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!

Women’s fashion is always changing and ever evolving.  When it comes to building your professional wardrobe it may seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be dreary or drab.  Fashion should be fun!  Sure there are more rules associated with dressing for work – you certainly don’t want to bring your Saturday night style into the office Monday morning – but finding office appropriate pieces isn’t really all that difficult.  I promise!

Mix and Match
Choosing pieces that you can mix and match is always a fantastic idea!  Since you wear the items in your professional wardrobe more than any of your other clothes, you want to make sure to keep your look fresh!  Filling your closet with items such as – slacks, skirts, blouses, sweaters, jackets and blazers will give you many options to choose from each morning.

(Cowl Neck Dolman Sweater; Delias, Exposed Seam Skirted Coat; Topshop, HUGO Pin Stripe Pants; Stylebop)

If you are bored with your style chances are that others will be too.  Exploring your closet and coming up with different combinations is fun. And in case you are wondering yes, you can wear your favorite diamond bracelet to the office.  Seeing that sparkle will make you smile all day long.

Accessorize
Finish off all your outfits with stunning accessories like metallic or colorful belts – and don’t forget that adding a tennis bracelet can really jazz up the entire ensemble.  Stylish accessories play a big part in helping you to express your personal style.  Think about it, if you select some of your key wardrobe pieces and put them on, they will no doubt look very nice but if you add some fun accessories, you have really kick things up a notch.

(Charles Jourdan Elton; Zappos, Michael Kors Reversible Metallic Belt; Dillard’s, Diamond Bracelet; Anjolee)

If you have dinner plans after work no problem, make a few accessory changes.  Throw on some stilettos and stack some diamonds bracelets on your wrists, you will be ready to go!

Choose Your Shoes
The right pair of shoes can really complete an outfit.  Boots with tights and a skirt are a very popular and office appropriate look.  It’s also totally stylish.  Ankle boots are a hot trend right now, as are just about any kind of heel.

If you are on your feet a lot but still want to wear heels be sure to bring a pair of comfortable and fashionable flats to change into if your feet start to hurt.  This is also a good plan when breaking in a new pair of shoes.  Of course, flats have come a long way and you can find some delightful designs with stunning embellishments.

(Cole Haan Air Alexis Buckle; Zappos, Vaneli Ailis; Zappos)

See?  Dressing professional doesn’t have to be a bore – you can still be really creative and express your personal style.

While we put so much focus on clothing, most of us don’t often give enough attention to undergarments.  Out of sight doesn’t mean out of style.  We practically live in them!  It’s the intimate apparel that often makes us feel the sexiest.  The ultimate underwear/lingerie has to be both comfortable and fashionable, yet they are not so easy to come by.

Here are some tips on undergarments to help you enhance your best features as well as certain no-no’s to avoid.  Keep this in mind, there is no need for special occasions or the appropriate setting to treat yourself with pretty undergarments – it really is the confidence within that makes us truly beautiful.

• Beige or nude tones that are closest to your skin tone work best under light clothing (such as a buttoned white shirt) as they become almost invisible.

• Choose undergarments with a smooth surface when wearing tight clothes, while the fancy embroidery kinds work best under darker and heavier clothing.

• On average, one in three women wear the wrong size bra (it could be you?).  Although you may have found that perfect fit bra, be sure to tuck in all the right places in order avoid any unsightly bulges.  Pay attention to those underarm/side areas!  The BioFit bra from Victoria’s Secret offers a unique custom-made feel with a lovely uplift.  Or, you can even consult a bra specialist from Zyrra to create a truly custom made bra for you.

• A sure way to ruin your polished attire is by having panty lines show through.  The best bet is to wear no-lines or seamless panties matching your skin tone.  Even thongs can show the lines so wear with caution.

• You can wash most undergarments in the washing machine (delicate cycle) but hand washing does prolong the life especially for delicate lingerie.  I use Dr. Bronner’s organic soap to wash most of my undergarments by hand.  Give it a nice soak and gentle rub.  Hang dry.

• A camisole with a built-in bra top is like wearing a bra + cami together (clever combo!).  They provide support, shaping and extra coverage all at once.  Some camis can pass for a tank top which makes it a nice layering piece as well.  Plus, it’s nice to go without a separate bra in the scorching summer.  Online lingerie shop Simply Yours has a feminine collection of plus size camisole and other gorgeous undergarments for women with curves.  Online shopping is the way to go for a wider variety of sizing options.

• When in doubt, go for shapewear- a faster, easier alternative to lipo or dieting.  Who can say no to a slimmer, smoother appearance?  There are plenty of shapewear to target different body parts.  In fact, some clothes come with a shaper already built in.

• Bras & panties don’t necessarily have to match.  Mix it up according to your taste!

• Always, always wash new underwear before you put them on regardless of the where you buy them, whether they come packaged or not.

Got any helpful tips or tricks on undergarments?  Please do share!

We all have basic tees yet many of us are not getting the best use out of them.  I often see them mainly worn with just jeans or sweats.  There are a ton of ways to enjoy basic tees as they are truly versatile (wear with everything, really!).  This summer, style your white tee with a dressy skirt like the one shown in the photo. A pleated skirt in a cool blue hue and casual white top is a match made in heaven.

