Sisters Marie: Work Week Chic

I remember the first time I went shopping for “real” work clothes – I was fresh out of college and was interviewing for an internship at zig, an advertising agency which I got and loved! Tiny backstory: The company merged with Crispin, Porter & Bogusky not too long after I left but I still smile every time I drive by the office on Michigan Avenue. Fond memories, for sure...I was so excited to be taking the train, riding the CTA, etc...well, except on -30 degree days! Okay, back to shopping -- My mom and I went together, stopping at stores like Express, the Limited, etc. and for some reason, I just had an aversion to everything business casual. I can’t tell you how many pairs of black pants (or “slacks” as my Grandmother would say) I tried on and thought they were all super unflattering.

I was so use to wearing form fitting jeans and leggings so everything that was deemed office friendly just seemed so frumpy. I couldn’t wrap my head around button-up cardigans, ill-fitting blouses and generic black wants…why did moving up in your career mean moving down in the fashion world? Luckily, the world of marketing & PR is very lax when it comes to office apparel so I actually haven’t work black dress pants since the day of that interview…jeans and dresses on the daily for this girl!

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That said, just because I can dress fairly casual doesn't mean I'm wearing workout clothes daily. I still like to look nice and put together, and this includes making sure my dresses are an appropriate length for the office (enter tall girl struggles). It's not always an easy to task to find a "trendy"/cute dress in a long enough length so I'm pumped when I do. This floral, boat neck shift dress is not only a great length but it's thick enough to keep you warm on Fall days and perfect for layering. I feel like the addition of the utility vest makes the overall look a little more fun and true to my personal style.