Everyone should have a go-to outfit on days when they don’t want to stand in front of a closet, stare at it, and stress. If you have to dress for work 5 days a week, this scenario I just painted has probably happened to you. For most of us, the concept of the capsule wardrobe is not new – find what works for you, and stick with it. Whether you’ve gotten around officially defining what that look is for you,  it’s never too late to start thinking about it.

Today on Cubicle Chic, I’m sharing my “template” is, when it comes to something that ALWAYS works for me, Jessica, yours truly. But that’s not it. I have 2 other career blogger friends whose styles are just on-point and I absolutely adore. I am sharing what their go-to outfits are with you too! Keep scrolling to the bottom to see 2 more impeccably professional yet fashionable looks!

White Top + High-Waisted Pants + Leather Sneakers

Here’s the deal – the color white in an outfit always conveys professionalism and efficiency (think about what doctors and chefs wear). Plus, you and I both know it, white goes with everything.

High-waisted pants tend to elongate me and that’s why I love them. But I have to be very careful of where the hem of the pants hit – it has to be at a place that’s flattering for my body frame. And what kind of shoes I wear also makes a big difference.

Leather sneakers is a new trend I discovered lately. I’ve always secretly wished we could wear sneakers to the office, and when I saw the Nike Airmax Thea in leather, I knew it was the one. The leather material makes them look a lot less casual, and my feet always thank me at the end of the day in the office. But remember they’re still sneakers after all, so don’t wear them to an interview or a presentation.

Lastly, pair it with a simple, neutral-tone and classic handbag – you’re good to go!

 Top: similar @ Nordstrom Pants: Tobi Understand This Cigarette Pants Purse: C/O Coach Dinky Crossbody Bag Shoes: Nike Air Max Thea

Now, if this isn’t the type of look you see yourself wearing, I have two more – and I want to introduce to you Michele Lando from Write Styles, and Chanèle McFarlane from Do Well Dress Well. These are both fabulously stylish and total #GirlBosses who have amazing tips on how to dress for the office.

Structured Blazer + Flowy Blouse + Skinny Pants [or] Pencil Skirt

Michele has a simplistic and sometimes monochromatic approach when it comes to creating her go-to outfit. This look works for most body type, and as long as you find a quality blazer, and keep colors to a minimum, you are sure to look chic and professional like Michele does here!

Neutral Color Dress + Print or Floral Blazer + Statement Necklace

On the other end of the spectrum, Chanele is an absolute expert in mastering color in her outfits. Honestly, if you want to see how colorful outfits can be done professionally & tastefully, check out her blog!!

Here Chanele pairs a simple black dress with a super bright and floral blazer, and finished the look with a statement necklace. Voila – this outfit is bold and bright, but so meticulously chic and polished!

All Cubicle Chic Photography in this post are by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post Having A Capsule Wardrobe For Work || Three Looks To Create Right Now appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I recently received and accepted an offer from a  new company. I will be starting a new job in a few weeks! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably heard about this news. But on Cubicle Chic today I want to share with you what I’m doing now that I am between two jobs, and how I am preparing myself for the next phase of my career.

This is how it goes: after many sleepless nights, numerous interviews, the final negotiations, the constant anticipation, finally, came the phone call. THE phone call that changes everything! 

Celebrate, give yourself a pat on the shoulder, and go out and get something nice for yourself because you deserve the reward. And after the adrenaline rush subsides, take a moment to think about what your next steps are. 

Leave your current employer on a good note

Do your best to leave a good transition plan for your replacement, and close all the gaps you can foresee. Be honest in your exit interview, provide constructive feedback if there are things you think your current employer could improve on. Lastly, write a heartfelt but concise farewell email to all that you’ve worked with; include your email in there, and a link to your LinkedIn profile so people can stay in touch with you. This is the last chance for you to make an impression on this professional network, make it count. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Mentally separate yourself from the old, and be ready to embrace the new

This is more of a philosophical note than a practical one. I’ve seen in the past people that join my team, and cannot stop themselves from using the lingo of “this is how XYZ used to do it” or “the way that we did it before was…” Let’s just conclude once and for all that there is no good end to this kind of lingo. If you have good recommendations, don’t position it as “the way that XYZ did it”; make it yours! If you don’t have good recommendations, well, you shouldn’t be making them in the first place. But by associating it with your old company, you come across as still attached and not able to adapt. For example, try to say “it’s better to ask why do WE do it this way”, and not “why do YOU do it this way” as a tactic to show you are ready to embrace the new culture and environment (Career Girl Daily). 

