We received an email from one of our readers having trouble finding blouses that fit correctly. Her story is not unfamiliar to us. Many women have trouble with blouses puckering at their chest or not sitting properly overall. We want to explore different types of woven blouses to answer Judy’s question:

“How do I find blouses that will fit properly?”

The first thing to remember is that woven blouses will fit differently than knit tops and sweaters. You may need to go up a size or even two if you have a larger chest. It’s very important that your shirt does not gape at any point along the buttons. If going up a size causes the overall fit to be loose, look for styles that either give a more defined look or allow for tailoring. These pieces will have princess seams, darts, or horizontal seaming near the waist. For more tips to identify when a blouse can be tailored check out our article from 9tailors.com: To Tailor or Not to Tailor. Here are two examples of blouses that will allow you to get the perfect fit.

Additionally, some companies place the buttons in more strategic locations. Examples include a double button at the breast line or buttons spaced closer together.

If you still don’t feel comfortable with these options, or are not finding the right fit for you, switch up the silhouette. Wrap blouses are more forgiving and can be adjusted to your unique body shape.

Here are some additional styles that move away from the traditional collared and buttoned look. You don’t have to worry about any buckling here!

Sometimes leaving an extra button undone near the neckline will help the collar lay nicer and avoid bust line issues. As an alternative to layering with the standard cami, try a demi-cami from Second Base. These will also be beautiful under the wrap styles we showed you previously.

We hope these general guidelines and alternatives help you feel more confident in woven blouses. If you have a question for the Workchic team, send an email to info@workchic.com. After all, we are here to answer your work style questions. For more Workchic tops and blouses, shop within our apparel department. Here you can sort products by size, price, and even office environment to find the perfect silhouette for your lifestyle.

What a great question, layering is important when the weather turns. We also love the effect it has on your professional image. Lachelle wrote and asked; I’m looking for cardigans and jacket ideas to wear with black tops. The weather is getting cooler and I’m not sure what to pair with my black tops if I’m wearing khakis or trouser jeans.

We all probably have more black in our wardrobes then we know what to do with. Layering on colorful jackets adds a little feminine flare to an otherwise safe look.  New York & Company Women’s City Style Fringe Trim Tweed Jacket - Walnut, Cooling Cranberry is a nice mix of color grounded in taupe shades. Red is also classic with black and this Anne Klein New York Military Jacket is a nice way to update your summer looks.

Lachelle was smart to ask about cardigans as well. We will be covering some great basic cardigans in our series on updating your basics in a few weeks. Today we wanted to highlight some more unique styles.  Feminine Flounce Cardigan in Cranberry can be found at Modcloth.com.. A Tie Sweater from Charlotte Russe is very flattering and will tame looser tops.  Shades of plum and teal will look great with both denim and khaki’s.

Don’t forget to play with patterns while updating your look for fall. When you need to look more professional go with a tweed style like the Antonio Melani “Sarah” Jacket. For a more tonal but bold look, try Gianni Bini “Emilia” Knit Cardigan.

 

We hope these styles help you transition your black tops seamlessly into fall. If you have questions about your work wardrobe email them to info@workchic.com.

One of the most asked reader questions we receive is the following- Can you still wear white after Labor Day?  We recently sat down with Mercedes Sanchez from BeChicMag.com to discuss our thoughts on the topic.  We definitely feel that white is a neutral color that can be worn all year round. You can layer it with your other neutrals or wear it alone.  It just depends on your personal style and preference.  If you feel comfortable wearing white even in the coldest monnths then do it!  Read Mercedes latest blog post: http://bechicmag.com/magazine/2009/09/07/wearing-white-after-labor-day/

We found some transitional white items below that can be worn well into the winter months:

Ella Moss Marion Blouse in White-$139.00


Piel Leather Side Pocket Hobo Leather Handbag in White-$215.00


Cashmere-blend foldover sweater in off white-$49.50


Women Cable-Knit Sweater Coat in Marshmallow White-$39.50

We would love to hear if you would wear white after Labor Day.  Send us your feedback at info@workchic.com!

We received a great questions from one of our readers. She wrote the following:

“I am required to wear all black to my job. I work in retail sales and the dress code is business casual or business depending on the department you work in. Usually I wear black dress pants and a button down or knit top.  What can I do to feel more unique with this limited dress code?

This is a great question Rachel! Even without color limitation dress codes can feel stifling. But they should not, you still have plenty of room to express your individuality. Here are some of our creative ways to showcase your own style.

Since you usually wear pants, try mixing things up with a dress or skirt. This Max and Cleo Dress has a fun bead detail to accentuate the waist. If you are aloud a splash of color, as long as the majority of your outfit is black, try this Floral Jersey Dress.

When selecting tops, try to find something with one interesting detail. This Giedre Blouse for example has a pleated stand up collar. This EMBROIDERED CRINKLE SILK BLOUSEwill look chic over a simple cami with trousers or an A-line skirt.

