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.

So far this month you have cleaned out your closet, updated your basics, and dropped off select pieces at the tailor. Now you want to make your work wardrobe feel fresh but don’t want to spend a fortune. Don’t worry; we are here to help you with that too.  We recommend setting a seasonal budget and allocating between basics, tops, and accessories to maximize your impact.

Once you’ve taken the time to get your basic foundation pieces in place- have fun with accessories. A statement necklace makes a tee and cardigan feel fresh. This Double Stranded Bead Necklacefrom Charlotte Russe is only $6.99. The
Beaded Dangle Earrings are only $4 and will draw attention up to your face.  Never under estimate the power of a scarf to update your look. This Linen style from Silk Road Spirit is $27.95 and can be styled in many ways.  That’s less than $40 on three new looks.
 

Blouses are what make the biggest change to your work wardrobe. After all you spend most of your time seated at a desk.  Selecting one piece in a fun print will liven up your look mid week.  To learn which prints are right for your age and office, check out our post on trends at any age.  New York & Company Women’s Grey Floral Drop Shoulder Slouchy Sweater is available for $39.95.  Brustroke Blouse from Apt 9 is $21.99 and AB Studio Circle Yoryu Blouse in green chiffon is $24.99 at Kohl’s. 

Color makes a big impact, but so does style and texture. That’s why this Bow Detail Crew from The Limited caught our eye at $29.99 along with Laura Ashley CROSS PLEAT BIB BLOUSE.  Our final blouse selection is from Modcloth.com.  Love ‘Em and Leaf ‘Em Top top is $29.99.

If you’re on a tight budget and want the maximum impact, keep your bottoms basic.  Use your budget on high impact accessories and unique blouses.   The six styles we selected add up to less than $200. Select your favorites, add on some accessories, and maximize your basics.  Challenge yourself to create as many unique looks for the office as you can. Happy Shopping!

Over the last couple of months we have talked about updating your basics and building a solid foundation for your work wardrobe. With the holidays upon us, we are going to give you a break for a couple of weeks. First, we want to look back at the five key pieces we have updated and put together a few more chic outfits with fun accessories.

LBD too Red by Workchic featuring Banana Republic

We showed you the black wrap dress and rounded toe pumps previously. Add some color with a Second Base demi-cami in a vibrant scarlet that’s carried into the earrings. The crystal rings in this bracelet from Heart’s Desire will pull any color in the rainbow. Let it play red today and look brand new tomorrow against something blue. Together these pieces will update your classic LBD and make it seasonally fresh.

Basics Combine by Workchic featuring Banana Republic

Our second look contains a blouse, skirt, cardigan, and ballet flats we’ve shown you before. But did you ever think about putting them together? Don’t worry, we did it for you. Then warmed it up with a colorful scarf from Silk Road Spirit. Together or separate these pieces are classically feminine and chic.

Did you miss any of the fun. You can go back and check out our post on Cardigans, Skirts, Black Shoes, White Blouses, or Classic LBD’s at any time. After the holidays we will return with tailored blazers, black trousers, and more key items to round out your perfect, professional wardrobe. 

We use Polyvore to help us organize these looks to share with you. You can check out more of our Polyvore outfits and start creating some of your own by visiting Polyvore.com today!

Fall is just around the corner and one of our favorite ways to beat the chill is jackets and scarves.  Pick out blazer silhouettes that will add to your professional image. Plus scarves do double duty and give your outfit a little personal style.

This Shrunken Blazer in gray is ultra feminine with pleated pockets and pink stitch details. We have paired it with a pink paisley scarf from The Vintage Scarf. Finish the the look with matching grey trousers or a black A-line skirt.

We are in love with the soft structure of the Gretajacket from Fossil.  Soft fleece is warm and comforting while military styling gives it an updated feel. Pair it with denim and a Reptile Chain Scarf from Sabina Les.

Our third look is a Women: Cotton motorcycle jacket – Slick rock from Banana Republic.  Accessorizing with a Batik Beaded Fringe Scarf from Silk Road Spirit will add extra interest to this style. For business casual pair it with black trousers. On more casual days at the office this style will also look chic with denim.

We know it’s still warm out now- but these scarves are super light weight and perfect accessories! Wear them now to update basic blouses and tshirts. Then as the weather starts to shift, have stylish jackets ready so you don’t miss out on any Workchic style!

You may know them as Bag, Borrow, or Steal, but Avelle.com is one of the hottest places to find designer accessories and add them to your wardrobe for a week, a month, or longer.  We have partnered with Avelle to give you 25% off your first borrow!  Enter code WORKCHIC25 at checkout and receive 25% off!  Plus you now get Free Standard Shipping on all orders.  This includes the return at the end of your rental.  That’s not all- As a new paid member all new membership dollars get instantly credited to go toward a rental item. You can use the credit on their first rental item or save it for later.  Wow! That’s a lot of benefit to start borrowing luxurious handbags and accessories. Let’s start shopping!

