We’re staring out our review of Fashion week with one of our favorite designers, who’s classic wrap dress is an office staple. For Spring 2011 we saw a fresh take on prints that were bold yet still subdued enough for the office.  Plus the colors had a subtle vibrancy that has us looking forward to a fresh palette in the Spring.

There was structured tailoring but I personally leaned toward the Goddess draping. It was the perfect mix of bold pattern and feminine shape.

Can’t wait till Spring to score a classic DVF frock? Shop these Workchic pieces and wear them to the office now.

To catch up on Diane von Furstenberg’s line for Fall, check out our previous review DVF Fall 2010. Stay tuned for more coverage of New York Fashion Week.

(photos from Style.com)

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.

There is nothing better than a dress in the summer. They are light and breezy in the heat, and easy to style in the morning. I could wear them every day! With these chic styles under $50 each, I just might. Check out the dresses I’ve found for the office to wear this summer.

Simple solid dresses are versatile. These two styles are very flattering with wrap details that accentuate the waist.  Black wrap dress from Banana Republic is only $39.99. In Esprit women dresses section we found a rayon jersey dress that is also $39.99 and available in black,  gray, and navy.  With classic pumps and a statement necklace, these dresses are instantly business casual chic.

A mix between handkerchief styling, kimono sleeves, and deep v-neck necklines makes for the perfect summer casual dress. Layer a Demi-Cami underneath to keep the look appropriate for the office.  Double V-Neck Geometric Dress is $28 at Charlotte Russe.  Tangram Frock is $44.99 at Modcloth.com.

Experiment with vintage styling by shopping Modcloth dresses this summer. Bouquet Bonanza Dress is $49.99. Untie the bow and knot it more like a sash to the side to play down the ultra girly vibe. Nautical inspired Shore Leave Dress is $47.99.  I would style both of these dresses with neutral peep toe pumps, bold bangles, and a vibrant handbag.

Do you have a go-to shop for summer dresses? Share your favorite summer dresses with us and have fun shopping our top finds under $50.

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Jennifer Lynn Diana
@Workchic_Jenn
Jennifer Lynn Diana

Just because it’s Casual Friday doesn’t mean you have to wear denim. Why not try a shirtdress as a casual chic alternative for summer.

We found this silk cargo dress while shopping at J. Crew. Neutral color makes it very versatile. How would you style it for the office?

Sheath dresses are a quick and simple way to create a Workchic look during the summer.

 This dress takes on a style all it’s own with a origami ruffles along the neckline. It’s polished, professional, and the perfect canvas to accessorize with bracelets, earrings, or fun pumps. What would you add to this Talbots Sheath Dress?

 Leave us a comment below.

 Dress shown in Champagne, also comes in Apricot Ice and Black. Order it in regular or petite sizes.

Recently we partnered with Yuppie by Chyanne, a new collection of sophisticated fashion designed for the workplace. The collection is a contemporary line designed for today’s powerful, independent, and confident woman. With versatile dresses, pants, and blouses this assortment will take a woman from day to night. The latest collection features timeless silhouettes in vibrant colors.

Madison Ruffle Blouse pairs perfectly with a Slimming Pencil Skirt.  This silk chiffon sleeveless blouse has a stand up collar and cascading ruffles. It comes in orange, purple, pink, and as shown in a subtle purple print. While the skirt comes in a golden hue, purple, and neutral cream shade.

The Perfect Shift Dress from Yuppie by Chyanne has a fitted bodice and straight skirt. Our favorite feature- it’s summer friendly in machine washable cotton.  You can easily dress this up for meetings with a blazer and then take it to dinner with fun accessories.  We love how it was paired with leopard pumps in the above photograph.  The second dress features classic colorblocking with an exposed zipper and elastic waistband.  Audri Dress comes in Ivory/Golden and Beige/Tan.

Tone down the vibrant golden pencil skirt with a long sleeve Fitted Oxford Shirt. Their blouses are known for the stand up collars and come in light blue and white.

Yuppie by Chyanne‘s collection is perfect for a business casual workplace. They also have tees and pants for more casual days in the office. You can now shop the collection on Workchic.com! We’d love to hear what your favorite piece is. Leave us a comment below.

We love dresses, and styles from Edressme.com are great for the office.  Shop this week and save 15% in honor of Columbus Day! Plus receive free ground shipping through October 12th.

Sweater dresses are ideal for fall. Pair with dark opaque tights and oxfords or knee high boots to complete the look. As always with dresses, check the length and make sure it is appropriate for you.  These styles look cozy, comfortable, and chic.

Edressme.com also has a nice selection of eco-friendly dresses. Layer cardigans over sleeveless styles to take them into fall. These styles can transition into many different office environments depending on how you style them.

We also love their selection for office appropriate styles.  These are just a few of the over 100 styles available in this category. Some are best for more casual or trendy offices, but the selection is vast. With 15% off, we are pretty sure you can find something perfect for updating your work wardrobe. Use coupon code columbusday and shop now!

We received a great questions from one of our readers. She wrote the following:

“I am required to wear all black to my job. I work in retail sales and the dress code is business casual or business depending on the department you work in. Usually I wear black dress pants and a button down or knit top.  What can I do to feel more unique with this limited dress code?

