I'M WEARING: BUSINESS CASUAL...

Well, I'm back with my next round of outfit posts and I hope you like them! I thought I would start this round off with some work wear. I have to dress up for work almost every day, so I thought it made sense to give you an idea of what dressing up looks like for me. I work in a corporate environment where "business casual" is the dress code. Does anyone know what "business casual" means yet?? I've seen it in so many forms which makes me believe that there is still no clear definition of the phrase. But I know what it means for me... It means simple, tailored, classy and crisp, yet fashionable and most importantly - comfortable. I like to mix classic pieces like classic black pants, dresses or pencil skirts with trendier tops or accessories to spice things up. That dress is super easy to mix and match, so it is in heavy rotation at the moment. Comfortable shoes are also an absolute must, but they have to be stylish! Gosh that combination is so hard to find these days...

I like to top off my work outfits with a good work bag. Fashionable work bags are also hard to come by, but I just happened to find the PERFECT bag a few months ago. I like structured, functional, yet stylish bags that hold the essentials like keys, iPhone, wallet, mints (a must), sunglasses, and a small cosmetic bag. It also has to have room for a small laptop and/or my iPad and portfolio. That Kate Spade bag has room for all of that plus some. It's durable, too! It's definitely a favorite of mine and something I will be carrying for a long time...

Dress: J.Crew | Shirt: Banana Republic (old, but similar here and here) | Bag: Kate Spade | Patent Loafer Pumps: Nine West via DSW (old) | Circle Necklace: J.Crew (similar here), Triangle Necklace: J.Crew (available in stores) | Stacked Rings: Banana Republic (similar here) | Watch: Michael Kors | Sunglasses: Dolce & Gabanna | Lips: "Burnt Red" by Bobbi Brown | Nails: "Bubble Bath" by OPI

All photos by the talented Paula Coldiron