Avelle started with handbags, so we’ll start there too.  Thin totes are one of the top trends for fall. They are chic and ideal for carrying paperwork to and from the office. For a traditional style we like kate spade ‘Kent’ Quintessa Tote; for a more unique twist try Alessandro Dell’acqua ‘Agnello/Gros’ Tote, or go bold and swap the colors in a Tory Burch ‘Nico’ Lux T East-West Tote.

You may only think of borrowing jewelry for a special event, but there is no reason not to rent a stylish necklace or watch to give your work wardrobe a little extra kick.  Ever dream of having your own CC logo around your neck? Wear this Chanel Signature Pearl & Stone Necklace over a simple blouse or sweater. Work with an office overseas or traveling to another time zone? Use Philip Stein Infinity dual time zone watch to keep track of the time here and there.  Try something different and experiment with a Kara Ross 2 Petal Flower Cocktail Ring.

Lately we have been inspiring some of our styles from vintage and Avelle has a nice selection of vintage handbags and jewelry for us to rent. For example this Limited Edition Louis Vuitton Vintage Monogram Pastel Clutch would easily slide into a tote and has it’s own sophisticated style.  Adding a Miriam Haskell Vintage Beaded Dome Bracelet gives any professional outfit a little sparkle. Our last find, Hermes Vintage Leather Origami Envelope Clutch, says polished professional.

What are you waiting for? Avelle.com is giving you so many great reasons to borrow now:
1- Free Standard Shipping each way
2- New membership fees can be credited toward your first purchase
3- Save 25% off your first rental with our code: WORKCHIC25

So what are you waiting for? Workchic sale ends August 31st. Go borrow some chic accessories to update your work wardrobe today!

We went shopping around some of our favorite stores and selected a mix of basics and business casual pieces perfect for updating your work wardrobe. Then we decided to mix and match these styles to see how many outfits we could create. 

Pants: Black: City Stretch Welt Pocket Pants- Average 39.95 on sale for $19.95; Grey: Women: Straight fit flare pants – grey pearl $54.50
Dress: Color By Number Dress $69.99
Tops: Blouse: City Stretch Bias Plaid French Cuff Shirt $29.95; Tshirt: Women: Women’s Puff-Sleeve Tees – Cabot Cove $12.50 on sale for $5; Cardigan: Women: Women’s Lightweight Boyfriend Cardigans – Bright White 29.50; Blouse Ruffle Top $18.99
Necklace: Faceted Bead Necklace  $6.99
Shoes: Women’s shoes: Rampage Maycee – Black patent $39.99
Belt: City Style Gem Plaque Belt $22.95

That’s 10 pieces for under $300! Take a look at how many outfits we created:

Of course we are not suggesting you wear these outfits back to back, but you can see how you can utilize a few pieces in your closet to make a full business casual wardrobe.  Start shopping and see how many outfits you can put together.

Our friends at Polyvore have already covered work-wear for apples, boyish, and pear shapes. We are jumping in to help with hourglass figures.  Your friends are probably jealous of your figure, but when getting dressed for work it may be easy to stumble. We want to show you how to keep the sexy secretary at bay and play up your polished professional look.

Hourglass-Business Casual Office by Workchic featuring Dorothy Perkins cardigans

For a Business Casual office, go with a printed A-line skirt. We selected a knit top with a ribbed waistband so it will accentuate your smallest part. Both the drapey cardigan and skirt will float away from your body.  The necklace should hit above the neckline of your top.  This combination is sweet and sophisticated all at once. You will be ready for any event thrown your way since this outfit creates such a balanced look.

Hourglass-Business Office by Workchic featuring K Karl Lagerfeld jackets

For a Business Professional office, keep the garments simple and play with accessories. This dress is perfect for your hourglass figure, the pleats along the skirt will provide a softening effect and the jacket keeps things all business. The simple nature is begging for a statement necklace. Depending on your office environment, pick the shoes that will work best for you.

Hourglass-Casual Office by Workchic featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs clutches

For a casual day at the office, try wide leg trouser jeans and a loose printed blouse. Tuck in the blouse and add a belt for a polished look.  Also plan on wearing a cami underneath this light weight fabric.  We paired it with fun aqua and green accessories to bring out the colors in the print. 

Learning how to dress your figure will move you in the right direction to polishing your professional image. Remember that every body type is different, a tailor will always be your best friend!  Here are a few more blouses perfect for your figure and the office.

How do we know? Lots of great Twitter feedback about the skirt we posted for Apple figures last week. Check it out here. 

We decided to bring you more Ikat, western, and tribal finds that you can easily work into your office attire.  Let’s get started.

Tops like this, Ikat Voile Smocked Top, from Lucky Brand Jeans look great on casual days with jeans, but can also be dressed up with taupe khaki’s.  Try these from Gap,Women: Hip slung flare leg pants – terrain, and business casual will come easy.  We also love this tribal print tee from ModCloth.  Layer the, Bohemian Rhapso-Tee, under a Jade Pleated Crop Jacket, for less then $30, and finish the look with those basic black pants you love.  This last look should be kept to younger more creative offices, but will look stylish with you black pants too.

You can also incorporate the trend into  your accessories. Try a bag or belt with tribal pattern or simply add this scarf on chilly mornings.  Probably goes perfectly with your new spring trench.

