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by Nicole Martin of Employed Panache
Hi Everyone! Nicole from Employed Panache here. When Lindsay and Meredith asked me to contribute to Work Style Week, I was really flattered and excited at the same time. In fact, right after I replied to them, I went home and immediately started creating these looks!
They asked me to write a post not only based on work style, but one that was also holiday related. I think most people’s social calendars become pretty filled this time of year, even during the weekdays. As nice as it is to look forward to going out right after work, I find that it can be a pain to lug a whole new outfit to the office (plus makeup and whatever else) so you don’t have to stop home first. And for those of you who commute via mass transit, it’s even worse figuring out where to stash your big bag of work clothes once you make it to the restaurant!
So why not combine your work and going out outfit? Assuming you are not going to a formal ball after hours, it can be done – with the right items. Behold my high-waisted blue and gold brocade skirt!
This was a steal at H&M last year… I got it right after New Year’s for just $15! Lucky for you, there are a variety of other options in other stores, including dELiA’s, Charlotte Russe , Madewell, ModCloth and Yoox.
Here’s how to wear this shimmery skirt to the office. You can opt for a more laid back look with a simple sweater, like the navy one I’m wearing. Paired with nude crocheted tights, ankle socks and brogues, this almost has a fancy Parisian school girl feel. Or I could be making that up 
. Either way, the dark sweater tones down the skirt, but a jeweled headband keeps the overall look festive.
sweater: J.Crew (old, not sure) ~ shoes: Steve Madden via Fabulous Footwear ($14) ~ bangle: thrifted ($8) ~ headband: gift
If this is a little too casual for your office, you can turn this skirt into more of a J.Crew look. Keep it preppy with a grey turtleneck but let the skirt stand out by tucking it in and keeping your tights and shoes monotone. A fur stole (or scarf, in this case) finishes off the look.
turtleneck H&M (old… again, not sure, sorry!) ~ shoes: Target ($9) ~ scarf: gift
Finally, if your office tends toward the business formal side of things, pair this skirt with a blazer! Keeping all other items black really lets the skirt pop and makes the overall outfit dressier. I highly encourage you to break out the bling on this one! I’ve added my great-grandmother’s bracelet and cocktail ring, which plays quite well off the colors of the skirt.
blazer: BCBG via Macy’s ($55) ~ t-shirt: Target ($6) ~ shoes: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom Rack ($100) ~ bracelet & cocktail ring: family heirloom
I hope this helps you in your quest for finding the perfect office to party outfit. Happy Holidays everyone!
Before you jump into my recommendations, let me say something. We know that everyone is making gift guides and that there are a million options for presents out there. That’s why I look at these gift guides as a way to spark an idea. We may have picked out the perfect chair for your boss and that’s great! If not, we may have just planted the idea that a chair would be a great present; and we’re okay with that. Our “gift to the earth” section should inspire you to buy products that will be nicer to the environment. Choose something made with recycled materials or something that will disintegrate rather than sitting in a land fill for thousands of years. Last of all, check our Shoplet Holiday Center for more gift ideas!
