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.

Not quite sure how to incorporate this Spring’s vibrant color palette into your work wardrobe?  We take the three hottest colors this Spring: Orange, Yellow, and Turquoise and show you how to pair them in a small or even big way this season.

Orange and Khaki

Khaki is an essential neutral color to have in your work wardrobe that will prove to be classic and most of all seasonless.  Pair the Self Petal Top in a rich orange with Elbow Sleeve Tabbed Jacket and Exact Stretch Classic Flare Pant in Khaki. The stones in the  2 Strand Mix Bead Bracelet completes the outfit.   Wear this Strapless with Twisted Front dress to the office or even to a Summer wedding with the Pleated Ribbon Cardigan in Khaki.  The Orange Leopard Print Scarf is lightweight enough to wear in all seasons. 

Gray and Yellow

We love pairing Gray with a sunny shade of Yellow.   The Bow Sleeve Tie Cardigan and the Cassidy Button Beltloop Wideleg Pant in Gray proves to be a sophisticated business casual look.  Add the Belted Trench and Sequin Stretch Ring to this look and it will  automatically brighten your day!   Feeling bold?  Try the Pencil Skirt in Yellow paired with a neutral Gray Side Ruffle Cardigan.  Don’t forget to accessorize with the Fringed Interlock Earring.

Navy and Turquoise

These shades of blue play off one another.  Turquoise is one way to accent the neutral color of Navy Blue. 

We took the One Button Timeless Jacket and Drew Pointed Beltloop Downtown Flare in Navy Blue and teamed it with a
Baby Ruffle Cami in Dark Turquoise.   We added some fun accessories like the Statement Tied Up In Knots Ring and the Sunshine State printed scarf to this basic business suit. It is anything but boring but still remains professional.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with bright colors.  Even if it is a skinny belt or a pair of earrings it will instantly liven up the neutrals in your work wardrobe!

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!

Having a great neutral skirt in your basic work wardrobe is important. Notice we didn’t say black, this skirt should be in a solid color that will mix and match into your existing closet. Some colors to consider are tan, brown, navy, charcoal, and of course black.  We have discussed in other blog posts the best skirts to fit your figure.  You should also consider the types of tops you have on hand when you pick out your basic. To get you inspired we have put together some outfits on Polyvore.  Then we went shopping and found you the best basic skirts to add to your wardrobe today.

Banana Republic Women: Wool-blend textured pencil skirt – Carob chip $90, available in regular, petite, and tall sizes.
Old Navy Women: Women’s Essential Pencil Skirt – New Black $29.50 available in regular, petite, and tall sizes plus also in grey and dark brown.

At Dillard’s Alex Marie “Jamie” Skirt, $89 and Westbound Gored Skirt in Navy, Chocolate, or Black for $30

For Plus size options we turned to Lane Bryant.
Belt trimmed skirt, $49.50

High-low hem skirt, $49.50

Any of these skirts will make a beautiful update to your work wardrobe. Stay tuned to Workchic.com to learn about creating a solid foundation in your closet to build remarkable outfits around.

Sydne Summer is the author of Think Thru Fashion, a blog dedicated to smart styling for today. She breaks down the trends and shows women simple ways to incorporate them into their existing wardrobes. One of our favorite segments is One Item/Different Lookswhere Sydne takes one item out of her closet and shows 4-6 different ways of wearing it. This is truly a great way to reinvent your look. Since she obviously has amazing style herself we want you to Steal her Style!

Her first outfit is complete with a Theory pencil skirt, Forever 21 v-neck tee, Forever 21 necklace, and Prada pumps
Sydne’s take on this simple chic look, ”I think every working woman should own a black pencil skirt. I wear mine with silk blouses in a more business setting and with v-neck tees in a more business casual setting. I’ve worn a white t-shirt and black skirt for years now, but make it look different every time with seasonal necklaces. Right now I’m really into colorful bib necklaces. Last season, I wore this outfit with layered, rocker chic chains. For winter, the skirt looks great with a belted boyfriend cardigan and black tights.”

