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

This week while discussing office dressing in a career forum, an interesting topic was brought up. Jess said,

“I think the hardest thing about dressing for work these days is not overdressing. If I want to wear a nice dress or skirt, I often get jokes about “where are YOU interviewing today?”

This is an unfortunate reality of corporate America becoming increasingly casual. In too many offices, people are not expected to dress up and we go from business casual to in the blink of an eye.

Our suggestion to overcome this casual rut would be; slowly start transitioning your wardrobe into a more professional feel. If you add pieces to your look little by little, in a week or two, no one will be caught off guard when you wear a dress. And if they do say something, we love a witty retort…

Here are a few dresses perfect for a casual office this summer.

You know we would have a cardigan or blazer on hand to finish these looks. How would you accessorize these dresses for a casual office?  We’d also love to know how you deal with coworkers comments about your style. Leave us a comment below.

We love New York Fashion Week but sometimes you just need a break, or a reality check. So we’re bringing you two outfits each under $100.  Even better, you can mix and match the pieces to save even more.

With a dress from The Limited, accessories from Charlotte Russe, and your favorite basic black pumps you’ll have a Workchic look without breaking the bank. Our total for this business casual outfit is $94.68.
The Limited Shaped Ruffle Shirtdress for $53.70
Charlotte Russe: Offset Buckle Belt $12.99, Textured Patent Hobo $19.99, and Filigree Flower Earrings $4, Mixed Bangle Set $4.

We took the red hobo bag and double buckle belt to create one more outfit for Casual Friday. We recommend pairing this with your favorite dark wash denim. Wrap the cardigan and belt at your natural waist.  We even found an amazing peep toe pump in case you forgot to update your basics. This outfit totals $96.16.
Charlotte Russe: Offset Buckle Belt $12.99, Textured Patent Hobo $19.99, Open Front Drape Cardigan $17.99, Scoop Neck Cami + Shelf Bra $7.50, Pearl & Rhinestone Layered Necklace $7.99
Endless.com: Liliana Women’s Cord Open-Toe Pump for $29.70.

While some may say we cheated by leaving the shoes out of the first outfit and jeans out of the second, these are two items you should have in your wardrobe already. Plus we multi-purposed two of the items for each outfit. That ought to get us off the hook. We hope you enjoyed this small fashion week break. We are headed back to the Runway!

Now when visiting ShopBop.com you can go directly to your favorite Workchic designers.  See what you want to see! My Designers feature makes finding what’s new and what’s on sale from your top labels easy, letting you edit Shopbop’s selection to your exact specifications. It’s easy to get started. Here are some insider tips on using the feature.

1. First, compile a master list of your top designers by checking the box next to your favorite brands.

2. You can add new designers as you shop with the orange plus sign next to the brand name.

3. Use the My Links menu on the right side of the window to see What’s New & What’s On Sale from your favorites. This menu will travel with you as you shop.

Our love of chic dresses will definitely have us adding Diane von Furstenberg, Black Halo, and Lela Rose to start our list.

Check out My Designers at Shopbop today!

Shopping at ModCloth.com is like hitting you favorite vintage boutique and finding everything is in your size.  They feature designers that use vintage to inspire their collections. Plus they offer a true vintage section for those that prefer the originals. We spent some time on their site selecting the most work appropriate items for you.

Since we love the chic simplicity of dresses, we started there with styles perfect for the season.  The second sleeveless dress would look chic under a brightly colored cardigan.

This time of year we are all looking for new and unique sweaters. Pair one of these vintage inspired styles with your trousers or denim at the office.

For a vintage touch, there is no better place to play then with shoes and handbags!

Keep shopping Modcloth.com to update your work wardrobe with unique vintage inspired pieces.

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!

The Spring Collection from Tracy Reese was well thought out with practicality mixed into her personal flare for girly dresses. She added in more separates to mix and match pieces.  Her palette was inspired by painter Pierre Bonnard and mixed sun-bleached brights with punches of bold color.

Elasticized bubble hems were a continuing theme.  While these are hard to wear to work, they look fun marching down the runway.  To get this look of structured and soft, mix tailored jackets or vests with full skirts.

From bubble hems to polka dots. This is a much more modern way to do a circular pattern. Whether in shades of black or blue, it is the focus of these looks. Remember when using a bold print, keep the rest of your outfit more basic. Adding a bold shoe is the perfect twist.

