Our favorite friend Mallory has been feverishly working overtime at work but has also been contemplating her Fall wardrobe. Here is what she had to say:

“Since the weather in the past week was a lot cooler than the August heat, I was starting to look for my fall clothes again for work. I had just watched Workchic’s video with Bechicmag.com on how to transition from Fall to Winter but I quickly realized that I didn’t have too much in my closet to choose from. I had one or two pairs of pants and a whole bunch of shirts that just seemed like old news to me, stretched out and worn a thousand times. I knew I had to go shopping again and allow myself to spend some money in order to restock my closet for the coming months. So that’s what I did.
 I chose the Gap for my pants. I bought 4 pairs of pants that will last me throughout the winter including a brown, black, and gray pair and one with light stripes to mix it up from the solid colors. Then I was able to buy some shirts, sweaters and cardigans that could be mixed and matched with any of the pants I bought. I chose stores like Banana Republic and J Crew which have great clothes for work that will last the harsh winter cold months. I did spend a decent amount of money, but I was able to feel guilt free about it because not only did I buy all of these things on sale but the amount of items I received was well worth the price. On top of all of this, I bought a dress too because even though I love wearing pants, especially during the winter months, it’s sometimes fun to get a bit more dressed up and feel good about yourself. The items I bought can easily be found on Workchic.com. Do you think I made some good selections?”

We would love your thoughts on how you can transition your Summer to Fall wardrobe for less!  Leave us your comments or send us an email at info@workchic.com.

Only 3 day left to get 20% off any Old Navy purchase of $100 or more. Enter ONSAVESOME at checkout. Hurry offer ends 9/24/09.
Gap Fall Sale – get up to 40% off. For a limited time only. Shop now for the best selection.

Our friend Mallory has been hard at work.  Like most New Yorkers, the summer humidity can put a damper on a fashionable look.  Here is what Mallory had to say:

New York City’s summer weather has been less than ideal since the end of Spring.  Finally Summer weather is here and well so is the notorious New York City humidity!  It’s definitely steamy out there so I have been trying to figure out a way to keep cool.  The last thing I want to think about is getting to work and wishing I could take a second shower just to cool off.   Do I go shopping for new clothes? Well It’s now towards the end of the summer so there aren’t as many new Summer options out as there.  Fall is right around the corner.  I browsed through  Workchic.com and I found some great summer/transitional clothing to survive this weather comfortably!  Really the main goal (at least for me) is to wear loose and light clothing. I found that even a lightweight cotton cardigan made me feel too warm and uncomfortable.   I know pants aren’t the coolest option to wear on a hot day, but some people don’t have that option. The pants I chose are from the Gap.  They are relaxed and wide leg but still fitted enough that they can give you shape. As for the shirt, skirt, and dress- they are all made of lighter fabrics so I would receive more ventilation then if I wore something more fitted.  I found it is all about the fabrics.  Cotton and Linen blends are the best options on a humid day.  I try to avoid polyester and rayon blends.   Shoes for me personally can also be a little more tricky because of my “no open toe shoes” rule at work.   To get around this but still pass the office dress code, I wear shoes that are technically closed toe but still have some type of ventilation for the foot. Anything helps!  Hopefully some of these ideas will get you through the remaining summer weather!

Embroidered Top$19.99
Silk ikat-print dress in Fair aqua-$150.00
Cotton essential skirt in Red peony-$60.00
Lightweight striped hip slung pants in blue stripe- $49.50
Cut-Out Ballet Flats in Brown$19.50
Modern Vintage Eligia heels in Black and grey$260.00

 Thanks Mallory for this informative post!  Stay workchic in the summer heat!

We haven’t heard from Mallory in awhile since she has been busy at work.  She responded to one of our former posts on how to go from the office to drinks in style http://bit.ly/2XrxX

Summer is officially here and even though the weather hasn’t cooperated, everyone still wants to get out and enjoy the season.  Here in NYC even though it gets so hot, all of my coworkers just want to go out on Friday night and relax after a long work week. The guys tend to wear what they wore to work and it is so much easier for them!   I find all of the girls are bringing tote bags to work filled with jeans, make-up, and shoes that they find more suitable for a night out rather than wearing what they wore to work that day. Well I think there is a way to get around that.  Who wants to carry extra bags on the subway especially in this heat?  I would say the simplest idea is just wearing a dress to work with a cardigan or jacket and then all you need to do is take off the cardigan. Or you can wear a shirtdress- those are adorable and think they always look great no matter where you go! I just always try to keep in mind when I am out shopping- “How many different situations can I wear this in?”  If you find a really cute shirt that might be more night out appropriate rather than office appropriate, just put a cute cami under it to cover up.  I think there is a nice option to wearing jeans- you can always wear any type of capri pants.  I’m a huge fan of them and dress them up because they always look appropriate no matter where you are going.  It’s summertime so they can be bright!  I found some great options on Workchic.com!

Enjoy your summer!