Her second outfit starts with a Vince floral dress and is accessorized with Hyde Collection bow belt, BCBG cardigan, Calvin Klein pumps.  ”I love to bring color into the work place. Life would be boring if it was always black, white and gray. I just bought this feminine chiffon dress on sale at Saks and plan to mix it up with different color cardigans. I have a similar one in more jewel tone colors that I wore last fall with black tights, booties, black motorcycle boots and leather jackets. It was fun to mix such a lady-like piece with edgy accessories but this summer I’ve been sticking to a more garden party look. When I take off the cardigan, this dress works great for a date or an early evening fashion event,” she says.

We asked Sydne a few more questions about her style to help you recreate it with ease.

1- Describe your office’s dress code:
I work in entertainment. And it’s California, the land of casual. So basically anything goes. Some people show up to work in jeans and flip-flops while others look like they stepped off a J. Crew catalog.
Overall, people’s style ranges from casual to business casual. The only people in the building dressed in business attire are the lawyers!

2- Working in a fashionable environment, What steps do you take to maintain your professional image?
I always make sure I look put together. Even though I can dress casual, I prefer to dress up a little more than others. I’m not a morning person, so I usually plan outfits for the week on Sundays. I might change my mind in the morning but at least if I press the snooze button too many times, I already have a chic ensemble planned, and I don’t have to waste time searching through my closet. “I had nothing to wear” is not a good excuse for showing up late to work.

3- What style advice would you give to a young fashionista starting her first job?
First impression really is everything. But I know when I started out I was so confused on what I should be wearing that I lost sleep over it. The first day of work, I suggest sticking to the conservative side. Of course, you want to be fashionable but you don’t always want to be known as that girl in the hot pink dress. My first day I kept it simple in a black top and black skirt, but made a statement with stylish red shoes. If I had to do it again, I’d wear the exact same outfit. Once you’re there for a few weeks, you’ll start to understand the office dress code. Again, my rule of thumb is a little dressier is always better than a little too casual. And just like in grade school, if everyone else is doing it, it doesn’t mean you have to. Since I work in entertainment, mini skirts are perfectly acceptable—as are supershort shorts. But that’s not the image I ever wanted to project. So while other girls my age wore what I used to wear in college, I went for a more sophisticated look. It paid off. I got a promotion in four months.

We have to say congratulations to Sydne on her quick promotion! We love to hear those type of stories and hope that it encourages you to take a second look at your professional image.  Also, hopefully you picked up on the pre-planning your outfits tip. This is a great idea for anyone strapped for time. Now, let’s Steal her Style! Here are a few more of her tips along with some styles she loves.

Sydne says, “I love tucking ruffled blouses into pencil skirts. When I’m wearing jeans, I tend to go for looser tops and cardigans, or a belted top to show off my waist.”

“I think every working woman should own a black pencil skirt. They can be dressed up or down and look good whether you’re curvy or a toothpick. But I also love graphic swing skirts. I wear them with t-shirts and high-heels and feel just like Carrie Bradshaw. While I love my distressed denim, I usually stick to darker washes for work. They just look more professional. I tuck tops into my bootcut jeans and wear my skinny jeans with boyfriend cardigans and ballet flats. And I probably wear my skinny black pants every other week. They look great with flats or heels.”

“You can re-wear a simple black dress every week and nobody will notice as long as you switch up the accessories. I recycle mine but styling it with cardigans, brooches, statement necklaces and cool belts. Shift dresses are also ideal if you need to go straight from work to a function or a date. You can never go wrong with a wrap dress. It flatters everyone! If the neckline is too deep, add a button or layer with a cami in a contrasting color.”

“Statement necklaces and pendants are the easiest way to update a dress or top. And I always use belts over dresses, cardigans, and tops to create womanly curves. It’s an appropriate way of being sexy at the office.”

“I’m short, so you’ll usually find me in a pair of heels. But I do try to wear ballet flats at least once a week so I don’t kill my feet. I go for a nude color to elongate my legs.”
   

