Keeping it short and sweet today on account that I am heading to Cabo in T minus 2 days and still have nothing to wear.. oops. Two of my favorite retailers for workwear are having BIG sales! LOFT is having 40% off with code NEWNOW and Ann Taylor is having 40% off + an additional 10% off with code 10FORYOU.
Both my sweater and top in today’s post are included in the LOFT sale and are great transitional pieces. If you don’t already own a pair of navy trousers, these cropped pants have the most darling ribbon detail down the sides and a rounded hem. In a world full of plain trousers, why not add a little something extra when you can?! If you have never owned LOFT pants, I alway suggest sizing down. I wear a 00P in this brand.
My striped sweater is a good transition piece as it is light weight enough to carry you into Spring so you don’t have to sweat on your walk from your car into the office. I sized up to a small for a looser fit but I would say it runs true to size. Mentionable features about this sweater include the two tone stripes and split side. In a world full of stripes, this sweater takes the cake for being different. It also comes in blue!
If I had a dollar for every time I got asked “So, have you started looking for jobs yet?” I would have enough money to put into a retirement fund so that I’d never have to work another day again in my life. Me dramatic? Never. But I know it’s a question that I have not addressed publicly yet, so here it goes. The simple answer: no.
Why? Well after not having a desk job for the past 6 months (holy cow time flies), I cannot say that I miss it one bit. While I don’t see myself blogging full time forever, I am taking my sweet time before rushing back into the corporate world. One reason why it’s taking awhile is that I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching and thinking about what I want to do next. I know that I want to change industries. While the energy industry is a lucrative one, it’s not something I am passionate about. I’m hoping to find something within the fashion/beauty, press relations, or digital marketing realm next. I’ve been doing a little research on types of jobs that I might like to venture into but nothing too serious.
I am being picky because I can be and in the meantime I’m soaking up every minute of freedom that I have to blog my little heart out, travel as much as I please, and spend time with friends and family. If there is one thing that I keep hearing over and over from family, friends and all of you is to take this time while I am not tied down to focus on myself, be selfish, and take every opportunity that I can. So this is my way of trying to do just that.
The next question that usually follows after I tell people this is, “So why don’t you just blog full time?”. Well because the income is not predictable enough and I enjoy the finer things in life. I like to travel, I like to attend happy hours, I like fancy shoes, and I like to have enough money left over after all of those things to put into my savings. I tend to blow and go which means I have to have an income source that can support that and then some. I’ll deep dive into blogging income another day but in summary, some months are better than others. You don’t have a set paycheck with a set amount. It’s all about how many deals you close and how many sales you make, which can vary from month to month. So while some months I might make several thousand, other months I struggle to cover all my expenses. The inconsistency scares me.
Another factor is insurance. I had to get my own insurance since I’ve been self employed and let me just tell you- IT SUCKS. It is crappy insurance and I’m honestly not sure what I am paying for. I might as well be throwing $200 down the drain every month. Adulting is the worst. If I had a husband that brought in another (more stable) income source and better insurance coverage, I would probably never go back to a desk job. But because I’m a boss a** b**** that don’t need no man (for the time being), I’ll eventually have to call off the party and go back to work! But is that day tomorrow? Is that day a month from now or maybe a year from now? The jury is still out.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the question I get asked the most is always what is appropriate for holiday work parties. Well, it depends! Some companies go all out in which something along these lines might be more appropriate. My office always was a bit more casual when it came to holiday parties so I wanted to bring you two outfits that could work for a regular day at the office just a bit more festive 🙂
Both of these outfits would be appropriate for a work dinner party or casual party. My favorite way to “dress up” a sweater is to throw some party pants (or skirt) on with it! Easiest, most festive way to bring in some sequins, sparkle or festivity! See some more of my favorite party pants below.
And if you are looking for more options to wear with those party pants, don’t worry I’ve got you covered!
Lastly, if you are looking for gifts to give the boss lady, coworker, or employee in your life. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite items that are a working girl’s necessity.
As cliche as it sounds, no guy or girl can pass up a new coffee mug, especially if they are a coffee lover! My personal favorites are the ones with funny sayings or my initial.
2. Work bag
Most working ladies don’t want to carry a purse and laptop bag so a larger tote is usually a good compromise. Check out some of my favorites below.
3. Desk necessities
From one 8-5er to the next, there are a few desk necessities that after being in the office for a few years I can’t live without. Some of these items include picture frames (let’s make it a little homey in the office!), ceramic tray (for rings and other jewelry that might get in the way of a keyboard), and a docking station (to charge phone/ipad).
4. Wrap
For some insane reason that I will never understand, office buildings are always the equivalent of the North Pole temperature year round. I always keep a few different colored cardigans/wraps at work for this purpose.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
