could easily be worn on the weekend with a pair of slides or even dressed up to a bit more professional with the help of a blazer.

If you are still stuck on ideas for business casual I urge to check out some of my other Work Wear Wednesday posts as almost all of them would be considered business casual. I would also encourage you to always err on the overdressed side if unsure. After all it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. And as a last resort here are a few quick tips if you are still questioning business casual.

  1. No jeans or leggings– While I do know a few companies that allow jeans at the office, technically jeans are not considered business casual. Nope, not even if they are colored. There are so many options out there that are actually more comfortable than jeans anyway if you just search. My hands down favorite pair of work pants are these stretchy ones from Gap.
  2. Cover your shoulders– Wear a top or dress that has sleeves. Showing your shoulders in the office is considered unprofessional. That being said I almost always wear a sleeveless top but throw on a cardigan or blazer on top of it. This way you can ditch some clothing if need be when you escape the office.
  3. Length does matter– If you are questioning if it’s too short, it most definitely is. Even if you think you can get away with it, leave it for another occasion because chances are once you are sitting at your desk or in a meeting, you are going to be even more self conscious and uncomfortable than when you were debating wearing it in the first place.
  4. When in doubt, thrown on a blazer- Time after time blazers have come to every girl’s rescue. If you aren’t feeling your outfit or think it might be just a tad too casual, throw on a blazer. It will instantly bring your outfit up a few professional points. Trust me on this one 🙂

Since work wear is my most requested topic, I would love to hear topic ideas that you are specifically wanting to hear about. Feel free to leave a comment, message or email me with your suggestions.

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Cubicle Queen

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Business casual chic: maroon blazer with all black

Blazer: Similar | Pants: Gap | Top: Madewell | Shoes: Similar | Earrings: Kendra Scott

It’s another Work Wear Wednesday and I’m excited to share one of my new finds with you today! A big part of why I started this blog was to help transition into the working world, both as a way to express my style and share my experiences. Most of the time I feel like I still have no idea what I am doing and other days I surprise myself by actually getting something right! 😉 Either way, having a #girlboss outfit on really does make all of the difference!

As a girl on the go, I know just how much time shopping and putting together outfits can take. Cubicle Queen is a subscription based service specifically for work wear, from business casual to business professional. My entire outfit (blazer, top, pants and jewelry) is all from this month’s box.

I had been hesitant to try many of the subscription based monthly programs, especially clothes programs, because let’s be honest I love to shop and finding clothes to fit my petite frame is a task. Lately I have not had the time to physically go looking for new work clothes (shocker I know!) so I was pleasantly surprised that both outfits that Cubicle Queen sent me fit PERFECTLY and were super stylish. That seriously never happens guys!  Every article of clothing that they sent were brands that I love- Ann Taylor, Loft, Gap, Banana Republic– just to name a few.

I have loved Cubicle Queen’s service so much that I have partnered with them to give my readers 50% off your first box with code SHELBI50. You can sign up here to receive complete outfits or mix and match pieces to design your own work wear. I personally went with the complete outfit option because the lazier I can be in the mornings, the better! This was almost as good of an option as when mama used to pick my clothes out before school! 🙂 O to be young again!

If you have any other questions about this service please do not hesitate to ask! Also if you are looking for more work wear inspiration feel free to check out my other recent Work Wear Wednesday posts here.

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Work Wear Wednesday: Leather + Peplum

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Business chic style: leather pencil skirt + peplum top

Top: Shein (under $13!) | Skirt: Nordstrom | Shoes: Similar | Purse: Similar | Earrings: Kendra Scott | Lipstick: MAC (Diva)

Photography by: Banavenue

It has been way too long since I did a Work Wear Wednesday post! Today I wanted to bring you all one of my favorite outfit combos for work: the pencil skirt and peplum duo. It’s not new news that I am a fan of peplums. I think they are so flattering for all body types and add extra dimension to any outfit. I specifically love peplums paired with pencil skirts for a few reasons.

  1. You don’t have to tuck any material into your skirt! GENIUS. Any other type of top that you wear with a pencil skirt will require you to tuck in your shirt. The less time I have to spend in the morning getting ready, the better. I think we all know how long it can take to get your tuck just right. You then have to pull a little out, make it look a little less straight laced and not so proper, you all know the drill. I’m telling you, peplums are the way to go, friends!
  2. A little extra room. Who else loves a top that you can hide a food baby in? You would be lying if you said no! Peplums add a little “fluff” in the belly region so after lunch food babies are a worry of the past!
  3. Great all year round. Peplums work for more than just a cute Summer top. For cooler temps (or a chilly office), peplums pair great with a light sweater or cardigan. My office is usually pretty cold so you would find me pairing this look with a cardigan, similar to this one.

