Outfit of the Day: Business Chic

Happy Monday! My outfit of the day is business chic, featuring a black peplum dress with spicy orange heels and a classy, vintage necklace available on my Etsy shop (click here to explore my designs). The understated peplum is the right dose of sass to this smart-looking ensemble. Here, I'm hoping to inspire your business wardrobe to fit the bill for the office, but please know that there is so much more to business than dressing the part.

Recently, I've been exploring the whole concept of "business". What is it really? It's just a multitude of relationships. Whether business to business, business to consumer or business to government, it revolves around the connection. It's a professional structure of how I can give to someone something that he or she is needing, a service, a product or an experience. He or she in turn has something that will fulfill my need whatever it may be. For this reason, customer service oriented roles such as PR, HR and marketing are so important. I've seen firsthand as a sales associate and manager that my success has come not from being a pushy sales-driven employee but from being a person who genuinely cares. I am able to communicate value of the product for sale while communicating value to the consumer (when most people don't know how valuable they truly are! It's time for that to change). 

I want to encourage you today in your relationships whether in your career or your personal life to demonstrate with your actions the value you hold for your relationships and the worth you have for those individuals or businesses. It might mean a simple coffee date or mani/pedi outing where you intentionally describe your appreciation for that person. Maybe it entails writing your senator a "thank you" letter for serving your state, or it could possibly mean genuinely thanking a sales person for helping you over the years and asking what their dreams are. John Wooden has the recipe for success in all relationships (business to business, business to consumer or business to government) in this simple statement: "consider the rights of others before your own feelings and the feelings of others before your own rights." Ultimately, if you dress the part but don't have the heart, you will only get so far. 

Here I am in my black peplum dress with spicy orange heels (mmm, pumpkin spice latte, anyone?). All I need is my iPad with my leopard print Nicole Miller case, and I'm ready to hit the office.

 I'm swirling over the cut-out back of this dress. Another flare of fun for this structured business look.

Here's a close-up of my gold bling. I'm rocking a few knuckle rings, a paper airplane ring and a chic necklace featuring a vintage broach and pearls.

 I'm putting my best foot forward in these spicy orange Calvin Klein heels which I purchased at Belks.

Are you feeling inspired to dress for success? I hope you have a wonderful week at work whether from the office or the comfort of your own home! xx