This is a great question Rachel! Even without color limitation dress codes can feel stifling. But they should not, you still have plenty of room to express your individuality. Here are some of our creative ways to showcase your own style.

Since you usually wear pants, try mixing things up with a dress or skirt. This Max and Cleo Dress has a fun bead detail to accentuate the waist. If you are aloud a splash of color, as long as the majority of your outfit is black, try this Floral Jersey Dress.

When selecting tops, try to find something with one interesting detail. This Giedre Blouse for example has a pleated stand up collar. This EMBROIDERED CRINKLE SILK BLOUSEwill look chic over a simple cami with trousers or an A-line skirt.

Another way to create individuality is with accessories. We kept our selections to black, but if you can add color, this is the perfect place to do so.  This Seed-Bead Necklace also has a chain link styling.  Just putting a Steve Madden Ruffle-Edge Belt around a simple cardigan will add some interest.

We hope this helps you update your work wardrobe. Since we are going into cooler weather, add layers and play with different fabric and textures.  This will help give your outfits added interest. 

Our goal is to help take the stress out of getting dressed for work while still maintaining a feminine, professional, and chic image. If you have questions on how to do this, send them our way. Just email info@workchic.com. We look forward to helping you dress to impress!

The full line will be available on Workchic in a few weeks, but today we just had to give you a sneak peak. We have been doing some shopping ourselves and found some very Workchic looks to share with you. These next outfits are right from our own shopping carts!

I fell in love with this skirt and knit top combination! Pair it with a beaded bracelet and black tote to finish the look. I pulled a pair of peep toe pumps out of my closet too.

Ribbon Detail Tee, $39.50

Bold Box-Pleat Skirt, Reg $59.50, currently on sale for $29.75
Bead and Metal Stretch Bracelet, $22.50
Grommet Hobo, $59.50

This black and white skirt is on Melissa’s radar. She will look chic wearing it tucked in and accessorized with a belt. Finish the look with a sophisticated necklace and clustered earrings.

Applique Afternoon Skirt, reg $69.50 on sale for $34.75
Bib Pleat Button Front Shirt, reg $44.50 on sale for $22.25
Obi Belt, $34.50
Sculptural Bead Pendant Necklace, $22.50
Beaded Cluster Earrings, $19.50

Here are a few more styles we love, with a little more color, from TheLimited.com. They put together a collection accentuated with painterly prints in fall tones called Art Works.  Some of our favorite styles include the Fan Detail Top, Ribbon Zipper Tank Dress, and Pleated Ruffle Neck Top.

We are excited to have The Limited on board and hope you are too. Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Last week we posted a video, Workchic Style Series, showing you how to incorporate vintage dresses into your work wardrobe. This week we want to elaborate on the fit and styling of wearing jackets with dresses.  Proportion is key. Wearing longer jackets without structure will drown out your shape. Instead look for jackets that hit at the waist or hip.  Three quarter sleeves are great in the summer, and princess seams add shape and contour to your look. 

Blue Vintage Dress Redo by Workchic featuring mulberry bags

Blue polka dots are fun, but we found a dress with a similar shape in a modern medallion pattern.  The key to making this look business casual is all black accessories, from the shoes to the jacket we have you covered.   The details on this jacket are exquisite.  The three quarter sleeves are set on with origami folding at the shoulder.  It will hit at the waist and can be worn open showing off a belted waist. While the style comes with it’s own belt we recommend swapping it with a black one.  This keeps the look streamlined and chic for the office.

DVF Style Dress Redo by Workchic featuring Diane von Furstenberg dresses

The original vintage dress has a Diane von Furstenberg appeal, so we found an original DVF to redo the look.  The jacket we selected only has one button and small lapels so it can easily worn open with the dress collar over the jacket. Like the original our second dress choice can be worn on it’s own to a business casual office, adding a jacket just makes it even more professional.  Two tones peep to pumps are stylish without detracting from the dress and muted aqua accessories added an unexpected punch of color. 

Red Vintage Dress Redo by Workchic featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

This red zebra print dress was a great vintage find for summer. You can recreate the feeling of this look with an ikat print dress. We went with a more modern empire waist instead of a drop waist for our redo, but we kept the hobo bag and Mary-Jane’s. Finish off the look with a denim jacket to make it work appropriate. This style will hit right at your hip, taming the full skirt of the dress. Double princess seams and bloused sleeves are flattering and feminine. This is a heavy print so we kept the accessories neutral and to a minimum, earrings are enough jewelry for this look.

Black Vintage Dress Redo by Workchic on Polyvore.com

For our last look the original dress is very chic in black and white. We updated it with some color for our redo. The look gets much more professional with a classic white blazer. This style has darts and hits at the hip for a tailored look over the loose silhouette of the dress. Black pointed toe pumps are sophisticated and a rolling bag makes toting your laptop a breeze. Finish the look with a light silver necklace and bracelet.

You can easily create sophisticated and professional looks with fun printed dresses by simply adding the right jacket. We know boyfriend jackets popped back up in the market, but keep those to wear with your denim. The cut is key over a dress. You can see that all our examples utilize shorter styles and can be worn open so that you don’t loose the details of the dress.  Have fun shopping and recreating your own Workchic looks. 

To get you started, here are a few more vintage inspired dresses from www.ModCloth.com. Plus get 10% Off Vintage Fashion by entering code “Affiliate10″ on any order at ModCloth!