My girlfriends and I inevitably find our way into a discussion on clothes and fashion. I love fashion (Fashion Fridays might be a dead give away). And I love shopping for clothes, and dressing/ purging for my friends. One gorgeous friend has been on the move up the corporate ladder and is determined to spruce up her wardrobe. She could do without all the fuss over clothes. And, if it were up to her, she’d stick to a uniform (which some massively successful women do – clothes are just too fun for me).
My friend’s hope was to get some well-made, well-fitting trousers in blacks/grays/navys, and then update her assortment of blazers. As a total blazer girl, I was all over this strategy. She will be able to walk into her closet, grab one of her no-fail pair of pants, and pick from a dozen assorted go-to blazers for the morning.
That leads me to today’s Fashion Friday: Upgrading Your Executive Work Wardrobe (on a budget)!
Here were my picks for the upgrade – in an open letter to my successful gal pal!
I started out shopping Nordstrom’s big summer sale (now open to the general public). But, as I often find, there aren’t a ton of great blazer options at Nordstrom’s. It is my go-to spot for cocktail and gala dresses but less so for work clothes. Maybe if you buy super high end there are better options, but since we’re both on a budget, I only found a couple of choices.
So first up: Yes, it’s bold. And it’s also modern and the blouson sleeves are trendy. But you have a micro waist so the cut will be lovely on you, and since it’s on sale for less than $100 you can buy something a little trendy and not feel bad about having to part with it in three years.
If you’re willing to do the bold color, but want to don a less on-trend look, then try this traditional blazer in a similar poppy color:
Next up, and arguably fussier than you typically do, is this fun fringe pick. However, it’s chic and sophisticated and will definitely mix up the standard blazer uniform:
Since you want to keep the “bottom” basic, have tons of fun with colors or fabrics on top. Hence my next choice. You look great in pink and this lovely lightweight blazer from Banana Republic is classic AND on sale.
If I may suggest, WHITE! I’m a huge fan of a white blazer. It looks stunning on and always helps you stand out in a board meeting while simultaneously looking high-end and chic (as long as the material is quality). Here are two options, one a little brighter and one more textured, from the huge clearance event at Talbot’s – both well under $100:
Finally, while I know you LOVE a budget, Boden is just one of my all-time favorite retailers. I shop there rarely because of the price point, but their lighter weight jackets (and cool dresses), which you can wear nearly year round in Houston, are ON SALE! There are loads of options, but I gravitate toward their more unique pieces. Try this bold number which is whimsical but still utterly professional.
(And pick this up for the weekend because the blue would be AMAZING on you!)
You can upgrade your wardrobe for a fraction of the price if you go big during these massive clearance sales this week!
And now for you, friends? I am trying to really get back to blogging and need YOUR fashion dilemmas!
This is so great!!!