Business casual may not be the most exciting area of fashion for most people, but I was thrilled when I landed my new job a few months back and realized this called for a shopping trip. Or twelve. 🙂 As much as I love styling pieces and getting creative, I also get giddy over dressing for a specific occasion like workwear. I remember desperately wanting to go to private school as a kid, solely for the plaid skirt. What can I say, I love a uniform.

My new gig leans more toward the casual side of business casual, so I’ve managed to recycle a ton of pieces I already had in my closet with a few key new additions. I’m a big fan of mixing pieces between seasons and high/low price points, you can check out more on that here! I’m going to start sharing my workwear looks in the Style section of my blog, in hopes that others can find a little OOTD inspo. I kicked things off with a workwear lookbook on my YouTube channel, so be sure to head there next if you haven’t seen it!

Dresses on Dresses

While I had a fair amount of fashion freedom as a nanny, my job consisted of constant movement and a whole lot of time on the floor, so dresses rarely made the cut. Accessories may provide the perfect finishing touch but a dress makes up 75% of your outfit, so I wanted to pick up some staple dresses in addition to a few fun options. This navy polka dot dress is from my favorite affordable section of Nordstrom, and gets complimented every single time I wear it! It’s wrap dress inspired, so the cinched waist and loose draping make it flattering for every figure.

Fancy Comfy Footwear

I’m not exactly known for placing comfort above all else when it comes to my footwear choices, but 9 hour days on my feet (when sneakers aren’t an option) forced me be a little more sensible with my workwear shoe selection. I turned to booties and block heels for help and they have yet to lead me astray. This camel pair from Urban Outfitters held up surprisingly well for the price point I purchased them at years ago. (Less than $100!) I recently picked up this pair from Zara and they’re extremely comfortable and add a slight edge to anything I pair them with.

Fighting the Office Freeze

I always knew blazers were a workwear staple, but I’m starting to believe it has less to do with their sophisticated structure, and more to do with sub zero office temperatures. My colleagues hide Snuggies under their desk. I’m not joking! Regardless of their purpose, blazers and stylish jackets are a workwear must. My next post will highlight several of my favorites!