Another way to create individuality is with accessories. We kept our selections to black, but if you can add color, this is the perfect place to do so.  This Seed-Bead Necklace also has a chain link styling.  Just putting a Steve Madden Ruffle-Edge Belt around a simple cardigan will add some interest.

We hope this helps you update your work wardrobe. Since we are going into cooler weather, add layers and play with different fabric and textures.  This will help give your outfits added interest. 

Our goal is to help take the stress out of getting dressed for work while still maintaining a feminine, professional, and chic image. If you have questions on how to do this, send them our way. Just email info@workchic.com. We look forward to helping you dress to impress!

We received a question from one of our readers asking; “Is it ok to wear black slacks in the summer? What should I watch out for?”

Kim, it is absolutely ok to wear black pants in the summer months! This is a work wardrobe staple no matter what season we are in.  To help you keep your wardrobe fresh, we have selected the following lightweight styles ideal for hot days.

Summer wool or light weight wool is a great place to start. These styles are worth splurging on because they will hold up for many season’s to come.  Ideally lining should only go to the knee and be in rayon not polyester. The first pair we found is from Brooks Brothers available in regular and Petite Plain-Front Caroline Fit Gabardine Dress Trousers. They are $148 or 2 for $249. Pick up a pair in black and khaki today.  At Dillard’s we found a wool/Lycra blend from Anne Klein New York in a boot-cut fit.  Women: Jackson lightweight wool wide-leg pant - Black is at Banana Republic available for $98.  This style comes in regular, petite, and tall sizes.  All three of these styles are in light weight wool and are an ideal addition to your summer work wardrobe.

Cotton and Linen are more natural fibers ideal for summer. We went to Gap for these Women: Curvy flare leg pants - true black. They are a cotton/spandex blend sold for $54.50 and come in different lengths plus petite and tall sizes.  Old Navy also has these different sizes available in Women: Women’s Cotton Twill Wide-Leg Trousers - New Black for only $32.50. Our last style was found at SmartBargains.com, it’s an Elie Tahari Black Stretch Linen Pant on sale for $59.98. Shop these cotton and linen styles for smart business casual summer looks.

Lastly we found some capris to help you finish out the summer in comfort and style. Banana Republic Women: Martin slim ankle pant - Black comes in regular and petite sizes for $59.50.  This style is machine washable in a cotton/spandex blend. Vince Pleated Cropped Pants, have a button-tab detail with gathers at the hem creating a chic and trendy pegged leg without sacrificing professional style.  They are currently on sale for $115.50.  For casual days at the office, try Women: Black cropped skinny riding jeans - black from Gap.

Remember, black pants are a basic which means then can and should be worn year around. Especially to the office where this work wardrobe classic really makes a polished statement.  Shop our top picks in wool, linen, and cotton now!

It’s rare these days that women wear actual slips, but it’s still good to have a couple in your closet. So when we received the question, “Where can a girl find nice slips and camis? I can’t find good ones anywhere!”, we knew we needed to find some answers.

For slips we turned to Lord & Taylor. All three of these styles are available in black and nude.  The first is a SPANX Hide & Sleek Full Slip, the second is very simple and versatile from FARR WEST, the third has a pretty Vintage feeling and is a bit longer. 

We have lots of cami’s on the site for layering under dresses and cardigans.  These are generally the kind you want to show.  What about under more sheer blouses? Try one of these camisoles out.  The first, Turn-Me-Around Camisole, is reversible front to back depending on the neckline of your shirt. The second Yummie Tummie Tank has a satin trim, tummy control, and wicking technology to keep you cool in the summer heat. The last option we found from Modern Movement has a full built in bra allowing you to wear less layers.

These are the type of pieces you should include in your basics.  Have them on hand because you never know when you are going to pick up a beautiful dress or blouse without realizing just how sheer it is.  Don’t let that piece hang in your closet unworn because you don’t have anything to layer underneath it.

Do you have questions for the Workchic team? Send them to info@workchic.com to get some answers.

We just received the following reader question below:

Hi I need suggestions for inexpensive wear to work belts. I work in a business casual office and I wear khakis a lot. I wear anything from a general chino to a dressier pant from Banana Republic. Also, can you provide comfortable shoe ideas too. The job requires lots of walking.

No problem!  We found some great belt options that can be worn with your khakis to your dressier pants.  All of the options below are under $50.

Braided O-Ring Hip Belt- $44.00
Harness buckle belt in Black-$38.00
Merona Trouser Buckle Belt-$12.99
Merona Inlay Buckle Belt-$9.99
Leather belt in Chalk-$39.99
Leather skinny belt in Cognac-$34.99

Now what about comfortable shoes?  Are there chic yet comfortable shoes out there?  We definitely suggest flats with a little of padding or cushion for when you are on your feet all day. The brands selected below (Ecco, Cole Haan Air Genie, Softspots and Born) are known for their comfort and adding some additional foam to the insole of their flats. They have styles that are appropriate for both the business casual and casual work days.