Be strategic in the way you build your new brand

The same way you prepared for all those interviews, you should be thinking about how to rock your first day of work, the first week of work, and the first month, and the first quarter, and so on. Read up on the 30-60-90 Day Plan (Business Insider) and think about the personal goals you’d like to reach on Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90. Think about what you want to be known for, because that is going to be your professional brand.

Also, fine-tune your elevator pitch (MyDomain.com). As part of your introduction to the new teams and new people, one of the first things they will ask you is “where did you come from” and “what did you do before”.  Be ready to have a concise but to-the-point summary that will effectively summarize your past experiences, and even impress your new co-workers just a little bit. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Heels: Kenneth Cole; similar here Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Use common sense

Listen more than you speak, turn off your personal phone, curb your (hyper)enthusiasm, and observe the culture and blend in. These are all more common sense than actual tactics, but the trick is to remember these things while you are under the pressure of adjusting to a new environment, constantly meeting new people, and wrapping your head around how to hit the ground running with the new employer. 

You should also be ready to throw the work-life balance out the window for a while (The Every Girl) and be ready to log in some extra hours just to get up to speed.  These extra hours spent in the beginning will pave the way for your success later on, and also leave a good impression on people around you that you are committed and dedicated to success.

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB

Re-think your strengths and weaknesses

Take stock of the work history with your last employer and think of all your successes and failures. Think about how they made you feel, how they changed you, and what you did to make sure you can replicate the success, and avoid making the same mistakes. It may help to write these things down so you can visualize them more clearly. Take the highlights from this list of historic success and failure, and make sure that’s your starting point for your next job. Lean on your strengths, and find ways to develop things you are weaker in. 

What were the things you did right, or wrong, when you first started your job? 

All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ STYLENFUSE.COM

The post How to Prepare for a New Job || The Work That Comes After the Job Offer appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Jumpsuit for Business Occasions; Tobi Far From Basic Poplin Jumpsuit Necklace: Poshmark Sunglasses: Chanel, similar here

Jumpsuits have been trending for a few years now, and most of us probably all have a piece or two hanging in our closet, not getting a lot of love. Jumpsuits are can easily be dressed up or down, depending on how you accessorize the outfit. But the lines are blurred between casual and formal, and therefore creating a perfectly business friendly outfit with a jumpsuit is a bit tricky sometimes.

With the right outerwear, shoes, and accessories, though, here are 3 perfectly reasonable business occasions to be wearing a jumpsuit!

1. Networking Events

Jumpsuit for Business Occasion: Tobi Far From Basic Poplin Jumpsuit Necklace: Poshmark Sunglasses: Chanel, similar here

Jumpsuits are perfect for semi-casual networking events, where you want to stand out while looking polished and put-together. Pair the jumpsuit with a backpack for its trendy factor as well as the convenience, and a pair of stylish strappy heels to complete the look. Don’t forget to bring your business cards and store them in a cute little holder. Lastly, your most important tool, a laptop (if you choose to bring one), needs to be stylishly clad too!

2. Holiday Parties

Jumpsuit for business occasion: Tobi Far From Basic Poplin Jumpsuit Necklace: Poshmark Sunglasses: Chanel, similar here

Pick any jumpsuit in black, gray, or navy blue, and you have the perfect basis for a holiday party look! A luxurious white coat and a sparkly little clutch are easy choices to add that “oomph” to a basic jumpsuit. Add a pop of color with some red heels, you should be ready to dine and dazzle!

3. Team Dinners

Jumpsuit for business: Tobi Far From Basic Poplin Jumpsuit Necklace: Poshmark Sunglasses: Chanel, similar here

These are after hour get-together with you coworkers, either to get to know each other better or celebrate work victories. They’re usually celebratory in nature, so feel free to bring more personality in your outfit. Start with a neutral color trench coat and a tote bag, and add some dark color mules for ease of moving about. Add a trendy bandana either on your wrist or neck to add more fun to your outfit for a fun get-together with your work friends!

Can you think of another business occasion where you can wear a jumpsuit and how? Share with me below!

The post 3 Surprising Business Occasions to Wear a Jumpsuit appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Last week we talked about how to stay graceful and chic when traveling through airports. Staying along the same line of traveling, and more specifically, traveling for business, I want to talk about one of the easiest Staying along the same line of traveling, and more specifically, traveling for business, I want to talk about one of the easiest piece to get in and out of when you’re getting ready for business meetings!

Psst… this ASOS piece is STILL AVAILABLE AND 50% off now!!! GET IT BEFORE IT RUNS OUT!!

