Office Wear

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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My Work Life Balance

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Floral Work Dress + bow heels | How to have a work/life balance | It's All Chic To Me

Dress: Jessica Simpson | Heels: Similar | Purse: Michael Kors (new version) | Earrings: Kendra Scott | Ring: Charming Charlie

I will be the first to say that I definitely don’t have everything figured out when it comes to having a work-life balance and I am still trying to get a handle on working 2 jobs. I guess you could say that I have always bitten off more than I can chew. I think that stems from a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out). Yes that is a real thing, and yes I definitely suffer from this insane disease.

From taking a look at my Instagram or other social media, I probably look like I have my stuff together. (And if I don’t, feel free to continue letting myself think that I do). But in all actuality, most days I am teetering on the edge of insanity. My poor body no longer knows what sleep is. My full time job is not getting the 100% undivided attention that it deserves. Blog deadlines have come and gone. And to top it all off my social life is hanging by a thread. Let’s not even attempt to throw a boy into that mix because that would really make things come crashing down.

So to help myself try to gain a little more control and take back my work-life balance, I’ve tried to enforce a few rules. I am definitely failing on several of these accounts but slowly but surely I think they will be a good base to get to where I want and need to be. Not just for sanity’s sake, but for an overall health stand point.

Plan. Plan. Plan

My friends hate to be “penciled” in and I hate being the friend that never has time to hang out, so I’ve started purposely leaving days open in my ever-growing planner. Most of my weeks are scheduled 2-4 weeks in advance with blog events, happy hours, meeting new people, and anything else that pops up. Having so many things to do can be stressful at times, but planning it all out and making sure I specifically pencil in personal time on top of blog or work events is a must.

Practice Saying No

It is not in my DNA to turn anything down, especially something that sounds like a fun opportunity! I like to think of myself as a “yes girl” that is always up for anything and let’s not forget the FOMO problem. Well even super heroes need a break every once and a while to cool off and recharge the batteries. You cannot function at your prime if you are overrunning yourself or not penciling in down time.

Avoid Multitasking

I don’t care if you claim to be a pro multitasker, it’s not possible. Each area of your life deserves your undivided attention and if you want “balance” while still maintaining dedication to each area of your life, then give 100% to each area. I am the queen of trying to do 3 things at once and failing to get a single thing done. For some reason we have this idea in our head that we have to get everything done in as little time as possible so we try to do multiple things at once. I’ve quickly learned that this ends up stressing me out even more than if I had I just completed one task at a time. So when you are with friends or family put your phone down. When you are working, don’t tempt yourself to watch TV.

Eliminate Wasted Time

This is not to say don’t ever take time for yourself. This is more so a reminder that there are several things that we do throughout the day where we could have made better use of our time. Who else spends an ungodly amount of time on social media? I am the first to admit that it is the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check before bed. That’s probably at least an hour out of my day that I waste on social media that I could be doing something productive. Some things we don’t even realize we waste time on. For example maybe it is spending too much time getting ready in the morning, running errands in an inefficient manner, or pressing snooze one too many times.

Have Fun

This probably sounds like a no brainer but for us #girlbosses sometimes we need that reminder. I know I get so caught up in what I constantly need to be doing that I worry more about deadlines and to-do lists than what really matters in life. Somehow I easily forget what a night off with friends and laughter does for the soul. I don’t know about y’all but wine and girlfriends make for some pretty fun nights and always leave me refreshed (if i don’t go overboard with the wine that is) and inspired.

One of my favorite quotes reads  “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life”. I’ve been under this impression that if I can just get a grasp on 2 jobs, a social life, and dating that I will finally have everything figured out. Well after almost 9 months of having 2 jobs and a teetering social life, I can tell you that it is easier said than done. I am slowly but surely trying to live up to that saying though, even if I have to constantly remind myself to have fun every once and a while or that I have to turn down some events. I would love to hear how you do it all and any tips that you have for me! O and if you have any remedies for a serious case of FOMO I’d love to hear your suggestions on that one too!

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Blazer 3 Ways

If you’ve been around for a little bit, then you probably know that I hold a full time job and so that means I’m in my work get-up every day. It is important to me that I look chic yet professional. Before committing to this whole 9-5 business, I didn’t own a single blazer. Now I have an entire section of my closet devoted to them because I finally discovered how versatile they are! If there is one piece of clothing that I firmly believe investing in, it would be a nice suit, or at least a blazer. A lady in a suit is bound to turn heads and give off a strong first impression, not to mention they are a bold fashion statement that will never go out of style. So today I have teamed up with Citizen’s Mark to bring you guys three different ways to style one blazer. Also make sure you read all the way to the bottom to see how you can score $50 off any blazer from Citizen’s Mark.


Office

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Top | Blazer | Earrings | Shoes (SALE) | Purse | Rings

The number one use for a blazer is in the office so that is the first look that I wanted to bring you. Since a suit is normally thought to be masculine, pair something extra feminine with it like a skirt or dress. For an added contrast, try bringing in a print into the look like this paisley skirt. The fun thing about blazers is that you don’t have to always wear a matching pant and suit jacket. I often will pair my suit jackets with a fun pencil skirt or cropped pants, as well as my suit pants with a nice top and sweater.

SHOP MY FAVORITE PENCIL SKIRTS:


After 5

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Dress (similar) | Blazer | Shoes | Necklace | Sunglasses

Like I said before, pairing a blazer with a dress gives a nice contrast and is an easy way to take your 9-5 look into an after 5 setting. I decided to wear a pair of flats but to dress this look up a little more you could throw on a pair of heels or wedges. For a more formal and fitted look, pair a structured blazer with a dress that has a rich fabric and classic cut. For a more casual look feel free to play with prints, textures and different lengths.

SHOP MY FAVORITE AFTER 5 DRESSES:


Weekend

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Blazer | Shirt Jeans | Shoes | Purse | Earrings (similar)

The easiest way to take an outfit from super casual to casual chic is to throw on a blazer. It will instantly add a more tailored and trendy appeal to your casual look. One of the first things that I think of when I see the color navy is a nautical theme so that’s what I went with here. Stripes are a basic staple in any closet and pair well with almost everything! This outfit can really be worn with any shoe type from sandals to heels and for extra style points, pair your blazer with distressed denim jeans, a graphic tee, and heels.

SHOP MY FAVORITE STRIPED TEES:

From now until the end of March you can enjoy $50 off any of these beautiful blazers from Citizen’s Mark by using code ITSALLCHICTOME50. I am wearing the GVA Luxe Fit in all 3 of my looks today. From the moment I received my blazer in the mail, I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and care that went into each detail. The wool collar is by far my favorite part and makes it a little different than any other blazer that I have seen. The fit is true to size and I love how slimming it is. It is also perfect for petite women like myself. I truly felt like this blazer was tailored specifically for me because it fit that well! If you have not heard of Citizen’s Mark, I highly suggest checking them out and their commitment to empowering women in the workforce by giving them the resources to look good while doing it.

Photography by: Kamden Photography

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