Thursday, August 2, 2012

work clothes




I recently got a job working at the county courthouse and since I'll be around judges and lawyers, I need to dress appropriately. I haven't had a real job in 9 years and had few clothes that would make the cut for an office job. As a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years and a full-time graduate student 2 years before that, my wardrobe had become pretty pathetic. I mostly wore old jeans and Old Navy khakis with $4 plain fitted tees from Walmart. I couldn't have anything nice because I always had children getting stains all over me or I'd accidentally spill a drop or two of bleach while washing cloth diapers. My weight has also fluctuated from having 3 children, but I'm finally getting down to my regular, pre-children size. In anticipation of re-entering the work force, I went work clothes shopping this summer.

One of the things I've learned about my body is that I look best in dresses or tops that have a v-neck. Because I put most of my weight around my middle, I've also noticed that loose dresses or skirts with adjustable (elastic or wrap) waists are excellent for when I lose or gain a few pounds. I tend to avoid pencil skirts, shirt dresses or structured tops that do not stretch or make me look boxy.

When I was shopping at Banana Republic, I came across the Gemma wrap dress. I think that because I'm only 5'3" tall, style experts claim I should stick to small prints, but I think this specific black and white print works on me. The neck area felt a little low for my new office job so I think I'll be wearing a black cami underneath. I could also throw a black blazer over it for an even more professional look. I loved this dress on me so much, I also ended up getting it in black (3/4 sleeves) and in orchid (long sleeves). I think I ordered each one individually every time I received a 35-40% off code on any full-priced item from Banana Republic (free shipping with any order over $50).


Gemma wrap dress by Banana Republic / black opaque tights by No Nonsense / black faux patent leather mary jane heels from Off Broadway Shoes

3 comments:

Anth said...

Super cute!

Kansas Couture said...

Professional and very chic! Love the black and white. And as a petite gal myself, I never follow any of those "rules"!

Azalea said...

Thanks, Kansas Couture. I love your blog...so inspirational!