So whether you’re going in the office and looking for a simple fail-safe outfit, or looking for something you can slip on quickly after you’ve landed in your business trip destination, this dress is it!

My favorite feature of it is how flattering it is without making you too curve-conscious. It has a ring on the left side of the wrap, and on the right is the piece of tie that loops through the ring to tie the dress together. It’s very comfortable, and do you see that slit there?? It makes the dress more interesting and adds just a little bit of sexiness!

 Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring  Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring  Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring

All photography by Arielle Levy

I’m headed to Boston next week for another business trip. I am looking forward to being in downtown Boston for business! Are any of you from the area?

The post Easy & Chic Wrap Dress for Business Occasions appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I knew this piece had a lot of potential versatility to it when I saw it on Poshmark. It’s an Olive & Oak little black shirt dress with an open front, and a soft tie around the waist to close up the piece. I can already envision so many ways that this piece can be worn…

I decided to wear this piece just as a normal LBD.. I paired it with a these gorgeous, GORGEOUS, did I say gorgeous, strappy heels from Missguided. They can be found here at a discounted price on ASOS.

This outfit right now may not be immediately office appropriate, but I could easily pair It with a white turtle neck, a pair of trousers and wear this shirt dress open. Or I can wear this over a collared shirt and a pair of jeans, and that would be a perfect casual Friday outfit. I am so excited about it already!

Here are 6 different dresses that are highly similar, at a spectrum of price points!

All Photography by Ngoc M Nguyen

In the spirit of sharing, today I am also linking up with Michelle’s Paige and Ana Luiza to share more timeless and classic looks from other fabulous bloggers! 

‘);

Stay Cubicle Chic!

The post Classic LBD with a Twist appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

“Didn’t I just wear this last week?“

With the confines of dressing professionally and appropriately, (let’s face it – if it was up to me I’d be rocking ripped jeans everyday) it’s not a walk in a park to always look polished & presentable, at the same time showing creativity in your outfit creation. I try to solve the problem by sticking with basic neutrals that could go with everything else I own, so I don’t have to brainstorm (more like brain-hurricane) in the morning as I get ready. Still, a slight problem still exists, which is that I end up creating really similar outfits or just gravitating toward the same piece over and over again. There are 5 work days a week is about 260 work days a year. Who has that much time to create 260 different looks?!

This is where the Third Piece Rule comes in handy. In case you haven’t heard, the Third Piece Rule is the wardrobe philosophy that adding a “third piece”, whether be it a statement necklace (any bold accessories) or an outerwear like a vest or a blazer, instantly makes the ensemble more elevated and interesting.  You can read all about it here.

Here, I am using a statement necklace to add instant glam to this office outfit that is otherwise a bit lackluster.

I did want to give a mention to the brand that makes this particular necklace I am wearing. It’s a Florida based company called Mirina Collections . They make a ton of these beautiful statement necklaces that are unique and obviously glamorous. I was offered a couple of pieces from their “Famous Necklace” collection at a discounted price to try out (about 50%), and in return they had asked me to give them a shout out on Instagram, which I did. In my opinion the retail price for these necklaces is a bit steep for the actual quality of the pieces (even though they claim to hand make all the pieces). But at the discounted price, they were worth every penny. Would you like to see more of how I style these Mirina Collections necklaces? Let me know

Top: Alice and Olivia (similar here)
Necklace: “Jess” by Mirina Collections
Bottom: Top Shop Leigh jeans
Blazer: Top Shop Nicola Peplum Blazer (similar here)

All Photography by Brianna Olsen

The post The Third Piece Rule & what it means for the Cubicle Chic appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

A few close friends have noticed that lately I have been a tad obsessed with Banana Republic. Other than the renewed style and design lately, the only other thing I can attribute this to is seeing the series of collaborations between Wendy’s Lookbook and Banana Republic lately. If you haven’t seen them, you should! Or, maybe, just maybe, it has to do with me having turned 30 this year… In any event, I have my eyes on Banana Republic lately and I invite you office ladies to join in the chicness!

I love the silhouette of this knit top. It’s called the Textured Sweater Tank from Banana Republic. It weights quite heavy so it really accentuates my waistline in a flattering way. I have been reaching for this top and wearing it almost once a week in the past month. It’s starting to feel like my chic uniform!

For this outfit I paired it with jeans from Topshop, and some more blue hues with some d’orsay heels from Madewell. Literally, this is what I’m in almost EVERYDAY in the office – a comfortable top and jeans – and I love it! I’ll admit to a little secret though. I keep a pair of spare flip-flops under my desk and slip out of these heels when I am slaving away in front of my desk. It’s my way of staying in heels 8 hours a day plus my 1.5 hour of commute!

