Today marks my first day back to a Monday-Friday office job after nearly two years of working from home.
Translation? I'm going to be wearing yoga pants A LOT less often.
I have had a 9-5 gig before, so I already know that while I want to look chic and professional, I also need to be comfortable -- you spend 40+ hours a week in work clothes, after all! My new office is business casual, meaning no need for a suit, but jeans are a no-no. I dug out a few items from my old wardrobe, and will supplement with a couple of new pieces (any excuse to shop, right?).
Must-Haves for the Business Casual Wardrobe (And Things to Remember!)
1. Dark Skinny Pants
Cropped or ankle length are chic and look great with pumps or flats. The JCrew Minnie Pant is my favorite. I own them in black and navy (JCrew, if you're listening, I would diiiiiie for a pair of olive green Minnies!).
2. Silk Blouses or Shells
You can find these anywhere -- Equipment blouses are beautiful if you're in the mood for a splurge, but I buy plenty at Zara, Ann Taylor, Jcrew or even Target!
3. Layer! Offices tend to be really, really hot, or really, really cold. Never in-between.
Blazers, cardigans, tweed jackets and thin scarves are perfect for this. I get most of my blazers from Zara -- they are well-made and under $100.
4. Comfortable Pumps & Ballet Flats
Believe it or not, my most comfortable pumps are the Mossimo Pearce Pumps. I could run around in them for hours! For $30, I'm contemplation purchasing a couple of back-up pairs, in case they are ever discontinued. I love them that much. As for flats, I'm in love with the Caroline flat from Tory Burch. Tory Burch Revas are my second favorite. They are well worth the splurge, as cheap flats murder my feet!
5. Jewelry
This is the time to show your personality! My basic, go-to jewelry includes stud earrings, my Fossil watch, a Yurman bracelet, and my 1-inch gold monogrammed necklace. However, I love to jazz up a simple outfit with a fun statement necklace or chunky earrings. Olivia Palermo (below) does this perfectly.
6. Hair & Makeup
Hair and makeup should always look polished. Always. I'm not saying that you have to curl your hair and wear full face of makeup every day, but you need to look clean and not like you rolled out of bed 10 minutes ago (even if you did). For God's sake, no chipped nail polish. Even a half-assed outfit can look appropriate if you're well-groomed, just like ratty hair and under-eye circles can make a beautiful outfit look messy. I've been guilty of breaking this rule, but I intend to keep it moving forward!
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My favorite new flats are from Payless, believe it or not. I posted about them here (http://www.sassyinsequins.com/2013/01/wild-thing.html#more) but here's the store link. They're leopard and come in black and cream and are super comfy, even if they're a bit of a Chanel knockoff! http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=cat10088&subCatId=cat40114&skuId=099414055&productId=70092&lotId=099414&category=&catdisplayName=Womens
ReplyDeleteI love these outfits!!!! Half of them I couldnt pull off in my office but I totally would wear them on a chill, chic, casual weekend.
ReplyDeletei would love to have every.single.one of these outfits for work! so cute girl! xo
ReplyDeleteLove. I want to be you when I grow up.
ReplyDeleteLove. I wanna be you when I grow up.
ReplyDeleteSo many great suggestions! I hope to see some outfit posts in the future :) Good luck this week!
ReplyDelete