Business Formal to Casual Work Wear : Closet Essentials

After graduation, I started a job working for a Broker/Dealer in the finance industry. After 1.5 years, I decided to follow my passion for fashion and accepted a new job as an assistant inventory planner for a major sports company, working in their outdoor specialty business. With this change, came a wardrobe change.

My pervious finance job was the classic business formal-wear; and while I love getting dressed up, my closet was overcome with pieces that I didn't want to transition to my "after-work" wear. The dress code at my new company is relaxed, but this took time to figure out my style! However it did not take long for me to notice that this type of dress code leads to people, including myself, buying for the trends and not necessarily styling classic pieces that can be mixed and matched.

I love a good trend, but it is not practical long-term and aids in the environmental and financial waste the fashion industry produces.

It takes time, but I've started to develop staple pieces in my wardrobe that are easy to transition between seasons, day-night, and can be mixed and matched. Some of these pieces include:

Classic Blue Jeans - I've been loving my Zara High-Rise Mini Flare Jeans in light wash, but am in search of a good dark wash pair. Any suggestions?

Blazers - I have multiple blazers that I bought while working my previous job and these have come in handy while layer for my new office! I think layering and accessories are good accents to make your outfit less boring. Some of my favorites are:

* Pink Blazer - I purchased mine from Target, but can no longer find it online. I love the pop of color it brings to an outfit

* Navy Blazer - Mine is from J.Crew but you can find navy blazers anywhere, for any price point! I think this is a staple piece to invest in... it never goes out of style.

* Cream Blazer - Like Navy, I think cream is a great closet essential. It goes with every color; wear it with any wash jeans and flats, a fun patterned skirt, or white jeans.

Dresses - I gravitate towards dresses because they are easy to throw on in the morning and are comfortable to wear all day. They're easy to dress up with flats or booties, or dress down with a simple sneaker. Pair with a headband and your ready for whatever the day brings!

* Black linen shift dress (I have two from J.Crew and LOVE them. I wear them the most out of any dress, they're worth the price 100%)

* Long-sleeve sweater dress for fall and winter. I recently purchased one from H&M for $30 and it is very flattering

Mules - Flats were a staple for my last job, I walked around the office a lot and they were comfortable. While I could not wear jeans in my old job, I can in my new job and the look of jeans and flats is very classic to me. I've found some good deals on black mules through luck at T.J. Maxx, love my cheetah flats from Talbots, and have my eyes on this green pair from amazon.

Sneakers - I have a blog post coming about white sneakers, but seriously they are a key to making you wardrobe complete. Vejas have been my favorite for the last 6 years and I alternate between my two pairs frequently.

Accessories - I love the headband trend and don't think I'll give it up when it "goes out of style." They are easy to bring a pop of color to your outfit, and make a cute accessory. J.Crew and Target have great options for a low cost! (All shown below are from target).

Let me know your closet staples! xo,

Anne