Gifts to the Earth:
(1) Caremail Greenwrap Protective Packaging, $9.93 per roll (2) Scotch Recyclable Paper Wrap, $8.29 (3) Sealed Air Jiffylite Self-Seal Mailer, $5.89 per pack of 10 (4) Avery EcoFriendly Labels, $30.34 for 1,000 labels (5) United States Postal Service Tear-By-Hand Packaging Tape, $13.20 per pack of 2 (6) Savannah Supplies Compostable Cutlery – Forks, Knives, and Spoons, $5.75 per pack (7) Nature House Compostable Paper Cups, $7.66 per pack (8) Pentel Handy-line S Retractable Permanent Markers (8) Marcal 100% Premium Recycled Luncheon Napkins , $31.81 per carton
The Little Things: (1) Pentel EnerGel RTX Roller Ball Retractable Gel Pen, $1.97 each (2) Post-it Recycled Pop-up Notes, $4.04 (3) Energizer Handsfree Panic Alarm LED Flashlight, $8.08 each (4) Crayola Washable Crayons, $2.77 (5) Saunders Plastic Antimicrobial Clipboard, $4.52 (6) Tide To Go Stain Remover Pen, $3.49 (7) Blueline Ostrich Exec Business Notebook, $10.44 (8) Tops Designer Notebook, $6.47 (9) Staedtler Compass, $1.30 (10) Baumgartens Photo Frame Keychain, $1.34 (11) At-a-Glance Recycled Weekly Monthly Desk Appointment Book, $13.78 (12) Victor Plastic Pencil Cup w LCD Display, $15.91 (13) Stride Gum Spearmint, $13.92 (14) Chenille Kraft 60-Piece Mixed Sponge Set , $21.98
Super Nice Presents: (1) Samsung TL320 Point & Shoot Digital Camera, $308.95 (2) Logitech M505 Wireless Laser Mouse, $62.75 (3) Dewalt Cordless Drill , $198.75 (4) Kensington Pro Fit USB PS2 Washable Keyboard, $39.14 (5) LaCie Rugged XL Hard Drive 1 TB, $139.95 (6) HON Ignition Series Mid-Back Work Chair, $279.32 (7) Solo Leather Laptop Portfolio, $133.09 (8) Day-timer Leather Tote, $89.28 (9) ihome iP9 Clock Radio for iPhone & iPod, $97.95 (10) Corporate Gifting California Healthy Gift Basket, $82.57 (11) Logitech Z523 Speaker System, $97.95
By Angeline Evans of The New Professional
Hi folks, it’s Angeline from The New Professional. I am so excited to be guest posting here on Cubicle Chic today because a) I love Meredith and Lindsay and how they’re just as obsessed with office-appropriate fashion as I am and b) I am oddly passionate about the cubicle life and welcome any chance to discuss it with others. If you’ve ever read my blog, you’ll notice that in addition to fashion, I post on cubicle life — everything from desktop décor to memorable meetings to making yourself indispensable. Today’s topic—holiday cheer in your workplace.
This time of year, stores and homes are completely decked out, spreading holiday cheer. Maybe your office has a holiday party as well, but if it doesn’t, or if that’s just not enough for you (even off-site parties carry some office politics and sensitivities with them, right?), there are plenty of opportunities for you to infuse your own brand of cheer. Some ideas, in order of complexity:
- Embellish your environment. The easiest way to feel some holiday cheer at work is to bring some holiday décor into your cubicle or workspace. This can be anything from a few red, green, silver, or gold accents to a mini-tree. Play some holiday themed music if you’re allowed (and if you can stand it).
- Bring in treats. Homemade or store-bought, no one can resist some holiday goodies. I’m a big fan of the candy bowl, but I also know that anything left in our break room will be eaten up in a snap. Plus, baking at home is a great way to make my house smell great — I just don’t want to have to eat it all afterward! I love anything with pumpkin or peppermint, and chocolate always makes quite the appearance in my place this time of year.
- Card exchange/display. Slightly based on the cookie exchange idea below, I just randomly made this one up (as far as I know, at least — I’ve never heard of it or seen it done). Instead of buying and writing cards to everyone in the office, find a place in the office to display everyone’s cards. Employees can bring in theirs for the season and add it to the collection. It’s an easy way to wish everyone holiday greetings. The prevalence of photo cards nowadays would also make this super-fun, since you’d get to see each other’s families, adding a personal touch. This would be optional, of course (not everyone wants their family photo displayed at work).
- Secret Santa. Gather participants, pick names among those who want to participate, and [ta-da] instant holiday surprise fun! You can do just one exchange, or do something small regularly to extend the suspense.
- Cookie exchange. This popular get-together is easy to pull off in the office. Here’s how it goes: each participant bakes (or buys) a dozen or so of one kind of cookie. Everyone brings their cookies and an empty container. At a set time/place, all the cookies are laid out, and you can go around and grab other people’s cookies, until you’ve taken as many as you’ve brought (although you may not have to be super-strict on that).