Our fellow friend Mallory is well past past the six month mark in her new job.  Now she gets to experience the experience of dressing workchic for the warmer (and humid) NYC weather that is about to be bestowed upon us!

“I just read the post from Kimberly of Fab Finds Under $50 http://bit.ly/5bStA and she is so right on with wearing one dress for multiple occasions!  Living in New York City especially in the summer, you always need to have a good dress handy.  A dress will save you from the sweltering summer heat that lingers well into September.  Good thing that everywhere I turn there are great dresses that are appropriate for work and for the weekend! My favorite thing about wearing these type of dresses are the bright prints and colors that they all come in. My philosophy is the brighter the better!  Plus it’s so simple to wear the same dress during the week with a pair of cute heels or throw on a pair of flats   with the same dress for the weekend. Doing this will save you from buying a ton of dresses with money that you might not necessarily have!  The only drawback is that I have found that the dresses seem to be made for people with the exact opposite body type that I have! That would be tall and very lean.  I am finding the more loose or flowy the dress is, the less flattering it might be on a person who is height challenged like myself.  I found the best way to fix this challenging wardrobe issue is by wearing a scarf or belt at your waist. It will fix and change the whole look of the dress. I found a lot of great buys on workchic.com (the ones below are in my workchic faves account) and also found a lot of options that showed me how to wear certain types of dresses for my body type. Well what are you waiting for?  Just go buy some dresses!  The brighter the better right?  You can’t have too many since summer is just about here!”

All of these dresses are from shopbop.com.

Our friend Mallory had to share her thoughts on a timeless trend-Denim Jackets.  Here is what she had to say below: 

“A few months ago I was out to dinner with a few friends and there was this guy that joined our group that rubbed me the wrong way from the minute he sat down. You know that kind of person that seemed a bit judgmental on just about everything?   After we started talking for a bit he asked me where I grew up.  I told him I grew up on Long Island, New York and right away he came out with the most puzzling comment that I have heard in a while. He said in a very sarcastic tone “So do you own a jean jacket?”  I wasn’t aware that Long Islanders were lumped into I only wear denim/jean jackets category!  Then again I thought what is wrong with them?  I even found a pic of Elizabeth Banks in this month’s Lucky magazine wearing one.  I had to write this blog post. 

                                                                 (pic courtesy of Luckymag.com)

 I think if you wear it the right way, denim looks great! First of all wearing a jean or denim jacket with a pair of black pants, skirt, dress or even khakis looks really cute and is acceptable at work. It doesn’t have to be just blue denim they also come in white or beige.  Now I wouldn’t suggest wearing your old acid washed jean jacket from the 80’s, or wearing denim head to toe but I found some jackets at the Gap and Old Navy that have a modern and comfortable feel. I also just bought a denim skirt from Ann Taylor Loft. I got it on sale for $20-who can beat that?! It’s pretty lightweight  too so I will definitely be wearing it throughout the summer.  So go out and and buy that denim jacket or skirt.  They will never go out of style!  I found the following at Workchic from Old Navy for only $ 29.50 each!”

                                         Here’s a pic of my new denim skirt find at Ann Taylor!

Our friend Mallory can now be officially classified as the working professional.  She has contributed her thoughts on how to dress for work on a major budget.  Here are some suggestions on how you can take what is in your closet and update it on the cheap:

I have definitely been one to talk up accessories, but I have to admit I should really use them more! Scarves were great additions to outfits for the winter, but I was trying to figure out what could replace them for the summer. The first thing I came up with were headbands.  I even found that some of my favorite celebrities were wearing their own interpretation of this trend.  Photos courtesy of Google Images.

Headbands come in different designs and fabrics and could add some much color to a basic outfit. Also, they are so affordable! Check out these fun headbands that I found right on workchic.com below!

The three headbands are from oldnavy.com and at $4.50 each you can afford all three!

I found the next set at shopbop.com for $35 each. They are great for those casual days at the office.

 Our friend Mallory is well on her way to becoming a seasoned veteran at her job. When we last visited her she already had done her Spring shopping early.  Now all she needs to complete her outfits are shoes.  You can never have too many shoes right?  A fun pair of flats or peep toes can liven up any outfit whether old or new.  Here is what she had to say:

“Since I already bought my summer clothes, or at least started to anyway, I figured I need new shoes to go with them! Last summer I mainly wore sandals which I still love, but I can’t wear those to work this year.  Since I work in a medical setting, most of my foot has to be covered up.    But I am thinking I can still get away with peep toe flats or wedges.  I am seeing so many cute styles out there.  I started to search online for different options that could go with my work attire. I stuck to my regular stores that I like to shop at and I found great things. J Crew has a nice selection of flats, although a little expensive for my budget, in fun summer colors like yellow, pink, and light blue.  They can be worn with my business casual wardrobe and also on the weekend.  I am loving the Mint print pair below with the ornamentation on top.  So cute!   The Gap and Banana Republic had some more versatile peep toes and of course more flats which is what I tend to wear almost everyday. All of the shoes I found will go perfectly with pants, summer dresses, and skirts. One other option that I always take advantage of is searching online sites like piperlime, payless,  endless.com, 6pm, smartbargains, and DSW.  You never know what you are going to find! Here are some of the finds I found at J Crew, Banana Republic, and the Gap.”