Cole Haan Air Genie Ballet (Gold Washed Linen)-$105.00
Softspots Womens Valen Ballerinas-$49.97
Born Daffodil Women’s Flat Shoes-$63.95
Walking On Water Wedges-$24.99
Ecco Lite Skimmer Women’s Flat Shoes-$119.95

Do you have a question for us?  Please feel free to email us at info@workchic.com!

Last week we asked our twitter friends for requests about dressing for the office. This one made us laugh and we just knew we had to address it.

“Would love to see what you do with white pants. I look like a sailor every time!”

It’s funny, but so often we talk about the fabric or construction of white pants to make them work appropriate. What about the styling? Well we utilized the outfits section of our site to better answer this questions. Here you can see some looks depending on if you are dressing for a casual or businesss casual office. 

BUSINESS CASUAL OFFICE

These three business casual outfits will have you looking chic and not sailor for the office. Soft feminine blouses do the trick withe these styles. Plus playing with fun prints and strappy sandals helps too. Shop our outfits to reel in these looks for Summer: Printed Blouse - Grey Blazer - Blue Blouse

CASUAL OFFICE

Back in the middle of Spring we started getting excited about white pants and put these looks together for a casual office. Avoiding Navy, Red, and stripes is a great start to maintaining a non-sailor look. We like the idea of adding jackets to casual white pants to make the looks more professional. Soft feminine florals are always nice in the summer. Capture these looks yourself by shopping our outfits: Taupe Short Slv Jacket - Casual Pink Blouse - Max Studio Casual

We hope these looks will help you feel sophisticated and professional in your white pants. If you are really up for a challenge, try this white suit from Banana Republic.  Good Luck putting your looks together!

If you have questions about keep your look Workchic, send them to us: info@workchic.com. We love answering your questions!

We received a question from one of our readers who is interviewing for a new job. She aced her first interview and is now being called in for a second. Her question is:

“I only have one suit and I already wore it to my first interview. What do I wear for this one?”

This happens often. Since business suits are no longer the normal attire for most industries, it’s common for women to only have one suit in their wardrobe. Hopefully you have selected a basic suit that you will get the most use out of. With that said, if you will be working in a company or industry that requires business professional attire, now is the time to invest in that second suit. Since this is not the case for Michelle, we are going share some easy ways to keep your look professional while utilizing part of your existing suit.

Remember you have already been to the offices and you know what the dress code is. This will help you better dress for the environment but you should still take your look up a level. If you are going in for a second interview you will probably be meeting with your potential boss’s boss. Generally the person in this position will dress to meet her authority. Make sure you dress accordingly.

Trade in your basic bottoms for a skirt with a sophisticated print. This should be something tonal and in colors that compliment your suit jacket. This Women: Cotton floral-print full skirt - Unbleached white will look nice with khaki and white suit jackets. Chaps Paisley Pleated Skirt at Kohl’s will be perfect with a black suit jacket. Full and A-line skirts are the most universally flattering, but pencil skirts can also look very professional. If you have a brown jacket, try this Antonio Melani “Lissa” Skirt.

If the office is more casual you can opt to trade your jacket for a blouse and cardigan combo. Both of the styles we selected from Banana Republic have a structured jacket feeling. This silk printed blouse will keep the professional feeling and look nice under either the grey or brown cardigan.

Either of these updates will breathe fresh life into your outfit while maintaining your professional appearance. If your not comfortable veering from a more traditional look with a full suit then swap out your accessories and select a blouse in a completely different hue or try a print.  We have many blouses selected for a business office that will update your look. 

Hopefully this will give you a little added confidence to land that job! 

We’d love to hear how you make changes to your interview outfits for different positions. If you’d like to be featured in a new series about how to dress for an interview, email us info@workchic.com. You can also send any work style questions to that address.  Getting ready for work should be the easiest part of your day, we want to help you make your effortless looks professional, feminine, and chic everyday! 

                                       (pic courtesy of Google Images)

Now that summer is here the last thing most of us want to imagine is wearing tights or any type of hosiery on our legs.  But for those of you that have a more corporate dress code or feel more comfortable wearing stockings or tights versus exposing your bare legs you may want a cooler option.  One of our readers asked:  What about fishnets?

Well we certainly don’t suggest wearing the open weave fishnets to work. It can appear too costumey. Keep those at home. However, you can get away with the tight or mini weave fishnet pattern in black or nude depending on your outfit. You can see from the below that there are some lightweight hosiery options to wear rather than going the nude pantyhose route.

We want to hear from you.  Do you wear tights or hosiery during the summer months?  If you have any other questions you need answered please feel free to email us at info@workchic.com!