Imagine answering this question as your 5 year-old, 10 year-old, and 15 year-old self. The answer may not have been the same, but I bet the certainty about whatever you wanted to become, dwindled over time. And what DID we want to be? A writer, an animal shelter owner, maybe a coffee shop barista. For me, it certainly wasn’t corporate marketing in the tech sector or even a lifestyle blogger.

 Top: High-end similar; affordable similar Trousers: Similar, similar Shoes:  High-end similar; affordable similar Bag: Banana Republic Tote (on sale now!!!)

But somewhere along the last 30 years, I gained more skills, learned more about myself, found out the possibilities of professions that exist out there. My options became plenty, but the certainty shrank in what I want to become when I grow up.

The one scenario in which we have to seriously consider this question, as adults, is often during an interview. When a potential job offer is at stake, this question becomes that much more delicate and difficult to tackle. So I’ve come up with a list of questions to help you shape your thinking and get closer to the answer. Answer to yourself honestly, and based on those answer, you can craft an interview appropriate response.

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How do you answer “where do you see yourself in 5/10/15 years”, which is basically “what do you want to be when you grow up?” in the adult world.

I would segment your thinking into two areas: professional, and personal.

In your personal life, in 5/10/15 years:

What motivates you to get out of bed every morning?
How high does work rank in your overall life in terms of priority?
Who do you spend the most time with outside of work?
What do you do for fun?
Do you see yourself getting married and/or starting a family?
Do you live in the city, suburbs, the mountains, or a coastal city?

 Top: High-end similar; affordable similar Trousers: Similar, similar Shoes:  High-end similar; affordable similar Bag: Banana Republic Tote (on sale now!!!)

In your professional life, in 5/10/15 years:

Why do you have a job, is it just for financial support os is it a fulfilling cause?
Are you managing people, being responsible for their development?
What kind of hours do you work, 9-5 or freelance?
Are you a single contributor or do you work in a team?
Do you have entrepreneurial aspirations?
Do you work in a global setting or more regionally focused?
What does financial success mean to you?

 Top: High-end similar; affordable similar Trousers: Similar, similar Shoes:  High-end similar; affordable similar Bag: Banana Republic Tote (on sale now!!!)  Top: High-end similar; affordable similar Trousers: Similar, similar Shoes:  High-end similar; affordable similar Bag: Banana Republic Tote (on sale now!!!)

This is how I crafted my plan based on the approach above:

Having ownership over creative and challenging work is what motivates me every morning, the first thing I think of when I wake up. Work is a priority because it’s a source of (really good) income but also something that keeps me on my toes and hungry for intellectual growth. I hang out with friends that I share common interests within my free time, and spend just as much time with close family. I snowboard in the winter, surf in the summer, go on hikes, enjoy yoga, and rock climbing. I love being outdoors. I live in the suburb with my husband, possibly some kids, and not too far from my parents.

Work-wise, I work alongside a bunch of driven, inspiring, and kind people. I lead projects as well as people. I take ownership of my job and I trive to make an impact in everything I do. I find the idea of starting my own business interesting, but I think after my kids are older is probably the better time to take more serious actions toward the idea. I also work in a global setting in my work, dealing with people from different continents, and constantly applying my fluency in Mandarin Chinese. I think of financial success as having a good control over my daily budget and expense, and earning good enough an income where I can save, and occasionally indulge in nice vacations or occasionally more materialistic things.

With these two paragraphs as the basis,  I now feel much more confident answering the question “where do you see yourself in 5/10/15 years” now. What do your two paragraphs look like?

The post What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 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.

Next up, the Jumpsuit and Faux Fur Coat combo!

Now, before you conclude that you are reading the blog written by a panda, hear me out.

Let’s talk about some of the common challenges in trying to create an outfit for this special holidasy occasion. For company holiday parties, staying classy and appropriate is of the utmost importance. Trying to look stylish and put-together while adhering to this rule of thumb is often the tricky part. Additionally, this faux fur coat, or faux fur coats in general, is challenging in that it makes me look top-heavy. So here are a few things I tried to be mindful of when creating this outfit.

1.       Use a jumpsuit to balance out the over-the-top glamour

Jumpsuits have the edginess that a dress or a skirt won’t give you. When pulling off a faux fur coat which are usually super glamorous and lavish, pair it with a cool-girl kind of jumpsuit that will prevent the overall outfit from looking over the top.

2.       Keep it simple color-wise

With the oomph of the fur coat and the edginess of the jumpsuit, the last thing you want to do is to add more dimension to the outfit. Keep it within black and white like I do, and have no more than two colors at a time in your outfit. Additionally, the pinstripe pattern gives the outfit a professional and formal look, so that’s also a good variation to add.

3.       Stay elongated with high heels

This one is a no-brainer. Unless you have legs like Kate Moss or Gisele Bündchen, wear those 4 inch heels. I’ll be the first one to admit that none of my outfits would’ve looked passable without those heels… they’re painful, but totally worth it.

Coat:  (Dailylook) Line & Dot Scarlett Faux Fur Jacket
Jumpsuit: Dailylook top & bottom
Heels: Banana Republic Heels
Purse: Chanel le Boy Small

All photography by Ngoc M Nguyen Photography

More outfits using the same template

Want to see other variations of outfits using the same template? Head over to polyvore to see where I sourced these pieces to create these two similar looks!

