While shopping Women’s wear at Charles Tyrwhitt., we came across this chic asymmetrical blouse. Crossover neckline is flattering and front and back darts ensure a sleek fit.

We adore this contemporary styling for a wide range of business casual offices. How would you style it with your existing work wardrobe?

This week Spanx took their undergarments to a new level and launched a ready-to-wear collection, On Top and In Control.

We think this draped V-neck sleeveless tank would layer beautifully under a blazer for the office during the summer. While in the winter we would turn to the long sleeve turtleneck. Both styles come in white, vanilla, soft gold, bittersweet, midnight, and black.

What do you think of the new collection?

I have this amazing short sleeve cardigan I bought from New York & Company at the end of the summer last year. Since it was the end of the season, I didn’t wear it much. Now that the weather has shifted again, it has become my go-to layering piece. It’s so easy to add over my favorite sleeveless tops for the office.  I started searching for another one, and found these all under $50!

At Eddie Bauer we found a boyfriend style short sleeve cardigan. San Juan Cardigan comes in 6 colors and regular, petite, tall, and plus sizes ranging in price from $39.50 to $44.50.  We also found a boyfriend cardigan at Dillard’s. Antonio Melani “Talia” Knit Cardigan is $35.70 in persimmon.

A mix of print and lace makes this Lacey Back Cardigan a stand out piece all on it’s own. While this light weight Slub Long Cardigan is more versatile in  light grey shade. Both styles were found at Free People for $49.95.

For a more airy feel we found this Pointelle Cardigan at Kohl’s, $36, and Dolman Pointelle Cardigan, $49.50, at The Limited. Both styles are available in black and white.

Layer Ruffled Open Front Cropped Sweater from Charlotte Russe over fitted tops. Add it to your work wardrobe for only $17. Or pick up a trendy bat wing cropped cotton cardigan from Esprit for $49.50, .

I love my short sleeve cardigan so much, I needed another one. Every women should have at least one of these in their work wardrobe for summer. They can take your summer blouses from casual to business casual in a flash.

Do you have a favorite summer trend or style? Looking for it on a budget? Share it with us and we’ll find the most office appropriate versions for under $50! Leave a comment or email info@workchic.com.

Contest has ended, but you can order your very own Second Base Demi-Cami for 20% off with code WORKCHIC. Sale ends May 31st.

We think Demi-Camis from Second Base are one of greatest innovations we have seen lately.  They instantly transform revealing tops and dresses into stylish office appropriate pieces. Second Base has launched new colors for Spring and is giving away one right here on Workchic!  To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post about which color is your favorite and how you would wear it. Our drawing will be held April 30th. 

Haven’t heard of Second Base Demi-Camis? They are cropped camis that give you a little extra coverage without the extra bulk.

Light enough for comfort, but opaque enough to cover your cleavage, and your bra

Won’t roll up like a regular camisole

Effortlessly go from day to night

No snaps, hooks, velcro, or tape

Silky soft, eco-friendly micro modal engineered for a great fit

Made in USA

We love the idea of layering these light weight demi-camis under spring dresses for the office. Tell us how you would wear one and enter to win one of these three new colors; citrus, hot pink, or electric blue in the Sarah style.

Here’s a look we love right off the runway!

Anna Sui: Runway to Office by Workchic featuring Jonathan Aston tights

Wearing white is almost synonymous with summer. There are some basics we recommend for every woman’s summer work wardrobe. These pieces will make hot days seem just a little bit cooler and make for easy layering. Plus vibrant necklaces, printed skirts, and stunning sandals simply glow against a solid white canvas. Here are some of our must haves for the season.
 
1- Short Sleeve Blouse

A flutter sleeve blouse like, DKNY Jeans Top, Short Sleeve Pleated Blouse for $64, is perfect for summer.
 
 
2- Long Sleeve Blouse

Charter Club Blouse, Long Sleeve Fitted with Polka Dot Accents has a touch of whimsy. Available for $34.98. Multi-Button Classic Shirt is $44.50.
  
  
3- T-shirt

Scoop Basic Tee has a fitted silhouette and is available for $24.50.
  
  
4- Layering Tank

Ruffle Seamless Tank adds a touch of feminine style for $29.50. Exclusively Misook Scoopneck Tank is constructed of machine washable, wrinkle-free synthetic yarn with the look and feel of silk and the durability of wool.
 
   
5- Demi-cami

Sara Demi-Cami from Second Base is perfect for layering under low cut dresses and blouses. Available for $29.

Each of these pieces will be easy go-to solutions all summer long. Stay tuned for more Workchic basics to keep your work wardrobe polished all year round.

Dark wash denim definitely makes our list of work wardrobe basics. While some may not think of jeans as a basic for the office, there are many denim friendly workplaces out there.  Casual Fridays are prevalent, and some offices tend to loosen dress codes during the summer months. Even if your office still won’t allow you to wear jeans, they are an important go-to piece to have in your closet. They will look more polished when attending casual weekend events, especially if coworkers will be there.

What makes denim office appropriate?

Each of these styles from Banana Republic is in a dark rinse, void of any holes, rips, or tears, and has a tailored fit. These are the top features we look for when selecting denim for the office. From there it’s about what fit looks best on your unique body.

We’d like to highlight the trouser style. This will come across the most professional of all the denim styles. You can identify this styling by reviewing the pockets, hem, and waistband. They will not have the traditional 5 pocket styling. Instead they will resemble a dress pant with a more refined waistband and pockets that may be slanted, on the side seam, or non-existent. Back pockets will usually be in a welt style. These pants usually do not have gold or tan contrast stitching, instead they use a tonal thread which means the hem has a cleaner finish.  Banana Republic Dark wash trouser jean is office ready because of its polish and structure. You’ll almost mistake this jean for a trouser pant.