- White elephant gift exchange. Easy-peasy because no one is obligated to buy anything new, but still up on the complexity level because it does require some organized time and space. There are many ways to go about this, but my favorite is putting all the gifts together (anonymous), and having everyone pick numbers out of a hat. Go down the line by number, with each participant choosing a gift from the pile and opening it immediately. The next person is allowed to grab a gift from the pile or steal a previously opened gift. If someone’s gift gets stolen, it’s their turn to pick a new gift or steal from someone else. From past experience, I recommend suggesting an estimated value of the gift. That way someone doesn’t bring a nice (but unwanted) punch bowl from their wedding just to take home a roll of toilet paper (similar things have happened before). Some variations include limiting the number of steals, or letting the first person exchange (steal) after everyone else has gone (since they didn’t have any stealing options to begin with).
- Holiday party. If your office or workplace doesn’t already do one, you may be able to host one yourself. Check with HR or Operations beforehand… it’s possible that they’d be willing to help fund an event but just haven’t had anyone willing to plan it. If not, an office-wide party is probably too difficult. For a small office, an organized lunch would be easy (everyone pays for their own meal). Or check with your boss or department head if you want to host just your group over. One thing is for sure — stay away from invite-only events. Keep the boundaries clear — everyone in the office, everyone in the department, everyone on a certain committee, etc. If you want to invite work friends to a personal party you’re hosting, that’s different, but if nearly everyone there is from work, word will spread.
While personalizing your holiday work experience is definitely up to you, do be sensitive to the culture of your office and to those around you. Remember: this is a workplace, and your activities and personal expression should not interfere with the amount and quality of work being done. Don’t bring in a heavily scented wreath or nativity scene into your cube, or force sugar-laden treats on others — keep things unobtrusive and purely optional.
What are you doing in your office this season to celebrate the holidays?
by Gaby of Working Girl’s Shoe Closet
No matter what coast you live on (I’m writing from the West one!), it’s definitely winter! And while we love the holidays and fabulous styles that come with the season, we don’t love the impact and damage the weather inflicts on our favorite kicks. So this is my little list of ways to help your hot steppers stay haute!
My most essential maintenance must-have is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I know it’s random, but this thing cleans off 99% of all scuff on any and all kinds of leather, faux leather and even fabric shoes. It REALLY lives up to its name and is truly magic. I have no idea what it’s made of, but once you’ve finished cleaning the counters of your bathroom, you can make your way to your shoes and those nasty little scuffs . I do recommend having one dedicated solely (ha! no pun intended..) to your shoes. I’ve never personally tried it on suede, so be cautious if you do and use it gently. I have some suede-specific suggestions below.
Keeping your leather supple during the harsh winter requires some moisturizer. My favorite leather moisturizer is Leather Honey. This is the product you’d whip out when you see your leather starting to crack or look dry – kind of like when your skin starts to feel dry! First, you want to clean your shoes with a mild soap like Murphy’s Oil Soap. Then, lay down newspapers so the Leather Honey doesn’t make a mess on your floors. Apply with a lint-free cloth, let it dry and you’re done. Your leather will be well-conditioned and water-resistant for one more winter.
This is one of the most unglamorous parts of cleaning shoes, but you really should do it: the insides. Living in an urban environment guarantees that those little gunks will accumulate inside your shoes. It’s inevitable unless you wear socks with all your shoes, and I highly doubt you do! So, while using any anti-bacterial wipes like Clorox or Greenworks do a fine job, I’ve found one that gets into those hard to reach spots: Aldo’s “Inside Cleaner.” This product works really well because it has a brush as part of its lid that reaches all the little crevices, leaving the insides of your shoes squeaky clean!
Now for the suede. Suede needs a little more regular maintenance, but when done right, it’s quick and keeps your suede looking sharp for years. A little nail brush works for general daily buffing, but when your suede is need of a deep clean, you’ve got to bring out this fantastic little brush. It’s for those areas that get roughed up, like the back of your heel or the sides of your shoes. The dual-sided brush works to invigorate and refresh the suede, making it look like new!