Lucky Brand Jeans and Modcloth.com are two of our favorite destinations for unique pieces with this Ikat twist.  They may come across as casual but follow our suggestions to bring them into your work wardrobe. Part of embracing business casual is by finding more personalized items that still look professional. Remember, adding a blazer can do wonders!

It’s Spring and we love picking up fun floral skirts and dresses this season. They liven up our work wardrobes and make our whole attitude brighter.  Just think of the compliments you’ll get strolling down the halls.  We want to make sure you are getting the right looks and compliments.  This means your skirt length needs to be appropriate, but you know that. What we really want to discuss is the right skirt for your figure.  The key body shapes are Apple, Pear, boyish, and hourglass.  Keep reading to find your shape and the right Spring Skirt for you.

Apple: A-line

Apple Shape=Aline – by Workchic on Polyvore.com
The belt on this Aline skirt will make you waist feel smaller. So tuck in the skirt and keep the accessories simple. This Ikat skirt and vintage inspired blouse should get all the attention. Here are two more Spring Skirts with soft A-line silhouettes.

Pear: Full Skirt

Pear Shape=Full Skirt – by Workchic on Polyvore.com
Wear a full skirt with a tailored jacket. The soft lines of the skirt will soften the hip and the broader shoulder on the jacket will balance your shape. Plus a jacket makes business casual easy.  A knit top can be worn out, but it should not go past the waistband on the dress.  Ballet flats will keep you comfortable during long days at the office.  We found more full skirts at Tobi.com.

Boyish: Petal or Tulip

Boyish Figure=Petal Skirt – by Workchic on Polyvore.com
Petal and Tulip skirts add volume. This makes them nice for anyone with slender hips.  Tuck in a tailored blouse and add a short sleeve cardigan to complete a polished business casual look. We love the rocker edge these accessories have to contrast the soft folds of the petal skirt and sleeves on the cardigan. Finish the look with Peep Toe pumps and show off that pedicure that’s been hiding all winter. These next to options are from shopbop.com and Dillard’s.

Hourglass: Pencil

Hourglass=Pencil Skirt – by Workchic on Polyvore.com
Pencil skirts look chic on hourglass figures. Wear the belt around the waist over the cardigan to accentuate your shape. These pops of orange bring out the sophisticated peacock pattern in the skirt.  Here are some more pencil skirts for Spring from New York and Company.

Follow these suggestions and look chic in business casual this Spring. Now go shopping!

We are always mentioning the basics you have in your work wardrobe. If you missed it, we even wrote a whole blog series on the subject.  You know you need to have them, but do you know why? We wanted to show you some ways to wear these wardrobe staples that aren’t basic at all!  Let’s take a look at the white blouse.

You know you can simply wear this blouse with your basic trousers or with denim on Fridays.  Accessorize it with a necklace as above or wear it alone. But, what else do you do with it? How do you wear this blouse to the office with other pieces?  Would you ever consider wearing it with a printed skirt?

Tuck the blouse into the skirt and wear it high waisted.  Just make sure the length is appropriate for your office environment.  Finish off the look with a wide belt and necklace. The necklace should be worn under the top not over, so leave a button or two open without being overly revealing.  If your feeling uncomfortable wear a white cami underneath the blouse.  Finish the look with black peep toe pumps.
Narcissus-Print Pleated Skirt

Barse “Nouveau” Teardrop Necklace

Gianni Bini Leather Belt

J Vincent Pump

What about layering it under a scoop neck dress? Make sure the blouse you choose is fitted through the body and sleeve. This option ties back to our Colorblocking post from Thursday and our Wear Spring Dresses Now and Later post from a few weeks ago. Be sure to read those articles for even more ideas.

The nice feature on this dress is the tie back empire waist which will help keep the layered look clean and tailored.  Try wearing your hair up or pulled back with larger earrings.  Finish up this fresh Spring look with comfortable ballet flats.
London Times Colorblock Dress

Lucky Brand Teardrop Hoop Earrings

MICHAEL Michael Kors “Astor” Large Drawstring Satchel

Gianni Bini “Rylann” Flat

While we’re sure you know you can layer a blouse underneath a sweater or vest in the winter months, when the weather is a little warmer or uncertain you can also layer a blouse underneath a t-shirt or light printed top.

Of course you can wear this look with jeans for a casual office, but for business casual follow this outfit through with all of our instructions. With a lighter more flowy top like this, tuck in the blouse. If you chose a more casual t-shirt you can leave the shirt tails hanging down. Accessorize with a chic and distinctive watch. This look is also a great opportunity to start wearing your new Sandals.
Karen Kane Floral-Print Mesh Top

ABS by Allen Schwartz Wide-Leg Pants

Emporio Armani Leather-Strap Watch

Antonio Melani “Daniela” Sandals

You can wear your basics in more ways then you think. Try adding these looks from Dillard’s into your work wardrobe and build your outfits around that basic white blouse.  For more professional offices add a blazer to the first two looks.  As we said the last look can be worn with denim for casual offices.  Otherwise you should have some pretty solid Business Casual looks lined up.  So Start Shopping!