Outfit Details:
Floral Jacket (Honey Butter Boutique), Chambray Blouse (LOFT), Jeans (Hudson Jeans), Lace-Up Block Heels (Calvin Klein), and Stone Necklace (2 Odd Birds)
Helloooo again!
So much has changed since my last fashion-related blog post. I graduated college, moved out of the house I lived in for two years, and started back up at my part-time job, while job searching for a full-time one. Phew! It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m enjoying it!
Whoever said that post-graduation was boring clearly wasn’t doing it right! With all of the extra time that I have, I’ve been planning trips, styling potential photoshoots for Stylishly Good Vibes, and brainstorming multimedia content to share with all of you! I am beyond excited to have more time to work on my blog because I really do love being able to share with you, my reader.
This week’s blog post was focused on the idea of business casual apparel. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like the term ‘business casual.’ What does it even mean!? What exactly is business casual?
I don’t think that anyone has created a widely-accepted definition of what business casual should be, but I’ll try my best to give my two cents! From what I have seen in the offices that I have held internships, business casual should be interpreted by the apparel you see your coworkers wearing after your first day.
Now, I know what you’re thinking … well, that doesn’t solve the problem of what to wear on your first day in a business casual place of employment. My best piece of advice? Aim for pieces that are polished and sophisticated, that express your personality. For example, the blouse and dark jean combination that is featured in this blog post could be considered business casual because of the clean lines and finishes of both items.
Adding a blazer or jacket on top and finishing off with one or two of your favorite jewelry pieces will make your business casual ensemble stand out, while still following your company’s dress code.
Truthfully, it’s better to be overdressed on your first day then to show up looking like the most casual person in the office. You can always adjust your style after the first day!
I have been patiently awaiting spring’s arrival so that I could break out this floral jacket. I bought it while on a trip to Atlanta a few years back, and it’s really one of those statement pieces that I will probably hold onto forever! The pattern is subtle enough to be paired alongside anything from jeans to a pair of chinos, but the design elements to the jacket make me love it even more.
The jacket actually has shoulder pads, which honestly takes me back to the 1980s and I absolutely love it! It’s retro, without seeming out of place. My favorite detail of the jacket is the laser cut-out design and zipper detail on the back. It’s such an unexpected adornment!
I want to take a second to talk about this chambray blouse. I feel like this style is something that everyone should aim to have in their closet. Whether it’s a tank, short sleeve or a long-sleeve button up shirt, chambray is a classic trend piece. However, one styling tip that I have with this type of fabric is that you should carry wrinkle release spray with you if you plan on wearing it throughout the day!
Because it’s such a lightweight and wrinkle-prone fabric, it can go from looking clean and crisply ironed, to a complete disarray of wrinkles in less than five minutes, not even kidding. Downy’s Wrinkle Releaser comes in a 3 oz. bottle, which is perfect to toss in your purse or clutch for a day on-the-go.
My rings have always been a huge component of my personal style as you’ve probably seen throughout previous blog posts. People often ask me why I wear so many and honestly, my only answer is because I like it. They’re such an easy way to express your personal style, especially in a business casual setting.
As you can see, I’m wearing less rings than usual. Well, that’s because I’ve had two of my favorite rings break on me in the past few months. As sad as it was, that just means that it’s time to start looking for some new ones!
I’m definitely not the kind of person who buys rings whenever I find one I like. The only time that I will buy a ring is when I’m visiting a place that I’ve never been to before. I enjoy doing this because that way I always have a memory that I can retrace back whenever I’m wearing the ring. Pretty cool, huh!?
Well, that’s all I’ve got for ya this week! Stay positive, be creative, and don’t be afraid to express yourself through your personal style, or any form of art for that matter!
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to come along on my daily shenanigans with Stylishly Good Vibes!
Chat soon!
Alicia