As requested on YouTube and on my blog....here is my
Work Outfits video/ blog post! The theme is more like how to make Work Outfits more Interesting / Fashionable, because I know that was my struggle and continues to be for a lot of us fashion-forward girls lol :) Here are some looks on how you can incorporate
colour and
trends to spice up your office look without being inappropriate!
Of course these are just my ideas and
not every work place is the same- some places can have much stricter dress codes and in these situations you might want to take these ideas and maybe tone down the colours a little, wear a longer hemline, change the shoes or however it suits you and your workplace.
(Also you may notice that I don't have any outfits featuring pants! This is simply because I am really not a pants person but if you are more comfortable wearing pants please feel free to do so!)
The YouTube video on the work outfits is
here. My YouTube Channel is here at
Youtube.com/IzzisDaydream.
floral blazer-
Ebay
white tee-
ShopMarketHQ
orange buckle skirt-
Forever21
Necklace- c/o
Spicy Avenue (link
here)
Heels-
Bon Bon
Prints are a great way to jazz up your corporate wardrobe. Keep the print relatively conservative and nothing too crazy or 'trendy'. Floral prints are one of the safest prints. You can take the floral print a notch higher, by splashing them on statement blazer.
I complemented the printed floral blazer with a vibrant orange buckle skirt from Forever 21. The whole look is great for a summer office look with bright shades and floral prints. You can stick to just one (colour or prints) depending on what you feel comfortable with in your particular work place.
This gorgeous necklace is thanks to Spicy Avenue and is the perfect touch of luxury to my outfit. The design is so elegant and it looks so much more expensive than it is.
(use code 'IZZI10' to receive 10% off your Spicy Avenue order!)
If you want to be a bit safer, polka dots and stripes are more classic prints that are also suitable for the work place. Alternatively, you can wear the prints on more subtle garments like blouses and then wear a jacket over it.
In any case, keep these patterns and prints to one piece, not a whole jump suit. Otherwise it is too distracting and can even be an eyesore for people talking to you!
leather contrast blouse: c/o
Mootta
Zip skirt: Portmans
Kitten heels: Siren Shoes
Leather is not the fabric you think of first when you think of the workplace, but this subtle touch to the collar allows leather to sneakily creep in! This blouse from Mootta is also made of silk, and this contrast with leather makes the piece very trendy as well.
Tweed is another great fabric to incorporate into your work wardrobe, especially for the colder seasons. I've seen some really cute tweed garments not just long coats, but also dresses and skirts.
When I first started working I found it so hard to find affordable work pieces. It seemed to go from
Cue (a few hundred dollars a garment) to
BIGW (Walmart-equivalent). The Australian chain store
Portmans however came through for me, although I still prefer to go there when there are sales on. I got this skirt for about $30 on sale, and the blazer was about $50 full price. For my Aussies out there, I highly recommend
Portmans for budget corporate wear!
necklace: c/o
Spicy Avenue (link
here)
white irregular cut skirt: c/o Spicy
Avenue (link
here)
White crop blazer:
Portmans
Bag:
Forever New
The asymmetrical trend has been in full swing as of late, with the Zara skort and hemline dips and peek-a-boo legs. This skirt from Sp
icy Avenue takes the trend into the corporate environment, in a more subtle and modest way. I got a size M (up from my usual S) to ensure that it would sit longer on my legs.
(taken from the
Spicy Avenue skirt item page)
What I really like about ordering items off
Spicy Avenue, is that it gives you detailed information for each product. So for 'translucency' the box was unticked so I knew ordering a white skirt would be ok and not show underwear, and 'elasticity' was unticked so you know that it's not stretchy, and it might be better to order up a size. I find this information really useful because sometimes you can't tell these details from pictures, and these details are very important when it comes to corporate wear because obviously see-through garments are inappropriate.
For some workplaces this skirt might be too short, so before buying skirts you should always check the length measurements if buying online. Some workplaces require skirts stopping at or below the knees, whilst others don't have this requirement. Observe the hemlines on your colleagues to get a good sense of what is acceptable.
use code 'IZZY10' to receive 10% off your Spicy Avenue order!
gold-capped heels: Portmans
choker necklace: Sheinside
clutch: Choies
Statement jewellery can be a great way to accessorise and complete what might otherwise be a plain outfit. This look is sort of more for after work drinks or for a desk to dinner transformation, or dinner with a client.
But keep the jewellery minimal. Too much can divert a client's attention away from the conversation and be distracting.
This wrap skirt from Sportsgirl was just perfect- it's trendy and modern, yet conservative at the same time. High necklines will protect cleavage-bearing yet the dress is cut to show off the shoulders. The wrap dress is shorter in the middle yet the fit isn't skin tight.
Here are some more general tips on how to dress at the workplace:
- In general, when in doubt, be on the conservative side of the scale. Feeling trendy and showing off your new purchases is great, but it's more important to ensure you don't attract the wrong attention in the workplace....as this could jeopardise your career!
- Have a look around you as well to see what your colleagues are wearing. Try not to wear anything they wouldn't wear, even if it was commonplace and acceptable at your previous job.
- Consider to what extent, your role actually involves you representing the IMAGE of the company. Do you sit at your desk all day, or do you go out and meet with clients or important stakeholders? If it's the latter, you might have to take more care in how you dress as your entire appearance, is reflective of the company you work for. The wrong outfit could have damaging consequences on the business relationship.
- Keep your clothes ironed and neat! No matter how fashionable or unfashionable your outfit is :) it's highly important to look tidy and professional at least!
So there you have it! I hope these tips to make your work clothes more interesting and fashionable help. If you have any comments and feedback please let me know. And keep in mind again that these are just my ideas! Feel free to take these tips and change it up to however you feel comfortable with/what is appropriate at your workplace!
If you missed the link, my YouTube video on these outfits is
here.
The first person to be featured on my new 'Reader Feature' section is a pretty formidable one! Here's Stephanie from
Faiiint.com, from London. She has the most enviable and gorgeous black pieces which she always finds a way to style in an interesting, refreshing and fashionable way. Besides the beautiful pictures her post content is always a pleasure to read as well. She has the most amazing illustrations (click
here) and her particular artistic style and talent definitely seem to be reflected in her fashion too. And as you can tell she's absolutely stunning to boot! :)
Keep in touch with Steph at her blog
Faiiint.com, and check out her
Facebook,
Instagram, and
Twitter :)
hope everyone is having a great week so far!
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