A favorite look of mine is the classic corporate outfit--a collared button-down shirt, either dress pants or a pencil skirt, a pair of pumps, and pearls. But sometimes that simple outfit makes me feel like I will get lost in the masses. And I wonder how I can stand out as my unique outspoken self while still complying with the unspoken (yet expected) uniform code of the corporate world.
There is something to be said about finding that balance, not just in corporate fashion but in how you carry yourself in the workplace. We work as a team. And to me, that means respecting the air of the corporate world, but it also means challenging and improving upon the staples of the business world. In other words, it is so important to share your personality, intelligence, and creativity (both in your strengths and weaknesses) while doing so in a manner that acknowledges and respects your team's unique character traits in a professional setting.
In corporate fashion, I believe we can do the same. We must dress in a certain professional manner. But we can do that while adding a touch of our unique personalities. For me, that sometimes means taking the classic business casual outfit and tweaking it to fit my personality. Here, I am wearing just that: a collard button-down shirt, a pencil skirt, a pair of pumps, and pearls. But each piece is a little more fun than the standard business casual outfit! First, I chose a button down shirt with a touch of feminine flare--a puff sleeve--which actually makes button-down shirts entirely more comfortable! Then I chose a pencil skirt that has a little added texture while still maintaining a simplistic look. The pumps I chose are a neutral snakeskin pattern. So they are slightly bold for the workplace, but the neutral tones reduce too much attention to the edgy pattern. Finally, I paired these feminine, textured, and edgy pieces with a pair of pearl earrings. And I chose a pair that stood out from the classic pearl studs.
This outfit is uniquely me, but it is one that any woman can take and slightly to change to fit her own personality (or copy in whole if you are also an awkward combination of spunky, outspoken, feminine, and classic!!! <3 haha). My favorite part about this outfit is that each piece was under $35! When finding your voice or personality in your fashion while also maintaining that balance of professionalism, it is definitely more exciting to find those great affordable prices! My outfit is a combination of H&M, Express (and their amazing endless sales), DSW, and Halogen. My shirt is old, but here are a couple similar feminine-style options from H&M (all on sale!): 1) Balloon-sleeve blouse; 2) Trumpet-sleeved blouse; and 3) Flounced cotton-blouse. My pencil skirt can be found here (the color I'm wearing is sold out, but there are two colors still available for only $35.94!--TIP: Check out their clearance and wait for Express's sales on their clearance! I bought this skirt for $17!!!!) My shoes are also quite old, but here are some similar options from DSW: 1) Vince Camuto pumps (LOVE these); and 2) Journee pump (in another color). And my earrings are sold out, but here is a similar option for only $16!
Thanks so much for reading! Xo, Pax