  
Both of these are from J Crew!  Love them! The next few pairs below I found at workchic.com. 


What do you think?



 

Our favorite friend Mallory is know entering her fifth month into her new job.  She has the itch for Spring even though it may be 30 degrees out.  She’s over it!  Here is what she had to say:

” Well it’s that time a year again when I have the itch for Spring!   I can’t even bear to think of six more weeks of winter!  New York City indeed has had a strange winter this year.  One day it is freezing cold and then a blast of warm weather (40-50 degrees mind you) comes our way! I don’t know what to wear anymore.  The clothing selection in the stores right now are such a tease to us New Yorkers because of all the really cute dresses and open toe shoes that are everywhere!   There are some great buys out there right now though for the warmer weather that I can’t help but buy!  I feel like a lucky lady everytime I find a bargain!   I was searching dresses on workchic.com  and so many options came up.  I asked myself how much could I actually spend within my budget and I aimed for $50 and under, but allowed myself to look for dresses also around the $100 mark, just in case there was something really great I couldn’t pass up!   I found the brands BB Dakota, C & C California, Free People, and Old Navy had great dresses that were both affordable, chic, and work appropriate outfits.  Some of the dresses I found would need a cardigan or a little jacket to go over it, but mainly they were very suitable for spring/summer work attire.  I also found a real business casual look.  Not only is it very comfortable but the shirt dress can be found in almost any store and any brand you are looking for.Spring is around the corner- 25 days but who is counting?”Here are some of Mallory’s Spring bargains she found recently…

We like the business casual outfits Mallory found for Spring.  She could pair the outfits with a long cardigan and black opaque tights to get her through the colder temps until Spring rolls around.

Get dressed to impress with Workchic.com!

Our favorite friend Mallory is well on her way into the four month mark into her new job.  She is trying to utilize her work wardrobe in many ways.  That way she can still save money and have an outfit to wear for work and date night.  Here is what she has to say..

“When I go out shopping or shop online, a few things are always going through my mind, one of the most important is especially on how to save money. The one thing that stands out for me most of the time is: what clothing can I buy that I can wear for more than one type of occasion? In my mind that means what can I wear to the office and out on a Friday or Saturday night. When you are buying clothes on a budget try to make smarter decisions when making your purchases. Obviously going out on the weekend you want to wear something more fun or maybe even a little revealing (but of course in a classy way).  It can’t always fit your work attire, but there are many options out there that can. To try this out, look into your closet and pick out shirts that you wear to work and try them on with a pair of jeans. It may end up looking really cute for a night out with your friends. Sometimes it may just be the simplest shirt too, like a plain black shirt that you can dress up with accessories and cute shoes. Another good idea is to take a cute jacket that you wear to work with a skirt or nice pants and put that with jeans and heels, it would most likely look great to go out with! I have been using this method of shopping forever because most likely there will always be a budget to follow. So keep this in mind, it has definitely been helpful when I’m shopping. “

 
Pic# 1  Mallory can simply add on black opaque tights, black tall boots, a statement necklace and voila- instant date outfit.
Pic #2- We loved when Mallory bought this shirt at H&M.  Not only does it look great for work, she can also pair it with jeans, a blazer, chunky bracelet and even a red clutch to pull the look together for a casual night out with friends.You too can utilize your work wardrobe when you have one of those “I have nothing to wear meltdowns”.  Stay tuned for more tips from Workchic.com!

Our friend Mallory is already into her 13th week of her new job and late on all Sunday nights is wondering what to wear to work tomorrow..she writes the below:

“It’s kind of funny, because growing up when I thought of myself out in the working world maybe actually working.  I only pictured myself wearing chic and super stylish clothing. I have four older sisters who were out in the working world long before I was and they always looked really great going to work. Everything they wore and still wear today always looks new, professional, and stylish-it sort of makes me a little jealous that I don’t look like that yet. But I keep telling myself that in 5 years that’s what I will look like. I just have to get a little more settled and financially stable in my life and then I will really be the chic looking sister!  Another person who always looks really stylish is Jennifer Aniston.  I am kind of a FRIENDS tv show fanatic and the way Jennifer Aniston always looked (and still looks) really inspires me for the future.  I have a goal to go buy nice boots with a great dress or skirt to go with it, without spending my  entire paycheck.  Afterall, I do need to pay for things like food and rent before buying clothes!  Obviously, you can see from my other blogs I have found some great affordable buys, but it would be really nice to treat myself to nice leather boots that are just a little out of my price range (if you can’t tell, I really want boots)! I just need to figure keep my eyes open and find a look that I can find for less . I am not saying copy your co-worker on their latest attire but take some ideas and make them your own!”

(photos courtesy of Google images)

Happy Shopping from Workchic.com !