What’s your holiday outfit challenge?

So what do you think of this outfit? Any thoughts you have, I want to hear! Additionally, I’m inviting all my readers to share your holiday outfit dilemma with me… drop a comment down below, or email me at mycubiclechic@gmail.com for ANY concern or challenges you’re having while trying to create your holiday outfit for any occasion! I’d love to help out by offering some advice or perhaps where to shop!

The post Company Holiday Party Outfits | Faux Fur Coat and Jumpsuit [Pt. 2 of 3] – What’s your holiday outfit challenge? appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I’ll share my little secret upfront. I actually snatched up three of these sleeveless blazers this season. There. I said it.

Ok, now the skeletons are out of the closet, we can get to what I want to talk about today! If you’ve been following me and my style journal on Instagram [here], you know despite I am the blogger of Cubicle Chic, I actually am a casual girl at my core… #jeansandtshirt would be all I hashtag all day if it was up to me.

But I do work in a corporate office setting, albeit a rather casual one, I have to dress business casual 4 days out of the 5 every week.  So, I am always on the hunt for pieces that I can incorporate into my everyday wardrobe. And alas, I found the missing piece in my wardrobe (this season) that will do just that!

Details of this outfit:
If you know anyone living in California, you probably heard that we’ve had quite an entry of the fall season so far – a complete absence of it. So, the sleevelessness of this blazer has definitely come in quite weather appropriate. With a simple silk top on the inside, some black trousers, my office ensemble is complete. Here in the photos though, I am wearing a windowpane H&M dress (similars found here, here, and here) that might be a TAD short for business casual. I would personally rate this dress on the casual side, perhaps more suitable for a weekend outing with friends, or a holiday party with colleagues. To complete the look, I have on these Calvin Klein mules in the color nude (similars found here, here, and here). Need I say more? These mules are all the rage now, not to mention they instantly elongates your silhouette.

Needless to say, I’ll be featuring more of these sleeveless blazer vests in my upcoming blog posts and Instagram. Connect with me if you haven’t yet!

What’s your fall season office go-to piece? Share with me, I am curious!

Until next time!
-Jessica

All photography by Ngoc M Nguyen

The post The Missing Piece to your Wardrobe – Transform Casual Outfits into Office Appropriate Instantly! 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.

Nevertheless, a summer company picnic is a tricky event to dress for because it’s a professional event disguised as a casual one. On the one hand, you want to dress comfortably so you can possibly sit on the grass, walk around to get food or place bets on horses (if that’s your venue). On the other hand, you are mingling with co-workers and possibly upper management. These are people you’d like to impress, in the right way. So how do you blend casualness for the environment but still impress your professional network? Here are 3 outfit ideas to consider!

1. Mixing patterns – for your inner fashionista  

Mixing low-key patterns makes an outfit stand out in a subtle way. Remember to pick patterns that don’t clash – big and bold patterns tend to clash and smaller more subdued patterns work better together. At a summer company picnic, it’s the perfect chance to show your style. This is an outfit conveys thought and style together in one piece!

Top: Equipment sleeveless top (discounted Equipment similar here)
Bottom: Banana Republic Windowpane trousers (discounted Brooks Brothers similar here)
Clutch: Chanel Wallet on Chain in Red (find used/new ones here on Poshmark)
Shoes: Chanel leather espadrilles in white  (find used/new ones here on Poshmark)
Sunglasses: Gucci ombré sunglasses (discounted Tom Ford similar here)

2. Flowy and feminine – for the girly girl who just wants to be comfortable

The theme of this outfit is comfortable, allow me to repeat myself! No one wants to be in tight clothing at a summer company picnic. And if you were uncomfortable in any way with clothing, your behavior will show. This silk top is breathable and sleeveless for staying cool in So-Cal summers. The midi skirt is also airy and flowy makes you perfectly ready to sit down on grass. To add an edge of professionalism, pick a midi skirt that holds its shape well and stays wrinkle-free. For shoes, I’m wearing a pair of leather sandals to echo the casualness of my look. Lastly, I’m wearing a leather clutch with cute hummingbird prints… isn’t it adorable?!

Top: Equipment sleeveless top (discounted Equipment similar here)
Bottom: ASOS heart print midi skirt (similar found here)
Clutch: Deux Lux Soft Leather clutch (This very clutch is on sale here)
Shoes: Rag & Bone Folsom Mid-heel Sandals (Similar Aldo sandals found here)

3. Jeans and fun prints –  a look for just about anyone! 

Last but not the least, the third outfit is a simplistic and easy look for the summer company picnic. I’ve paired another Equipment top (a big Equipment fan here in case you haven’t noticed!) with a pair of everyday jeans. The highlight of this outfit is the color blocking crossbody purse and the mirrored aviators. It’s an outfit that allows you to showcase your personal style and maintain the comfort you need for that picnic!

Top: Equipment sleeveless top (Equipment similar here)
Bottom: AG Jeans (similar found here)
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Mirrored Aviators (here)
Crossbody Bag: Marc Jacobs Crossbody Bag in Dessert Rose (this very purse is on sale here)
Shoes: Rag & Bone Harrow Boots (found here, or discounted/used ones here on poshmark)

All photos by Ngoc M Nguyen Photography

The post What to Wear to a Summer Company Picnic appeared first on Cubicle Chic.