All Photography by Ngoc M Nguyen

Something that enlightened me this week…

If you’ve been following my Instagram, you may have heard me complain once or twice about how busy of a week I had at work. Despite all of it, I am finding some new found energy by reading a book a close friend/mentor at work had gifted me this week. It’s called Search Inside Yourself. I am currently reading the book and maybe I’ll share my thoughts here at some point!

The post Office Staple for Every Season: White Knit Top [Banana Republic] appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Today, I am sharing a personal challenge, not just an outfit. The pencil skirt is such a workwear stable but has always been something I’ve found difficult to wear, for a number of reasons. But the main reason is that I don’t believe it flatters my body shape, and I am extremely self conscious whenever I wear a pencil skirt. Yet, when I saw this white lace pencil skirt on Banana Republic AND on sale, I could not resist.. and I told myself, you are Cubicle Chic, you’re going to make this work.

So here’s the outfit.. read on for 4 tips on how I made this work! 

Top: James Deen Knit Sweater from DailyLook found here
Bottom: Banana Republic Dot Lace Pencil Skirt found here
Heels: Banana Rebpulic Black Pumps here
Necklace: Boutique

Here’s a few pointers on how I made the pencil skirt easier to wear:

1) Dark color top. Maroon is so fitting for the season, but more importantly it balances the attention on the pencil skirt by shifting it away from your bottom.

2) Loose fitting item. In this case it happened to be the same maroon color top as well. It’s something to contrast the tightness of the skirt so the outfit has variety in the way it fits. I think a loose fitting cardigan would work too.

3) HEELS. This is hardly a secret or even tip… heels always instantly elongates you silhouette and changes your posture so you look more slender. I recommend 3 inches or higher.

4) Big wavy hair. I contemplated putting my hair into a pony tail, but I decided against it. It’s because having the waviness in my hair just rounds out my overall shape.. and shifts the attention to my bottom toward the top and therefore balancing my outfit overall.

So what do you think? Yea or nay? And what’s your most self-conscious type of wear? I am curious..

All photography by Ngoc M Nguyen

The post For the Fall – Transition Outfit featuring Dot Lace Pencil Skirt & a little bit about a personal challenge appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

BRIGHTS & PRINTS

It can very well be just brights alone or prints alone, the point is that they’re both sure-fire ways to instantly add more fun and dimension to your outfit!

Blue Blazer Similar
1. ASOS Soft Blue Drape Blazer
2. Halogen Seamed Back Linen Blend Blazer
3. Forever 21 Single Button Knit Blazer

Fun Print Silk Top Similar
1. Anthroplogie Girl from Savoy Top (found on Poshmark, Size 0, Size 6, Size 8)
2. Anthropologie Alexa Chung for AG Gordonderry Silk Blouse
3.. Anthropologie Palisades Button Down

Black and White Mini Skirt
1. Ro & De Pleated Stripe Skirt
2. WetSeal Classic Striped Bandage Skirt
3. Silence + Noise Textured Striped Mini Skirt

WINDOWPANE BLAZER

Needless to say, windowpane ANYTHING is trendy and eye-catching these days. (see windowpane trousers I styled in an outfit here) and this blazer is no exception. I bought it off of Poshmark from a fellow fashionista, and this is a boutique piece so I can’t find the exact one for me readers.. but I provided some similar ones below the pictures!

Similar ones can be find here

1. Finders Keepers the Label – “Speakerbox” Cutout Blazer 
2. Tommy Hilfiger Windowpane Boyfriend Blazer
3. A’Gaci Night Out Windowpane Blazer 

Animal Print + Whites 

If you find animal print too bold for your office or corporate environment, try pairing it with a white or pastel color piece to tone down the boldness. Sometimes an animal print piece that has a cute/lady-like shape helps reduce the “sexiness” in your outfit that you may not want in an office environment.

Similar skirts can be found here
1. ModCloth Has a Nice Wing skirt 
2. Michael Kors Giraffe Print skirt 
3. Neiman Marcus Geo Print A-Line Skirt

What are you office wear staples that you wear to state FUN in function? Share with me in comments section! Better yet, share a link with me so I can go shopping too!!

-Jessica

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All photos by Ngoc M Nguyen Photography

The post Putting the “FUN” in “FUNCTIONAL”: How to have fun with your everyday office wear! appeared first on Cubicle Chic.