Now that you’ve got your kicks all cleaned and conditioned, inside and out, how do you store them to keep them in tip top shape during the off-season? We can rely on our fabulous friends at The Container Store who seem to think of everything, including fantastic shoe storage and shapers. They have four shaper options for boots alone! You can choose your storage preference based on your closet’s limitations. You can hang them, package them in their original boxes with cedar shapers or you can use the clear boot shoe boxes. I have every kind of shoebox they sell. They’re great for stacking and the clear plastic is fantastic for seeing all options at once, which is great you’re choosing a pair for the day’s outfit. One thing to be mindful of is to make sure to never put your leather shoes away when they are wet or damp; mold is NOT a nice surprise to find in your shoes a few weeks after storing them. Cedar is actually a great mold repellent. If you live in a drier climate, cedar isn’t essential but you should still be weary of making sure your shoes are dry before stowing them away. Leather needs to breathe, so make sure that your box doesn’t have an airtight seal.
I hope these tips keep your kicks looking hot to trot and, more importantly, that they protect your investments!
Photo Credits: Mr. Clean, Amazon.com, Aldo, Virtual Village and The Container Store.
By Rachel Yeomans of TheWorkingWardrobe
I am so excited to be participating in #WorkStyleWeek – a week long series of blog posts by fellow work fashion bloggers on workwear for winter, for the holidays and workwear in general! I’m kicking off this soiree with thoughts on soirees in general, specifically the work holiday soiree! The season is upon us, and that means it’s time to face the never-ending work holiday parties. The fetes may be held through your office, industry network events or associations. No matter the event or location, there will be that ever-nagging question: What do I wear?!
Photo Credit: iStockPhoto, IsaacLKoval
No matter your office setting, the work holiday party is not an occasion to err on the side of casual – no matter how business casual your office. The work holiday party is one of those few occasions where people at work can see you a little bit outside of your work zone. People can get a glimpse into who are you when not stuck in meetings or answering emails behind a desk. Show them that you’re someone who is worth knowing outside of work!
There are usually two different scenarios upon entering the work holiday party – one is going to the event straight from work, and the other is being able to go to the event straight from your home so you don’t have to worry about the work-to-party attire conundrum.
Let’s start with the conundrum. Luckily when people from work go straight to the holiday party, most don’t expect you to do a quick change in the company bathrooms. You will probably see most people not even adding anything to their ensembles. However, you are going from work to an event – don’t you want to at least feel like there’s some change to your look?
If I attended a party in the exact same outfit I was wearing a mere few hours earlier negotiating contracts, I wouldn’t feel that embedded in the holiday spirit. So pack some heels, throw on a silk blazer, pin a brooch on your cardigan or don some dangly earrings and smack on some red lipstick. These may be small changes, but you’ll feel different enough to be able to leave work behind and celebrate.
Now on to the more user-friendly option. If you’re coming from your home to the office party, your restrictions aren’t nearly as present. You have the chance to dress up a little bit more, and I promise you, most people will so don’t take this opportunity to skimp on the accessories. Wash your face, redo your hair, and put on that little black dress to feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to mingle.
Work Party Dress: Vivenne Westwood
Dress Trousers: Burberry Prorsum
With that being said – please pay heed to the fact that this may be a holiday party with the adjective of ‘work’ put in front of it. That adjective is there to remind you that you still should pay heed to the fact that you can loosen up a bit, but still remember to don the air of professionalism and tact when sipping your champagne. Don’t dress is anything too tight, too low, too skimpy, and don’t drink too much. Remember you have to go back to the office the following work day – don’t be the gossip by the water cooler. Rather be the one who everyone remembers as having the best outfit at the party!
Work Party Dress: Anne Klein
For more work fashion looks for men and women, check out TheWorkingWardrobe blog, Facebook Fan Page, LinkedIn Group, and follow us on Twitter!
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