Here are a few more styles from Calvin Klein, Habitual, and J Brand.  Find Petite, Plus, and Maternitystyles within our Workchic assortment.

Pair your denim with a printed blouse, bangles, and neutral pumps for a Workchic Casual Friday look.

What could be more perfect than a no iron easy shirt that you can easily throw on and feel confident whether on a business trip or in the boardroom? We suggest checking out the Jones New York Easy Care Shirt Sale! You can save up to 30% when you purchase multiple Easy Care Shirts. These Non-Iron and Wrinkle Resistant Shirts are the perfect staple to any great career work wardrobe!
Offer is valid, February 22 – 28!  Plus Free Shipping on Orders over $75!  Here are a few of our favorites below:

Chestnut Hill No Iron Bias Mitered Stripe Shirt (Petite)-$40.99
No-Iron Easy Care Classic Fitted Shirt-$59.00
Rose Combo No Iron Fitted Stripe Shirt-$59.99
No-Iron Easy Care French Cuff Shirt-$75.00

Happy Shopping from Workchic.com!

We all know the importance of those go-to black pants. What we also all know is, sometimes they can be impossible to find. Melissa and I have been struggling with these ourselves lately. Sometimes you try on 20 pairs and don’t find a single one that fits!

So what’s the solution? And how can you make shopping for the perfect black pants easier online? We have a few suggestions.

The first step is to identify which fit is most flattering on you.

We find a boot cut or straight leg to be the most universally flattering. You want a nice line falling from the hips. A flare will work better with heels then flats. Wide and skinny legs can look trendier. If you like either of these looks, we recommend having them as an option and also having a more traditional cut to balance your selection. This way you won’t be limited in the morning to blouses that work with those styles.

Secondly, know your size. We have created a universal fit chart to help guide you in the right direction. Since each brand cultivates their own measurements, we’ve also provided quick links to some of our stores. You will find more companies publishing not only their fit charts, but also garment measurements, customers review on fit, and even tell you what size the model is wearing. Tobi is a great example of a website giving you all this info and more. We found these Theory Max C Trousers that come in black as well.

Third, consider the fabric options. Do you want wool lined pants, or summer weight cotton? This will also affect the fit. A lined pant tends to smooth and shape, but will also be more costly to tailor. A lighter weight or fitted style with stretch worn to tightly can show details you may not want your co-workers to see. You may need to adjust your sizing to avoid any mishaps. Dressy Stretch Bootleg Trouser from Jones New York has a contoured waistband for optimal fit. You can also reference a fabric glossary on their site to help you make your purchasing decision.

Armed with this information you can quickly eliminate those styles that will not be right for you. Then it’s time to go shopping. Here are a few styles we love in different categories and fits.

Petite
Banana Republic Womens Black Petite 215 Martin Classic Trouser Pant

Plus
Lane Bryant Right Fit Lafayette pant

Tall
New York & Company Women’s Brown, Red 7th Avenue Bootcut Pants – Tall

For more Workchic styles visit our pants section and sort by price, office environment and size to find your perfect style. Stay tuned for more tips on utilizing your basics to create chic outfits for your office.

We love bold jewelry that really wakes up an outfit; sometimes you need something a little simpler though. We shopped at Netaya.com to find styles that are sophisticated for the office. Shop now and save 20% off all orders. Use code VAL20.

These necklaces are ideal when your blouse is already getting all the attention. They polish off the outfit with a touch of glitz around your neck. Any of these would also layer nicely with your interview suit.

Sometimes it’s cumbersome to wear a bracelet on your right arm, but you already have a watch on your left. The beauty of these bracelets is that they will lie nicely against your favorite watch.

Large earrings have been very popular, but depending on your hairstyle and office environment, they may not be right for you. These smaller styles still have unique details like mixing silver and gold or subtle diamond edging.

The trend in jewelry is definitely bigger is better, but that’s not always appropriate in the office. If you work in more conservative or highly professional environment these designs will give you touches of personal style without overwhelming your look. Remember to shop now and save 20% off jewelry from Netaya.com with code VAL20.

We all have our days. Sometimes you don’t want to get out of bed, let alone dress to impress. We understand. That’s what we’re here for- to take the stress out of getting dressed for work. Even when you don’t want to put in the effort to look presentable, you should have a couple of simple outfits that always look polished and chic. After all, you never know who will be standing behind you in the line at Starbucks.

So how do you achieve truly effortless style? It comes back to your basics. They will be a lifesaver time and again, even if you are running late to the office.

One of our favorites is the little black dress, always classic, always chic. And it’s one piece! It doesn’t get much easier then that! All you need is shoes, maybe a necklace, grab your favorite bag and you can leave the house.

Not a fan of all black? A printed dress can have the same impact without even adding accessories.

For another last minute option, you should always have a pair of black pants ready. They go with just about anything. If you’re truly having a bad start to your day, shimmy into these pants. Then we have two options for cheering yourself up so you can start your day with confidence. Our first choice would be to wear your absolute favorite shirt (graphic tees do not apply) under a blazer to add a bit of professionalism. Option two is a basic blouse or tee and pile on the necklaces. A little glitz is sure to wake you up. Again a blazer or cardigan can take this look from casual to office appropriate in the blink of an eye.

Don’t let running late ruin your day. Instead try one of these simple suggestions to turn your morning around. Presenting yourself professionally is always important. It will also lift your spirits so you are more prepared to take on the day. This month we have focused on ways you can reinvent yourself the Workchic way. Don’t let one hectic morning come between you and your Workchic style. Organize your closet so that these outfits are ready and waiting for you.  Good Luck and Happy Shopping!