Work It

Workwear is one of those styles of dressing which seems pretty unexciting and dull but weirdly it’s one of my favourite to style.  I love the challenge of working between the parameters of office rules but still managing to add your own twist and maintaining a “fashion led” look rather than a “boring led” one!

Every office is different so whether you work in an old school or new school environment, I’ve put together a couple of looks which, fingers crossed, will leave you inspired.

Old School Office Chic:

For those city workers that are required to wear shirts, tailored trousers and heels, I can totally sympathise with the daily struggle to add your stamp to your look.  The best way to underscore your personality is through subtle details and bold accessories.

In this outfit, I went for low-slung grey wool trousers to give a much younger and fresher vibe.  This fit feels much more in keeping with a young professional than boring ol’ office worker!

Outfit details; Trousers – tory burch (simiar here & here) | Shirt – Hawes & Curtis (find here) | shoes – dior (similar here & here) | Bag – mulberry (similar here & here) | necklace (belt worn as a necklace) – chanel (very similar here) | scarf – hermes (similar HERe and here)

Add elements of your favourite colour.  I’m a pink girl, so my shirt has pretty pink details and I’ve echoed it in my shoes.  Speaking of shoes, I made an effort to make a real statement with these sculptural heels.  Don’t be afraid to go for a bold heel.  Long term readers will know I’m rather partial to a statement shoe (you can read about a few HERE, HERE & HERE!).  Never underestimate how stylish a shoe with a bright pop of colour or fun embellishments can look.  If you’re on the hunt for something a bit bolder try ASOS, Sophia Webster or Chiara Ferragni.

I’m really into wearing my old Chanel chain belts as necklaces at the moment.  Chain belts have slightly had their moment and are pretty off trend these days, so I’m loving that they can be readapted to bring it back up to date.  It also seriously helps to justify the hefty price tag!  You can check out how I wore the same belt in black as a choker HERE.

Dress Down Friday

A part of me wonders if “dress down Friday” is actually an urban myth as I don’t know a single office who actively follows the principle.  For me, dressing down is all about a fab pair of kicks and anytime I get to wear trainers to the office I know it’s going to be a good day!

Outfit details: Dress – Topshop (similar HERE & HERE) | Shoes – Nike (similar here & here on sale) | Bag – Anya Hindmarch (similar HERE & here) | Belt – Louis Vuitton (find HERE) | Necklace – H&M (similar HERE & HERE)

Just because you’re wearing your trusty trainers doesn’t mean you have to look sloppy.  There are so many great ways to incorporate comfy kicks into your workwear without losing that smart edge.  Keep your look to a single muted palette, such as all black or all navy.  I always think the key is to make the rest of your outfit so elegant and smart that whatever shoes you’re wearing it doesn’t detract from the rest of your look.

Also, use statement accessories to draw the eye towards those rather than your feet.  By adding a fun bag, an oversized belt and statement necklace the last thing you notice is my Nikes.  Other considerations include the colour of your kicks, are they a sophisticated tone and do they go with the outfit as a whole?  Styles to go for are the Nike Blazer (worn here) or Adidas Stan Smiths.  Both are classic and have a way of looking tailored and completing an outfit, rather than jarring with it.