Thursday 24 March 2022

HOW TO DRESS FOR OFFICE RETURN

Hello everyone, how are you all?

As our lives are gradually returning to BC (Before Covid) style, more and more businesses are encouraging their employees to return to the office.  While it could be a blessing for some, others feel rather confronted by the idea of using public transport, wasting valuable time in traffic or just simply gave up their comfortable lounge clothes which they used to wear during the last two years.

My office never asked us to WFH (work from home) anyway so I can’t be a part of this dilemma, however if you are facing the fact of return, you might feel relieved that the road map to rediscovering dressing for business is more mix and match inspiration and having confidence in mixing moods rather than rigidly following top-to-toe tailored approach that was expected from the office workers in the past.  In other words, it is an organic blend between two worlds, business and casual, and I quite like it.

These days court shoes have been replaced by the smart looking sneakers or even open toe flats, crisp shirts and fancy blouses – by simple t-shirts and sharp-cut blazers by knitted cardigans and biker jackets. 

Don’t worry if you have an after work engagement like going out to a fancy dinner or a cocktail party or to the opera house for a classical concert or an opera.  With few little tweaks, your outfit can be easily transformed into more formal look.  A pair of dress shoes, a beautiful necklace or a pair of statement earrings, a silk scarf or a nice evening bag that you can bring with you to the office, will add an element of class to your outfit and instantly transform it from day to night.

I really like this fresh approach to business fashion, you feel more relaxed and comfortable being able to add your personality and style.  Also, your existing wardrobe is getting a higher return on investment, so to speak which in turn saves you money and time on shopping for business clothes👍.

Luckily, my office has never been a stickler about a work uniform, I like to get dressed for work.  This outfit is my take of incorporating casual elements into the business look.  While my slim black pants and court shoes are part of my business wardrobe, the plain white t-shirt and a linen jacket belong to the casual corner of my wardrobe. 

I was on the hunt for a black blazer for quite a while, the reason being  that every time I saw something I liked, it was either quite expensive or was too business-like or both.  Then one day I stepped into Zara and boom, I saw a linen jacket in dark charcoal with white and thin black stripes lining and realised that it is exactly what the doctor ordered!   It might look like it is a top part of a pant suit on these photos but in reality you can see that the colour and fabrics are quite different.  I also like the fact that I can roll up the sleeves to expose the contrasting white lining if I am after casual vibe.

I added a brooch and hoop earrings to add some texture and a touch of style to this outfit. 

Enjoy your day

Until then,

Anna

22 comments:

  1. This is great semi-casual look. You hit just the right vibe between the two and look fabulous!

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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  2. I am loving the shoes and the addition of the brooch! Looking professional and pretty!
    www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

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  3. Totally in love with your outfit!❤

    https://marylyl.blogspot.com/

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  4. I absolutely love this look! Your shoes are beautiful. Pretty color!
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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  5. I just love smart blazers and this look is beautiful Anna! I love the mix of the slightly casual blazer with the rolled up sleeves and those trousers. Of course I love the addition of the brooch!
    thanks for linking!
    jess xx

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    1. You are the queen of blazers of all kinds, Jess. Thank you for hosting :)

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  6. It's such a shock to the system wearing something other than sweat pants! :) This is the perfect return to office look. I would wear it in a second! So very classy.

    Shauna

    www.lipglossandlace.net

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  7. Thank you so much Shauna, we have to learn how to walk again :)

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  8. This suit looks amazing on you Anna. I would never have guessed that it's Zara. It looks like a made to measure. You can do so much with those two items xx

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    1. Thank you Laurie, I was very impressed with the quality and craftsmanship myself. Have a great week

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  9. This is such a great look and you made the casual blazer look so formal! :) our office has been open a while but I haven't been in since last ear, haha! Something always comes up and it's just easier to work from home. I've tried to organise the team to go in but inevitably something comes up or someone gets sick or is waiting for a test result, so we say we will do it in a few weeks, and then it repeats. I really do want to try go in, but with no pressure from the company it's completely optional so working from home it will be for a while. the days I have gone in though it's been really casual dress - got away with sneakers for sure!

    Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup! Hope you're having a good weekend. It's a nice relaxing one here.

    Away From The Blue

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  10. I guess when you have little children it's easier to work from home and safer too. It's good that your bosses do not pressure you to return. Have a great week

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  11. This outfit is perfection! You hit it spot on with balancing business and casual with this look. I love your blazer and the brooch you added. It certainly adds personality to your look. I currently don't work in an office so dressing up hasn't been a problem yet. We shall see how it all unfolds in the next several months. I hope your week is going well so far and happy Tuesday!

    Maureen | www.littlemisscasual.com

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  12. Very stylish look Anna! You can't go wrong with a classic blazer and trousers. Thanks for linking up!

    Emma xxx
    www.style-splash.com

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  13. You have hit the perfect note in your mix of styles for the new business casual! Love the special touches of the brooch and the color of your shoes. Also, thanks for visiting my blog. Enjoy your week!

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  14. Love your new style office outfit

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