Business or Casual? Tips for City Office Attire...

Hi everyone!

I have to say I missed you guys so much! I was hoping to get some blogging time in while I was away but those crazy New Yorkers party way too much and way too late. Honestly, I did not get back to my hotel room until AFTER midnight each night - I can't even remember staying out that late here in SD!

Anyway, it was a fun, but exhausting trip and I am so glad to be back on the slower paced, early night schedule of So Cal.

Before my trip, I was a little worried about what to wear to my new office. I heard it was "business casual" but really, what exactly IS business casual these days? I have always stayed on the "it's better to be overdressed than under dressed" side of things so I made sure to pack a lot of pencil skirts, blouses and heels.

To my surprise, "casual" seemed to be outweigh "business" in not only my office, but the NY streets as well. I saw a lot of sun dresses, flip flops, skinny jeans and tank tops; even on the high level executives. I felt a tad overdressed but I did get a few compliments on my outfits so I think I was OK.

During my week, I learned a few key things about dressing for work in New York City...

1. ALWAYS bring a flat pair of shoes (flip flops, flats, sneakers, etc). You will be walking everywhere and if you don't bring anything else, you will end up with HOLES IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEELS. No joke...I think I have scars for the rest of my life. Speaking of flats...I just got these babies. Cute right??

2. Dress in layers. NY heat/humidity in the summer can be brutal and the air conditioning can literally freeze you to death. OK, not literally, as I obviously did not die but there were a couple times I thought I was close!

3. Think of day-to-night outfits. Many work days in NY start as work but end in a fun night out. Try to plan your outfit to go from day to night by bringing a different top, some fun jewelry or killer (non-office) heels. Keep those flats handy for walking, though (see #1)

Here is one of my day to night outfits. The cardigan was perfect for the office and the gold accessories were great for a little sparkle at night!

H&M Asymmetrical Tank // J Crew Black Cardigan & Gold Necklace 

(mine is a knockoff from So Good Jewelry (shhh!) // Coral Skinny Jeans (these are fab btw!) // 

Jessica Simpson Danys // Gold Belt // Tory Burch Robinson Bag

4. Bring a small purse if you also have a work bag. I had a BIG purse and a BIG work bag. Having both at the restaurants and bars we went to after work was not fun!

5. Be observant. Find a style inspiration and try to mimic them. Now, don't go out and buy the exact same shirt as a co-worker (that could get weird) but be influenced by their overall style. If your boss is always dressing up, you probably should be too. If your CEO runs around in flip flops - you probably could get away with it too, but you might want to keep those stashed for the walk home (see #1)

To make sure I had the right pieces before my trip, I hit up J Crew and H&M to get some basics. I love mixing pricey items (ahem...J Crew) and affordable items.  Here are a couple of my favorite outfit days...(yes, I own the same shoes in multiple colors and have only one work bag...don't you??)

J. Crew Leopard Blouse, Pearl Necklace & Pencil Skirt // Steve Madden Pumps // 

Tory Burch Robinson Bag // Michael Kors Watch // Prada Sunnies 

J Crew Sweater // H&M Lace Pencil Skirt // Tory Burch Robinson Bag // Steve Madden Pumps // 

Gucci Sunnies // Enamel Bracelets

What are your thoughts on business casual attire? Are you a fan? What items are key in your "office" wardrobe?