A Desk-to-Drinks Dress

My first job after university was in banking, and I remember how boring my wardrobe was! It consisted of blazers, v-neck blouses and pants…that was it. Since I was new to the industry, I didn’t want to risk making any mistakes.

But what I’ve learned over the years, is that you don’t have to limit your work wardrobe – it’s possible to transform “fun” clothes into work clothes – you just need to be strategic in how you layer and accessorize!

For example, this Willow & Thread dress with a geometric watercolour print is elegant and chic – and would be perfectly appropriate for many work places as is. But if you have meetings where you want to look more formal, you can transform your dress from “cocktail chic” to “serious businesswoman” by picking out a blazer, shoes and bag in a classic suiting colour – such as navy, grey or black. These items will add structure to your outfit, and will help create the illusion that your whole outfit is more formal than it actually is!

When it comes to styling work dresses with a jacket, it’s easier to pick a tailored pencil dress – since it will create the same structured silhouette that you would get when wearing a skirt suit. But if you’re dealing with a more draped dress – like this one – you can still make it work!

I untied the waist belt and flipped it so that the bow tied in the back and was hidden by the blazer. I also tied it a bit higher to reduce the amount of draping and make it look more sleek. You can also experiment with the type of blazer you wear – I wore a traditional suit blazer, but you could also try a more cropped version.

The best part is – at the end of the day, it’s easy to transform the dress back to a “fun” one again – and you’re ready for any evening plans you may have!

How do you dress for work? Do you have a formal or a casual dress code?

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Reitmans.


Photo Credit:Laura Clarke Photography

Location: The Apartment, 718 Gerrard Street E, Store, Toronto