Our friends at Silk Road Spirit have generously donated this beautiful turquoise scarf for a contest on Workchic. To enter, leave a comment telling us how you would wear it to the office. One winner will be selected after February 17th.  To get your creative juices flowing, here are a few styling tips from the team at Silk Road Spirit.

1) Turn a plain square scarf in to a statement circle scarf by folding it and half and tying it around your neck. For a warmer look, twist the scarf in half around your neck. Silk Road’s cotton pom pom scarf does the trick when transitioning between seasons.

2) One of the hottest trends lately is a cowl neck scarf. Turn Silk Road’s open weave smocked scarf into a cowl neck by wrapping it around your neck and tucking the ends underneath in the back.

3) Take Silk Road’s deep pleats scarf from day to evening by wrapping it over your shoulders and tying it in the back. It’s the perfect look for a holiday party this winter. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.

As you can see a picture is worth a thousand words. So after you leave a comment on this blog, send us a picture of your favorite outfit styled with a scarf. It can be of you, a friend, or even a celebrity. We have three ways for you to share; email it to info@workchic.com, post it on our Facebook page, or send us a twitpic through twitter. A picture is not necessary to enter but a comment is. Tell us what outfit you would coordinate this gorgeous turquoise scarf with.  Share your personal style by February 17th and enter to win! Winner will be randomly selected and announced by Friday the 19th. Good Luck!

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!

Silk Road Spirit has a beautiful collection of scarves and jewelry that will update your work wardrobe and make perfect gifts this holiday season. They are offering you, our readers, an exclusive discount through December 21st. Shop and save 30% plus receive free shipping and guaranteed delivery for Christmas! Enter code WC30DEC at check out. 

Whether you are shopping for unique gifts or want something lux for yourself, these accessories are must haves.

Hand Crocheted Beaded Necklace  and Ivory Island Bracelet are unique gifts at great prices.  Since they are both neutral shades, they will easily work into any wardrobe.

For an added pop of color during the winter months, try Linen Blend Scarves  in Citrus colors or a Cotton Pompom scarf.  Any of these colors look great against charcoal grey coats.

This hand embroidered wool shawl  is a must when looking for luxurious items. It’s in a creamy winter white, 28″ x 68″ long, and available for $79.95.  For a little holiday shimmer, try this Embellished Sequin Linen Shawl for $59.95.

Shop now and save on these chic accessories and many more. Enter code WC30DEC and save 30% off your order at Silk Road Spirit. 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!

It’s that time again where we show you how to update your work wardrobe for the season with $100.  Five new pieces of clothing can transform a weeks worth of style. Let’s show you how.

A new floral skirt is ideal for fall. This beauty also comes in shades of cranberry and teal. Pick up New York & Company Women’s City Stretch Belted Print Pencil Skirt – Proudly Gold, while it’s on sale for $29.95.

Sweaters are important for fall. You never know when the weather will shift. This deep V-henley will layer perfectly over one of your summery camis. You can add Women: Women’s Boucle Henley Sweaters – Aphrodite Pink to your Casual Friday choices now while it’s on sale for $20.

Wrap a light weight scarf around your neck in orange and green shades for fall.  Shop SilkRoadSpirit.com today and receive an additional 25% off this scarf, currently already on sale for $12.95. Just enter code WC25SEP at checkout and also get free shipping!

We all know shoes can make your look, pick up a new pair of wedges for the season. These PRE- CLARET LAUREN ORNMTD WDG-T3_9.5 are ideal for your business casual outfits and available at Payless.com for $22.99.

Statement necklaces were very popular over the summer, and bold jewelry will continue into fall. Chunky Beaded Necklaceis only $7.99 at CharlotteRusse.com.

You can pick up all five of our fall updates for only $93.88! Wear one item each day of the week to make your work wardrobe feel fresh. Shop now to take advantage of sales prices and special discounts.

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!

We added scarves to Workchic.com from The Sabina Les Collection.  She has unique prints available in square and oblong silk scarves perfect for accessorizing your work wardrobe. To make sure you know how to wear them, she shared her top styling tips with us.

