Business Casual Lookbook

Hey, people!

Not long ago, I got a job working as a marketing assistant for my aunt who works as a real estate agent. My job as her marketing assistant is to create flyers for open houses, make promotional videos for said houses, create congratulatory posts for accepted offers, increase her online presence, and keep in touch with past clients. This job also entails going to clients' houses and communicating with them face-to-face, which means I gotta dress a little fancy. I used this as an excuse to do some major shoppin'!

I'm considering this a collective haul because I've decided to include some bits that I bought a few months ago. The three shops I bought these clothes from include Target, Boohoo, and Romwe, but I did include one piece from H&M and one piece from Kohls.

Without further ado, here are some items I bought for my new, businessy wardrobe! Enjoy!

I'm starting with the most basic items so we can work our way to the fun stuff! I wanted to get a couple button-down shirts, as I feel they are the epitome of powerful woman apparel. From Target I got a basic, white, cotton button-down by the brand Universal Thread. I thought that the style of this piece was very professional, as most button-downs are, but the cotton material gave it a casual softness, making it more wearable for everyday life. The good thing about a white button-down is that it goes with almost any type of color or fabric you could wear on your lower half. This shirt would look just as great with jeans as it would with dress pants, if not better! Definitely a staple in everyone's wardrobe.

The second button-down I bought is this gorgeous grey and white blouse from the brand A New Day. This shirt is made of 100% rayon, making it incredibly light and flowy and the perfect long sleeve option for warmer months. This type of fabric is also a lot chicer than it's cotton alternative, in terms of both the look and the feel. I love how the stripes give the shirt a little pizazz, while the color and style maintain the sophisticated feel. The only thing I don't like about this top is the length. It'd look strange if you were to leave it untucked, but there is so much excess fabric that when you try to tuck it, it looks very bunchy. It's extremely comfortable to wear though. So soft!

Although I didn't plan on including this outfit because I got these two items a while ago, I thought I might as well for any of you who want the inspiration! This cropped, ribbed, black turtleneck is from H&M, and the trousers are from Kohls by the brand Candies. I believe both of these items were under $20 each. This is definitely a more of a casual business outfit, as most office buildings don't wanna see your belly button. However, if you're your own boss, why not?!

Onto Boohoo! I knew that I wanted to find some tapered black trousers, and Boohoo answered those very specific prayers. These are the Amira Belted Tailored Tie Ankle Slim Trousers, and I am absolutely in love with them. The quality of the fabric and the stitching is phenomenal, and I love the overall fit of the pants. I love the way they fit around the hips. I love the ties, I love the pockets, and I love the little creases/pleats incorporated into the design. These pants would go great with virtually any shirt or pair of shoes, and can instantly smarten up any outfit. This pair of trousers and the next three Boohoo items I bought, I got for 40% off. With the discount, these pants were $24.00.

Although I was told I needed black pants for my job as a marketing assistant, I decided that I was gonna break the rules and have a little fun with my wardrobe. For that reason, I decided to buy these navy-and-green Abigail Woven Tartan Slim Fit Ankle Grazer Trousers. These pants are baggier than I thought they were going to be, so I handled that curveball by pairing them with a tight camisole. I've never worn an outfit like this, but I love it! If you aren't allowed to wear thin-strapped tops at work, try a bodysuit or another tighter alternative to counteract the bagginess of the trousers. I got these pants for $22.80.

Also while searching the Boohoo website, I decided that I needed some dresses for the warmer months. The first dress I bought was the Diane Cold Shoulder Double Layer Dress in Mocha, because I loved the shape and I figured this color would go well with most pairs of shoes. I love the high neckline, the shoulder cut-outs, and the multiple layers of fabric. I feel that this dress is simple yet sophisticated, and perfectly professional! What's even greater about this dress is that I got it for $15.00!

The second dress I bought was this masterpiece, although I am not doing it justice! This is the Vi High Neck Kimono Sleeve Formal Mini Dress, and it is the epitome of business chic. I love the collar, the unique sleeve shape, and the tie around the waist. Although it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I love the chunkiness and bagginess of this dress; it feels very fashion-forward! This dress would look great with knee-high boots if you're going for a smart night out.

Finally from Boohoo, I bought this lovely coat! I've always wanted a big, structured coat because I feel like they are the materialization of class and sophistication. I hope I'm right! This is the Sarah Zip Pocket Tailored Coat, and I got it for 50% off for a total of $43.00. This coat has shoulder pads that give it a great structure, along with lovely piping around the edges of the collar and lapel. This coat looks great over dresses, business outfits, or a t-shirt and jeans. It's perfect!

After discovering the wonder that is Romwe, I went a little crazy. Since the site is so cheap, I decided to buy items that I wouldn't normally wear because if I didn't like them, I didn't waste too much money on them! The first item I bought from Romwe was this White Contrast Grid Print Knot Cuffed Blouse. I love how short this blouse is length-wise. I love the length and width of the sleeves, and I love the pinky orange stripes! I didn't realize until I was writing this post that the name of the shirt includes the word "knot". If I would've seen that earlier, I would've styled it as such! I got this shirt on sale for a total of $7.60. I will definitely be wearing this during spring and summer!

To go with the shirt above, I bought these wonderful trousers. These are the Ruffled Tie Waist Peg Leg Pants in coral. I LOVE the frills around the waist, and I love the tie! I like the look of the deep pockets, but you can't really put anything in them without the items noticeably protruding through the thin fabric. The stitching on these pants isn't the best, but I got them on sale for 12.80 so I can't complain! Overall, I am quite happy with my purchase!

The final businessy piece I bought from Romwe was this Band Collar Stripe Print Blouse. I was drawn to this shirt because of the collar, as it's not like anything I'd usually pick out for myself. I love this shade of blue and the double-stripe action. Once again, I'm a big fan of the sleeve style! I feel like this shirt would be perfect for a sunny vacation as well as being perfect for the conference room. I got this shirt on sale, also for $7.60. Sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone really pays off!

That's it for my business casual clothing haul! I hope you've found an item you like, or that you at least found some inspiration! Tune in next week where I give you a tour of my new... backpack! I promise it's more exciting than it sounds, especially for any handbag lovers!

Until then,

Jordan x