Over the years working in a corporate job, I’ve accumulated a LOT of work clothes. Something that I have come to find as of recently is that I have far too many items hanging in my closet that only serve one purpose. Either they are strictly for the office or strictly for the weekend (aka there is no justifying making it office appropriate). I don’t have a happy medium of outfits that could swing both ways which is both annoying and not efficient. The solution? I’ve started buying items that can serve more than one function. I’ve found that a pretty safe bet to know if it passes the test, is if you know it can take you from work to happy hour without having to swing by the house for an outfit change.
After going on the hunt for items that could fit both of these scenarios, I had a couple of takeaways I think anyone looking for work wear should do as well. First off, you can make almost any sleeveless, strapless or even backless dress work appropriate by throwing on a cardigan or blazer (I list a few favorites here). If you do not have at least a few staple color cardigans, you are doing it wrong! I have cream and black colored cardigans in my car at all times. You know for emergencies and what not. This way depending on my outfit, I always have a sure source of coverage or an Antarctica (because what office isn’t?) protector if need be.
Secondly, shoes can totally change the occasion of any outfit and make it more wearable. My favorite way to take a dress from work to drinks is to throw on a strappy pair of heels. Want to wear the same outfit for a more casual look? Throw on a pair of sneakers. As long as you have at least one pair each of pumps, strappy heels, sneakers and maybe a pair of flats. You are set!
Don’t forget that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is still going on and there are lots of items still in stock, including lots of work wear! The sale ends August 6th!
I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since I’ve sat down to write a Work Wear Wednesday post. You’d think since I’m wearing business attire 40+ hours a week, that some of that would make it’s way over to the blog! Well, I promise to get a little bit more consistent just as soon as I recover from surgery a little bit more.
These pants have actually been in my closet for months now and I have just slowly been watching this paperbag waist trend pop up more and more. I am naturally drawn to any sort of work attire that remotely feels like pajamas. Let’s be real for a second, if I could get away with wearing pajamas 24/7, I would do it in a heart beat. Needless to say, if it remotely looks, feels or resembles pajamas in any way, but could pass as being semi (we will take what we can get) professional, then it is fair game.
For all of my working gals out there that struggle to find pants that fit them, that is one of the great things about these paperbag pants. In fact, I would put them right up there with drawstring pants. Both of these options are becoming more and more acceptable to wear to work and paired with the right pair of pumps, you can make just about any pair of pants work appropriate! I’ve linked a few pairs for you guys at different price points below.
Before signing off on today’s post, I wanted to let you all in on a HUGE sale that is going on. LOFT is having their friends and family sale event that offers 40% off their entire website (that includes sale items). Don’t worry, I already skimmed the entire sale and picked the best of the best here. I even made a section for my favorite work wear picks so make sure you check it out! Happy shopping my friends! It’s totally justifiable when it’s on sale right? It’s like you are making money 😉
With it being the month of love, I wanted to share a festive work wear look. It’s no secret that I am a fan of color in the office. Pretty much all year round. Colorblocking is such an easy and chic look to recreate in and out of the office.
Office clothing comes in a lot of solid colors so the majority of the work is already done for you. The key to colorblocking is to wear multiple solid colors. This usually works best for similar colors but contrasting colors can also work if done correctly. Neutrals are a safe way to start out but once you think you’ve achieved the color block look, rocking bold colors makes it that much more fun!
Wanting more inspiration? Check out some of my recent work wear posts.
I’ve teamed up today with Pippa and Pearl to share how we as women, can use fashion to be bold in the workforce. Men have it SO easy. They wear a suit or slacks and it’s a done deal. For us ladies, we have millions of options which can prove to be both a blessing and a curse. With so many options it can be overwhelming, leaving many women to resort to plain jane clothing. While there is nothing wrong with plain Jane, plain Jane doesn’t stand out. Plain Jane isn’t getting you noticed by your boss. And why do we put in the long hours not to get noticed? Now that’s not to say that your hard work and smarts aren’t getting you noticed but looking the part is just as important!
My top 4 ways to be bold at work are sure to make you stand out. And in a good way! I’ll bet that adding in a few of these tips are sure to get you more than a couple of outfit compliments from your girlfriends. Let’s be honest, we all love getting those 🙂
Call on color
Color seems to be a lot of women’s biggest insecurity. It’s easy to hide behind darker colors like black and grey, especially when you don’t feel like being noticed. Color brings an outfit to life. My advice is to start small and slowly add in more and more color. An easy way to start out is by adding a pop of color with your shoes and accessories. These are my current favorite heels to add in a pop of color to any outfit.
Pull out the prints
Prints are another fun way to make a statement. And the best part is that they are very easy to bring into your attire. Keep in mind that you always want a one to one ratio of prints versus solids. So if you are going to wear a solid skirt (as pictured above), wear a patterned top and vice versa. Besides my gorgeous top pictured above, I am loving this striped blouse and this floral pencil skirt (seperately of course!).
When in doubt, pump it out
A bold shoe will never go unnoticed. A lot of times people make shoe contact before eye contact. Not only do heels instantly dress up any outfit, they also do wonders for your legs and make you look taller. So ditch the boring black or nude flats and invest in a couple pairs of chic pumps that will never go out of style. My go-tos are these black, suede Sam Edelman heels and my maroon pumps.
Blazers will always mean business
There is no other piece of clothing that says “I mean business” like a blazer can. Every woman needs a few blazers in her closet for days when she needs to look professional. The best part about blazers is that they do not have to be worn with a suit. Instead they can be worn individually to turn any casual outfit instantly into business attire! Add a blazer over any blouse and pair it with slacks or a pencil skirt. I could have easily added a black blazer to this look such as this one. Don’t be afraid to bring in colors or patterns into your outfit by way of your blazer. One of my favorite blazers is this one but if you are feeling really fashion forward try this one.
If you aren’t used to being noticed at work, it’s time for a change! You deserve to be noticed for the hard work and long hours that you put in. Pippa and Pearl is the perfect online shop to find some new work wear pieces at a great price. I was excited to find this cute boutique because they have such unique pieces that you won’t find at every other store. This is always good to know because that means no one else in the office will have it. It’s always awkward when you show up to work matching someone else. Cue the “who wore it better” committee. I also love that many of their clothing options are so versatile so you have the ability to wear the clothing for multiple occasions such as work, events, brunch, or even casual weekend wear.
Pippa and Pearl also has some amazing jewelry if you are looking to add in some color to your outfits. And for outside of work, they have a huge selection of hats, fascinators and gloves. I need someone to invite me to a high tea or derby event so that I have an excuse to buy all of these!
I wanted to end this post with a quote that I found. “The doors will be opened to those who are bold enough to knock.” So if you need a little push to be bold in the work place, start with how you are dressing. It might be the inspiration you’ve been looking for 🙂
*Thank you Pippa and Pearl for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