To start wearing Tracy’s styles for fall play with color and print. Pair with legging for casual days at the office.

Stay tuned to Workchic.com for more ways to translate Spring’s runway looks into your Fall work wardrobe.

The collection from Derek Lam was sophisticated and had lots of feminine appeal. He used more color then we are used to seeing, and we liked it!  High waisted skirts and billowing blouses created striking silhouettes. Models conjured up images of classic Americana circa nineteen-forty without looking like they were wearing costumes. We loved the mix of solids and patterns softly draped and pieced for effortless style. These looks could walk right off the runway into your office and here is how.

Fresh Spring style is achieved with a star print blouse with soft cowl neck. To get this look for Fall, pick up a Derek Lam Drape Neck Sleeveless Blouse from his fall line.

We’ve already shown you how floral can go from Spring to Fall so why not take them from the runway to your office? Blooming roses are fun in Derek Lam’s Spring collection. For Fall, painted roses are right on Que with a tied neckline, Derek Lam Floral Dress with Bow Tie is a splurge but so chic!

We love a draped bodice. While the runway look is a bit riskay for the office, this buttery yellow style is perfect!
Derek Lam Asymmetrical Draped Blouse has a fitted pencil skirt to tame the overall effect.

We really enjoyed this collection and are already looking forward to Spring. Pictures are courtesy of Style.com. Here are a few more looks from Derek Lam’s Spring runway show we just couldn’t leave out.

Stay tuned to Workchic for more New York Fashion Week coverage.

Friday night’s Nicole Miller show was a sea of dresses with a few biker shorts and pant looks sprinkled in.  The overall effect was sporty yet still had a sexy feminine vibe. We love Nicole Miller dresses, so we focused on those for your best runway to office look.

Colorblocking felt new again for Spring by mixing solid neutral shades with organically styled prints. Keeping the colors to a subtle sophisticated palette also pulled the look into one harmonious piece.

Even a little black dress is not so basic with with jade shoulder detail or olive bust piecing.  We love the subtle asymmetry we have seen on the runway. One shoulder dresses are never appropriate for the office, but a subtle difference in the shape of one shoulder to the next can be fun in a more contemporary or fashion forward office.

Nicole Miller’s style is easily translated into the office. Pair her dresses with opaque tights, cardigans or blazers, and pumps to get the look right for fall. These dresses, DADA BURST 14MM GEORGETTE DRESS and Perspective Stretch Twill Dress from her fall collection are using the colorblock details and mixing in fun prints as well.  We also found the perfect asymmetrical dress, STRETCH TWILL DRESS , for the office in tomato red, a hot color for fall.

Photos courtesy of mbfashionweek.com. Stay tuned to Workchic for more New York Fashion Week coverage.

Soft and feminine florals are easy to pull off in the Spring. Keep this trend fresh during fall months too!  Look for patterns in long sleeve blouses or wear layers over you favorite Summer pieces. 

Some patterns have more of a fall color story then others. If you are shopping now, look for dusty tones and less tropical florals like these two dresses from Modcloth.com. The Phipps Dress has bold color impact but is toned down with purple hues. Pair with a light tan jacket for the office. Our second dress, Spring Benefit Dress,also plays up lavender shades and then grounds them in black. Pair this with opaque tights and heels for the season and finish the look with a belted cardigan for your business casual office.

Some prints hint at floral without a full on garden scene. For example, this Printed Petite Blousefrom TheLimited.com has abstract brush strokes that could easily be interpreted into flowers. We also found a great blouse to layer under you suits. You can imagine painted daffodils poking out from the release pleats in the sparkling midnight print on this Pleat Neckline Top.

Styles from ShopBop.com may be a little more of a splurge, but now that you know how to make florals season-less, we thought they were worth a peek. Catherine Malandrino Belted Floral Dressis so classic and chic it can be worn for years. Belting the dolman sleeve silk dress gives it a flattering shape.  Another way to embrace floral is with your accessories.  Felix Rey Zip Top Flower Clutch is fun for more casual days in the office. Or just keep it in your tote for a little pop when you run out for coffee.

To help bring these styles into fall- add layers. They will keep you warm and add professionalism to your look. We have lots of jackets and cardigans available on the site. You can shop these great stores and more all in one place. Look for more of our tips on transitioning your wardrobe into fall.  If you have questions, send them to info@workchic.com today!