A fitted tee is the way to go rather than the baggy style.  Slim fitting tops beautifully balance a fuller skirt.  The pleated skirts we chose below look sophisticated while more forgiving than most pencil skirts.

left, center (or here), right

Wear the skirt slightly above the waist, then cinch with a belt to elongate your legs.  With a simple basic top, have fun with accessories!  You can also top the outfit with a cropped blazer or tweed jacket for a more sophisticated office look.

photo credit: rain.co.kr, style.com (3.1Phillip Lim SS 2011)

Get the look!

More Blue Life…

We can agree on one thing, we want a bra that has it all – comfort, support, style.  Maybe there is no such thing as “the perfect bra” but we are always searching for it regardless.  I personally prefer sports bras although they are not the best choice to go under clothes.

T-shirt bras are most ideal to wear especially to work, providing all-day comfort and smooth seamless shaping.  The perfect bra under fitting tops, sweaters, knits, and of course under t-shirts.

Our absolute favorite is the Dream Tisha Seamless Full Fit Bra by Le Mystère.  Also Oprah’s favorite by the way!  It’s practically seamless, is lightweight and disappears under a top while giving you exceptional support and an ultra smooth look.  Not to mention wider straps for extra added support.

We also love these varying nude hues that are invisible under clothes – 1, 2, 3

For the voluptuous ladies looking for a plus size bra check out the huge range of plus intimates and more from OneStopPlus!

Let’s kick start the week with a basic outfit that each and every career fashionista must embrace – button shirt + denim pants + blazer.  It’s a casual yet sophisticated style that is perfect as a business casual look.  We adore the outfits of these two ladies (one being a familiar face, Zoe Saldana) as they are simplistically chic with a capital C!

photo credit (right): stockholmstreetstyle

White trousers/denims are must-haves for this season and, the blue/white striped top is amazing worn together.  We chose the 3/4 sleeve blazer so that the shirt’s cocktail cuffs are seen.  Lastly, sexy leopard slingbacks adds a touch of glam without piling on the jewelry.

Shirt, Blazer, Denim Pants, Slingbacks

By the way, Zoe’s lovely bag is the Givenchy Antigona bag.  If you are feeling the urge to splurge check out this fabulous Antigona selection.

For this week’s frugal Wednesday feature we wanted to go basic.  What better way to do that than to focus on the color black. Black is wardrobe must-have that is both basic and versatile in that it really does go with almost anything. Here are some of our favorite black pieces.

ASOS Cowl Neck Jersey Dress $34.48
Suedette Stacked Heels $24.80
Simply Vera Vera Wang Eva Hobo $55.30 $79
Oversized Round Readers $14

On a tight budget this summer? Looking to add a little life to your work wardrobe?

We find one of the easiest ways to add life to your work wardrobe on a budget is by coordinating new pieces with your basics. Here are a couple great examples of pieces you can use to update your existing basics for Summer.

Keep your black pencil skirt Business Casual and add a feminine printed blouse for some personal style. Finish the look with your black pumps and a complimentary bracelet. Free as a Bird Blouse and Oh Pear Bracelet are both available at Modcloth.com.

Wear your basic black pants or khaki trousers with a new paisley printed cotton cardigan. The mix of materials is hot this season, cardigan has a woven front and knit back. Complete your business casual look with t-strap wedges in fuchsia.

Polish this Gap Pleated Floral Skirt by adding your basic white blouse or a simple tee. Finish with a statement necklace.

With a few new pieces you can easily create fresh looks for the summer. Happy Shopping!

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Jennifer Lynn Diana
@Workchic_Jenn
Jennifer Lynn Diana

A simple sheath dress is the perfect staple for any office. With a few accessories you can take a basic dress and give it a new style.

Hourglass-Business Office by Workchic featuring Jil Sander dresses

Here we took a pleated dress and added 3 different styles of shoes to update the look. It’s a perfect example of how shoes can change the look and feel of an outfit. For a business office we recommend adding a blazer and utilizing the high stakes heels from modcloth.com. We had some fun with a statement necklace in lavender hues that goes perfectly with the smoke print heels and peep toe style.

Pleated spot print dress, 1,000 GBP
K Karl Lagerfeld Wool-blend tailored blazer, $213
High heel pump with Smoke Print, 370 GBP
Ravel Chaussures Peeptoe Courts, 45 GBP
High Stakes Heels in Smoke-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes, $38
Lanvin Strass crystal necklace, $2,730

Our friend Yvonne just loved the flattering neckline and empire waist on this dress, so she set out to find the perfect accessories. She played on a natural color palette featuring the neutral dress, gold jewelry, and black handbag.  Subtle hits of color were added in the animal and leaf print wrap along with burgundy trimmed pumps. You can pick up this dress and the chic accessories following the links below.

Spiegel V-Neck Sheath Dress in Linen
Hidden Painted Animal Ruana
Champagne Dish Necklace
Kenneth Cole New York Layered-Circle Ring
Kathy Van Zeeland Monte Carlo Belt Shopper

Both of these examples featured accessories that can mix and match back to your work wardrobe with ease. Have fun adding accessories and creating your own personal style.