Ok now let’s talk about this faux leather skirt for a minute. I’ve had serious doubts if leather is appropriate for the office. My answer is yes but hear me out. Moderation and feminism is key. My simple rules of thumb are this. 1) If you would consider wearing your outfit out to a bar, it is not appropriate for work. 2) It cannot be tight or short. Like at all. If you are still scratching your head after those two rules, I promise I will have a more in depth post up about wearing leather to work at a later date!

As always, feel free to add a pop of color into your outfit with your accessories. Since my top and skirt were both neutral colors, I knew that this purse would be the perfect pop of red. A big thanks to Macy’s Backstage for gifting me my purse and heels. Macy’s Backstage is such a great way to get designer items for a steal! Y’all must check it out if you have not heard of it yet.

I should be back with another work wear post in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I would love to hear from you what all you would like to hear about concerning anything about business. I love sharing my office outfits with you, but I also love sharing and tips and advice that I can as well. If you think of something you’d like to read about, please let me know! Have a great day, friends!

*Thank you Macy’s Backstage for making this post possible. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Social Media Time

Social Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casual

Social Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casualSocial Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casual

Social Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casualSocial Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casual

Social Media Breakdown, Striped Pencil Skirt, Business Attire, Women's business casual

Tassel Purse + Christian Paul Watch + Business Casual Attire

Christian Paul Watch + Business Casual Attire

Skirt: Similar | Shoes: Target | Purse: Charming Charlie | Watch: Christian Paul

If you have been around my little space of the internet for some time, you may or may not know that on top of keeping up with the blog, there are other platforms that I create content for and post to regularly as well. All of these platforms would fall under the umbrella of social media. Today I thought I’d give you a breakdown of what I use each of them for so that you can pick and choose which to follow based on your interests and what works best for you!

Facebook

I actually have two Facebooks, one personal and one for my blog. I use Facebook to promote new blog posts, post photos that I take throughout the day, and share articles that I find inspiring. I like to think that Facebook is the all encompassing of blog posts, Instagram and personal photos, motivating or inspirational articles, as well as a place to find out about local events. If you are going to pick just one platform to follow, I suggest Facebook!

Instagram

I try not to pick favorites but I have to admit that Instagram usually wins out above everything else! If you are a visual person and like looking at photos rather than reading an entire blog post, then Instagram is for you. I share photos from recent blog posts, daily outfits that I think are worth sharing (aka when I actually look like I didn’t just roll out of bed), sale alerts, event coverage, vacation tidbits and really just lots and lots of clothes that you won’t find in a blog post! The best part about Instagram, is LikeToKnowIt. If you are not signed up for it your bank account is probably thanking you, but your closet certainly is not! Read all about how you can get outfit details of what I am wearing in my Instagram photos sent straight to your inbox after liking an Instagram picture here.

Pinterest

Pinterest has been around for awhile and you probably know it as your go-to site when you want to make some new fancy recipe, get crafty, or plan your next home renovation. Yes, all of that is true but did you know that it is also a great source for fashion inspiration as well? If you visit my Pinterest, I have boards that cover everything from blog photos to fashion inspiration and vacation hot spots to recipes that I am dying to try. For the most part, Pinterest is going to be everything that inspires me, not just all fashion. If you think we have similar taste in style then I bet you might find that we might also like the same recipes, work wear, vacation spots, beauty tips, crafts and so much more!

Snapchat

Snapchat qualifies as my second favorite social media tool. It’s where things get interesting and a little weird 🙂 Want to see what I do throughout the day? Snapchat is where it’s at. You will see everything from my outfit every morning to probably every single meal that I eat. Because where else can you take pictures of your daily Chick-fil-a meals and not be judged? Out of all of the other social media platforms, Snapchat is by far the most personal and gives you a look at what I do in my normal day life. It’s not staged and it’s not planned out unlike almost every other platform. It’s where I can be goofy and share tidbits of my day. I also love that I can interact with all of you via selfies and instant messaging. If we aren’t Snapchat friends-, go add me right now- my handle is shelbiadams!

Twitter

Last but certainly not least is Twitter, and to be honest it is my least favorite and I secretly wish it would die out. Harsh? Sorry Twitter, no hard feelings I hope. I do not keep up with Twitter as much as I should but it is a way to get blog updates, photos and random thoughts from people. If you are more about news and facts, Twitter is for you! Otherwise to me it seems like a dying breed.

So there you have it, a break down of all of the different social media platforms and how I use them! I hope that if we aren’t already following each other that we are now! I love getting to connect with each one of you outside of blogging and hopefully on a more personal level. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with all of the craziness that comes along with social media but the one good thing that it does is let me get to know all of you!

*Thank you Christian Paul Watches for making this post possible.*

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