Sydne runs Think Thru Fashion and is a Fashion Editor at MyStyle.com.  If she can keep her look professional, feminine, and chic with all that on her plate- the rest of us have no excuse!

We met Krissie McMenamin, a NYC blogger with amazing Workchic style, through Twitter.  We were so impressed by the way she infuses her personal style into a conservative and corporate dress code that we had to share her looks with you.  For those of you that feel business casual is boring or unflattering, take a page from Krissie’s book and visit her site, What Would Krissie Wear? Not only does she create amazing looks she does it on a tight budget! We asked her to share some of her favorite outfits with us, tell us how she creates them, and then pick out a few pieces from Workchic.com so you can Steal her Style!

Isn’t she chic! We were happy to talk with Krissie during the summer months when you can really see her style stand out.  She called the first outfit Pretty in Pink and she sure is. Capped sleeve mock neck is conservative yet still summery. The white pencil skirt continues this seasonal feeling while the belt detail showcases her style without jeopardizing any professionalism.  In the second outfit she plays with greens. This is where we relearn the lesson it doesn’t have to match it just all has to go. There is no mistaking that these shades of greens play well together. Anchoring them in a neutral trouser helps the feminine blouse take the spotlight.  We asked her a few questions so you can understand how she gets inspired to create these looks.

1- Describe your business casual style and tell us what you feel makes it unique.
My business casual style involves layering colors and patterns, adding blasts of bright colors or unique jewelry. I try to vary the structure and cut of my outfit one day to the next, some days highlighting my waist with a belt, other days my legs with a slimming pair of pants or a just-above-the-knee skirt. The idea is to choose an outfit that features one part of the body at a time so that you look professional but also feminine. I say one of the biggest factors that makes my style so unique is that I do it for little money, which is especially relevant today.

2- You have a knack for putting together stylish outfits on a budget. If money was no object where would you shop?
I’m so used to looking for a bargain, I’m not sure I could stop! But if I had an unlimited budget, I’d try to support up-and-coming designers who have really interesting, funky, fun lines and the small boutique stores you can find all over New York City.

3- Most of us would prefer to wear our blue jeans to the office. Do you have any personal advice on how important it is to dress to impress?
As professional women, it’s especially important for us to dress well in the office. There have been several articles written on this topic lately (including one in the Wall Street Journal) and many people have argued that women should pay more attention to doing good work and less to what they’re wearing. But guess what? What you wear and how you look and present yourself are all about building your image and making a lasting impression on your peers, your boss, management etc. Of course you should wow them with your performance but it’s only going to help you and your career in the long run if you also wow them with how you present yourself on a daily basis.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! As women we have many more options on how to dress for work then men. This allows us to express ourselves. Krissie does this everyday and it only makes her stand out from her peers as she continues to produce examplory work.  Ready to challenge yourself and Steal her Style? Use these pieces to get started.

Krissie says: “There is lots to choose from on the Workchic site in terms of clothes, accessories, jewelry, etc. I stuck to the basics, and of course the more affordable basics.”

“The black Rampage Belted Jacket is such a staple for summer and I picked two skirts and several blouses to pair it with. The black pencil skirt is a must have because it’s so versatile and I love the gathering in the tan skirt – perfect for tucking and belting. Which brings me to my two belt selections. The gold is for a bit classier look and the woven a bit more casual but I think either could go with almost any combination of blouses. I added the gold textured bracelet to play off either belts and the two turquoise necklaces to brighten up one of the more black and white outfits or that grayish jacket. I like that the necklaces sort of match too, so you may be able to double up on them, as well as pair them with the woven scarf… perhaps worn as a belt?”

To see more of Krissie’s stylish looks be sure to visit her site, What Would Krissie Wear?

In honor of St. Patty’s Day, Charlotte Russe is extending 25% off  their entire website on Tuesday, March 17th.  This is a one day only promotion .  Find some of the Charlotte Russe items below (they are all under $50) on workchic.com .

Have fun saving at Charlotte Russe!