Well-fitting basic tees have long been missing from my wardrobe.  Like many of you, I hesitate paying a hefty price for a basic top, yet I want a good quality tee that will last more than just several wears.  J.Crew’s Perfect-Fit Ballet Button Tee is not only within my budget at $32.50 but has a fabulous style to go with.  It comes in 12 amazing colors, and buttons are a wonderful detail.

Two features I love the most about this tee is the slim cut (great for tuck in’s) and the chic elbow-length sleeves.  The top can be easily dressed up with trousers or pencil skirt for work, or casual with capris and sandals on a weekend.  I can’t wait to wear mine as a layering piece under a blazer and cardigan.  These three colors will be in my wardrobe rotation throughout the year – white, navy and pink (to wear with all my denims this summer).

Finding a classic, simple and yet elegant style of clothing for your work wardrobe is a fine art.  With a few essential items, any wardrobe can be altered to suit your itinerary and your clothing needs.

The Pencil Skirt
The pencil skirt is a straight skirt, where the hem meets either above or just below the knee.  It can be extremely flattering when matched with a crisp shirt and waist length jacket.  The pencil skirt is highly versatile.  If you need to dress it down, you can do so by switching the shirt for a jumper.  Alternatively, you can switch heels for boots, depending on the weather.  The pencil skirt is of the most flattering items your wardrobe can possess.

The Shift Dress
The shift dress comes in many styles and colors.  If you manage to coordinate the color of your dress with a well fitted jacket and cardigan then you will have lots of interchangeable looks for day or night wear.  The ability to add a scarf can add a nice touch and also a splash of color.

The White Shirt
There is something very professional looking about a crisp white shirt.  Of course, many colors are available and you will probably have a variation of many in your wardrobe.  However, none of them will be as versatile as the white shirt.  It can be worn under a shift dress, with a pencil skirt, with trousers, under a tank top or with a cardigan.  If ironed to perfection, this item will go with pretty much everything you own.  The white shirt is often underestimated in its simplicity, yet is probably the most used item in your wardrobe.  White shirts can be found almost everywhere on the high street, however for a range of ladies shirts of guaranteed quality, visit Crew Clothing or Reiss.

The Jacket
The jacket is the complimentary item of an outfit.  Designed to keep you warm and looking professional it, if selected right, can be fully functional for both.  With many types of jacket available to buy you will be spoilt for choice.  The waist length jacket will flatter the curves of the waist allowing you freedom to move.  The waist length jacket is fully adaptable and should match any pencil skirt and shift dress of similar color.  No wardrobe is complete without an office jacket of some description.  Retailers such as Topshop and Jack Wills offer a variety of jackets.

The Cardigan
The cardigan has a multi-purpose office use.  On the one hand, it keeps you warm.  On the other hand, if selected right, your cardigan can truly compliment your overall look.  It can enable you to dress up or down, depending on the style and color that you choose.  Many women have a selection of cardigans in their wardrobe of differing hues to match all of their outfits.

The working woman’s wardrobe is a delicate operation to assemble.  It is finding the right combination between comfort ability and professionalism.  Just a few essential clothing items, varied with a scarf or piece of jewelry, can transform your look to adapt from office wear to night wear in just a few short minutes!

Women have to fulfill a variety of roles in their lives.  They are partners, mothers, lovers and of course employees.  Naturally, every role demands its own rules of behavior and dress codes.  As women are nearly always expected to look chic and attractive but at the same time not to overdo it in terms of sexiness, it can pretty often be quite a challenge to find the right garment for the right situation.

There are certain unwritten rules about what is okay to wear and what isn’t.  In private, of course, it is absolutely okay to wear whatever one wants.  When going to a public place and especially when going to work, on the other hand, the expectations and rules are much stricter.  The next paragraphs give hints on what to wear and what to strictly avoid when dressing for work.

Of course, it always depends on one’s job what can be considered as fitting.  So we will only focus on jobs that require no physical labor but rather concentrate on the right outfit for office jobs.  Let’s start with embellishments since hardly any woman leaves home without them.

The right jewelry

Add some discreet pieces of jewelry like watches, earrings or necklaces to further enhance your look.  Keep in mind, however, that less is more.  As a consequence, do not exaggerate but wear only a handful of selected pieces.  Whereas most pieces of embellishment are specifically designed for women, picking the right watch can be a little tougher since many pieces are designed for men or for both sexes.

However, there are some manufacturers who produce ranges of products specifically designed for females, like the beautiful Franck Muller watches for women.  Their slender design and exquisite materials make them a great choice for the office.  If you do not possess the right pieces of jewelry, go have a look in stores or search online.  You don’t even have to spend a fortune since there’s always the opportunity to buy pre-owned luxury watches on Chrono24.com or in stores that specialize in jewelry.

Blazers and dresses

A blazer has always been the classic garment to wear at work.  Chic and respectable, it doesn’t only look very fashionable but at the same time gives a very professional impression.  It can be combined with a tight pair of trousers or a skirt.  Just keep in mind that the skirt should at least cover your knees and you have a great-looking business outfit.

Another choice would be a dress as long as it isn’t too colorful and reaches over your knees.  You definitely want to look feminine but at the same time avoid looking sexy.  This also includes putting on too much make-up.  You will want to apply just enough to highlight your features and hide irritations of the skin.

When it comes to what kind of shoes to wear, the choice is easy: you can’t go wrong with a pair of pumps.  So there is at least one easy decision.

photos via style.com

Including my mother-in-law, there are people who would not wear sleeveless tops or dresses without something over it, even in summer.  Or someone like me who absolutely needs a smart cover-up to battle the frigid indoors.  The solution?  Short sleeve cardigans!  They can be ultra comfortable yet ever-so-versatile making them a summer wardrobe staple including when it comes to workwear.

My personal favorite has to be cropped cardigans.  The cropped style looks quite fabulous over A-line dresses.  These two crop cardigans by Maggy London and Michael Kors (similar to Dolce & Gabbana’s!) are now on my must-own list to wear over a floral swing dress this season.

If you prefer a longer style, JCrew’s cashmere cardigan is designed with summer in mind – the perfect piece to effortlessly transition your summer looks into autumn.

Lands’ end also offers a short sleeve cardigan in classic styling.  Available in 8 colors.  And with short sleeves of course.

Dress up the cardigan with workwear staples like trousers and pencil skirts for office-approved looks.  Pull the entire outfit together by cinching with a skinny belt (excluding crop style).  Go casual on weekends by wearing with jeans and a tee.

Enjoy the short sleeve cardigan even in fall by layering over a blouse as seen on the DVF runway.  Either a fitted or chunky knit style works best in this case.

The styling on Michelle Obama from the O Magazine cover is stunning to say the least.  She gave us a dose of bright inspiration by teaming a vibrant orange dress with a yellow cardigan.

Chicago Sun-Times

If you are on the hunt for quality tank tops to layer this summer, look no further!  These cashmere blend tanks are currently on sale for just $19.99 $88 at ideeli.com.  There are also lovely cashmere blend cardigans selling at such a steal of a price for $29.99 $118.  Check out the Shae sale under “ending soon” section at the bottom of home page.  This particular sale will end in less than 24 hours so grab yours now!