Where to Shop to Build Your Work Day Wardrobe

original photo c/o pink pot

Finding clothes to wear to work that don't cost an arm and a leg can be a daunting task. Below is a round-up of the places I think are best for office wear. I've also picked out some favorite currently available items (so many beautiful pencil skirts!) from each of these stores. Enjoy!

Nordstrom: 

Pro: SO many options. Nordstrom is the mecca for wear to work shopping. My personal favorite brands for office wear are Halogen & Anne Klein (both extremely affordable). I also love Theory (though their clothes are much more expensive).
 
Con: They have far more online than in store. This means a lot of shopping without trying on. If you are in America though, they have a free shipping & returns policy so buy a ton and just return what doesn't fit! Shipping is $10 to Canada.

Some great options:

Club Monaco:  

Pro: Feminine work wear styles. High quality material.

Con: Expensive. I find that shopping their sale section online is that best way to get affordable items.

Some great options:


 

J Crew:

Pro: Timeless, Classic items. You can wear J Crew pieces season after season and still be fashionable.

Con: Expensive. Styles don't fit all body types (I hear many women complain that J Crew just doesn't fit them right. Try some items on and see how they feel for you).

Some great pieces:


 

J Crew Factory:

Pro: Affordable, classic pieces. Also- lots of "mix and match" items with different cuts of pants, skirts & blazers all in the same fabric/color.

Con: Lower quality material. I find the stitching is more likely to come undone, hemlines are more likely to fall, etc.

My favorite items right now:
 

Express:

Pro: Extremely affordable. "Trendy" items.

Con: Not much selection. Very fast turn around in products (ie. if you like it, buy it. It may not be there next week!)

My favorites:
  

White House Black Market:

Pro: Affordable. Very stylish.

Con: Some of their "work wear" items are not the most work appropriate - sometimes they make v-necks that are a little low, slits that are a little high, etc.

My top picks:
 

Ann Taylor:

Pro: Quality materials. They are also really quite good with returns and exchanges.

Con: Limited number of pieces each collection/season (only really a con if you're planning on doing a large haul of work wear)

Some of my favorites:
 

linking up with: casual friday // WW // friday faves // flashback fashion friday // friday favorites  // hello monday // 

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Christmas Gift Guide: Surviving Last Minute Shopping

Anastasia Brow Kit // Sole Society "Mason" Weekender Bag // Naked Eyeshadow Palette // Watch & Bracelet Set // Quilted Cross Body // Audio Enabled Earmuffs 

Pom Beanie // Ring // Initial Necklace (no longer available at Bloomingdale's, so I've linked it up elsewhere) // Rose Gold Brush Set (also only available elsewhere- but it's linked!) // Infinity Scarf // Similar Pocket Scarf

As a busy woman, I know how hard it can be to find time for things like Christmas shopping. If any of you have left your shopping to the last minute - fear not! It is possible to shop for Christmas gifts at the last minute, and still get excellent gifts that your friends & family will love.

In addition to the above items which all make great gifts, I've got a number of tips for you on how to actually survive shopping for gifts right before Christmas. Here goes:

How to Win at Last Minute Christmas Shopping 

(1) Pick 1 or 2 Stores ONLY
As you can see, my picks above are all from Nordstrom & Bloomingdale's. These are great stores for last minute shopping because of the variety of items available in one store. When you're shopping last minute you do not want to get stuck going to 10 different stores. One-stop shops are the place to be!!

(2) Pick Out Items Online
Shop online to determine what you want to (ideally) get, and arm yourself with a printed list when you actually go to the store. Stores will be crowded, and the last thing you want is to have to aimlessly wander around looking for gift ideas.

(3) Call Stores to Check Availability

Many stores - even during the busy Christmas season - will check stock if you call and give them the product code (that you will have seen during your online research) Better to know in advance if the item you want is available so you can get in and get out and avoid the aforementioned aimless wandering haha.

(4) Call Stores for Holds 

Many stores will put on hold for you the item/items you have called about. Most will keep them behind the counter. This way, you can go straight to the till and not worry about finding things in store! Some stores - like Macy's - even allow you to shop and pay online and just do "pick up" in your local store. This is the biggest time saver there is!

And there you have it!!

 Good luck to everyone with their last minute shopping. And don't forget that it is totally okay to pick up a little something for yourself while you're at it! Personally, I can't get enough of THIS!

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