Sabina’s scarves can be worn in elegant, sporty, classic, and casual looks. It’s all about how you style them. These next few tips will have you looking professional, feminine, and chic!

This asymmetrical style looks professional with slacks and a simple top.

Step 1. Fold the 36” large square scarf in half.
Step 2. Drape the newly made triangle over shoulders hanging more on one side and loosely twist the opposite side.
Step 3. Take the end and loosely loop one over the other, make a large knot and let the remaining scarf part hang as a tie in the front.
Step 4. Adjust the scarf so one side is draped over a shoulder and the arm and the opposite twisted side has a narrower about 2” wide strap look.

Draping a scarf works for any occassion.

Step 1. Place 21” medium size square scarf right (printed) side down to make a triangle shape.
Step 2. Drape the scarf in the front and tie the ends back at the neck.

This unique twisted style adds an elegant and unexpected interest to your outfits.

Step 1. Fold 10”x60” long oblong scarf in half.
Step 2. Twist the scarf and fold it half making a loop on one side.
Step 3. Wrap it around the neck and have one end pass through the loop.
Step 4. Make a knot and loop the knot through the scarf in the front until it’s all the way up and adjust the ends as necessary.

These three style tips are a great start to help you accessorize your work wardrobe with scarves. You can shop more Sabina Les Workchic Scarves or visit her site for additional styling tips.  Have fun shopping!

This week we added some new products to our site from independent retailers. One of those retailers is The Vintage Scarf.  In honor of her debut on Workchic.com we are running a give-away!  By leaving a comment on this post you can enter to win this scarf perfect for updating your work wardrobe.  This long green sheer scarf can be wrapped around your neck, worn as a belt, or… Why don’t you tell us!

The Vintage Scarf is an online women’s vintage fashion clothing store, specializing in one-of-a-kind scarves. Paula Horlick is a vendor and fashion consultant for these scarves as well as the clips and buckles that accessorize them.

As you know, scarves are back in style and hugely popular this year. All of her scarves are from eras ranging from the 1930s to the 1990s and are available at an affordable price.

By buying only those items featuring top-quality craftsmanship, and personally inspecting every scarf she makes sure you will be buying quality in her shop.

You can see more scarves specifically selected for us here, vintage scarves, plus we found a few more favorites from her site.  This first style is 30″ square and combines feminine birds with structured stripes.  The second style echos many of the ikat and tribal prints that are popular right now.  Our last choice has very traditional elements and will look chic with your boyfriend blazer and dark wash denim on Casual Fridays.

Paula was kind enough to donate the sheer green scarf for our give-away.  She would style it as a belt. 

How would you wear it?  Leave us a comment by Wednesday July 15th and enter to win!

A winner has been selected. Thanks to everyone for their comments. If you didn’t win be sure to see all the styles we have available from The Vintage Scarf. They are perfect for accessorizing your work wardrobe.

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?

There’s a chill in the air, the wind is whipping through your hair, and you just stepped in a giant puddle- all while wearing those new flats you bought over the weekend! All you want to do is crawl under the covers and hibernate. If that is not an option can you wear your sweats to work at least? We don’t suggest either so here are two options to braving the elements without looking like a shlumpadinka. Don’t remember what that phrase is exactly? The phrase was first created by Oprah. As she states on oprah.com: “I made this word up a long time ago. It represents, for me, a woman who dresses like she has completely given up…and it shows.”

Rainboots

You won’t get glances for the wrong reasons while wearing these red and black plaid Jeffrey Campbell Wellies for only $64.99. You also go very simple and chic with these black MICHAEL KORS Women’s Wedge wellies for $119.99. Our last pair Chooka Radiant Bootis priced right at $65.00. Your feet can stay warm and dry while still looking workchic! All rainboots are courtesy of shop.com.

Scarf Cardigans

What is not to love about the latest way to layer up while still remaining workchic ? A scarf and cardigan in one. How easy is that? We found these Hooded Scarf Cardigans at oldnavy.com.You can pick up multiple colors for $34.50 each. They not only come in regular sizes but plus and maternity sizing as well. Have fun layering them under your winter coat or just wearing as is on casual fridays.

You see you can still remain workchic even during the harshest weather! There is no reason to bring out the shlumpadinka!