Author: Kristen Ballou

Dressing it for Casual Friday

Work Wear

As we’ve mentioned before, Casual Friday doesn’t have to mean jeans. This week, we are falling into cooler weather with a dress, blazer/ bootie combo that can take you from the office right into the weekend.

If you’re not good a mixing and matching patterns and vibrant colors, neutrals and earth tones can be your best friend. Check out Theo’s neutral toned look. While this could typically be considered a summer dress, when it’s paired with a gray/tan blazer and suede, closed toe booties, the outfit translates into the cooler season seamlessly.

Trading in the basket weave purse for a leather tote large enough to store your laptop really finishes off this office ready look.

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Shift Style Top

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Shift Dresses are great when it comes to showing off your figure without showing off every little part of it. Having a semi straight look can be flattering and hide areas that we may not bee so crazy about. The same can be said about the shift style top, pictured below from Ann Taylor. This look can still give you some shape without calling out your muffin top or making you feel like a stuffed sausage. In fact, the little extra room in this style dress and top can have a thinning effect!

One thing to note is that since these tops are a little loose, it is important to balance the look with a black skinny jean or a more tailored pant.

When in doubt: Blazer and Blouse

Work Wear

It can be confusing with all the new styles, guidelines and hemlines. With all the new cuts and trends, it’s now easy to stand out by sporting a classic office look; A tailored blazer with a crisp, white button down shirt and tailored slacks. Below is a great every day look from Ann Taylor that can’t go wrong in the office. Notice how the blazer cuts in at the waist and the pants are close, but not skin tight, to the leg, avoiding that boxy look that is easy to happen upon with slacks and jackets. Pair with a neutral heel, belt and simple necklace to bring the whole look together. Enjoy!

Staple Pieces are Essential

Work Wear

TheOProtocol stopped in to LOFT to check out their new fall line. What we found were classic pieces that are versatile and worth the investment.

Last week we featured Rent the Runway as a great option for selecting unique pieces that can be changed out week to week or month to month. For some, the $169 Unlimited Subscription fee can be a little more than the budget allows. This is where wardrobe staples gain their value.

While we love a good Casual Friday look, today we are going to feature the LOFT Pocket Shift Skirt in the “dark brown sugar” shade. This camel color is a great, warm fall shade that can still constitute as a “neutral” making it a great mix-and-match piece. The shift style cut is classic, sophisticated and can carry a broad range of tops; from sweaters to button downs and even a wrap. Pair with tights on cooler days or wear as-is when the weather is a bit warmer.  With the versatility this skirt offers, this skirt becomes a sensible purchase for those of us on a tighter budget, without sacrificing style.

This week (10/12/18) most of these items are part of their 50% off sale! Check them out!

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Loft Pocket Shift Skirt paired with the Plaid Tab Sleeve Blouse

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Paired with the Dot Stripe Wrap Top

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Paired with a navy flutter sleeve top.

Rent the Runway Rookie Edition: Casual Friday. The good, the bad and the wrinkled.

Work Wear

Lesson of the day: Consider fabrics that have a little more structure when placing your order. A wrinkle in your garment can be a wrinkle in your style.

Rent the Runway has been quite an experience this week. There is certainly a learning curve but by the end, I think I have developed a wealth of knowledge for my next order. Friday’s selection, a Trina Turk Alexsia Chambray Blazer , also came with it’s set of lessons. While I love the look of a blazer dressed down, one must take into consideration that acquiring clothing through an online medium means that these items are going to be packaged up, and sent on a several day journey through the mail. When theses items arrive, you may want to be ready with an iron or a steamer.  (You will see in the photos below how difficult chambray can be a tricky, maintenance-heavy fabric to work with)

If you’re like most working women, your day is busy enough managing a family (or even just your personal life), your professional life and all the things that fill the minutes in between. The purpose of RTR for professional women is to have ready-to-wear outfits that arrive at your door, with no extra work included. 99% of my RTR experience fell into that sequence. While I made sure to read reviews, check sizing and plan around my chambray blazer order, I failed to recognize that chambray wrinkles easily and is difficult to bring back to life at a moments notice. Casual Friday is a time to dress down, but having crisp, clean and ironed clothing is still an office protocol must.  Nevertheless, it can make a great addition to your Casual Friday look by giving a basic shift dress, similar to the one pictured below, some dimension and added color. Since both the dress and the blazer are solid colors, I brought Monday’s leopard print shoes back to life with a Causal Friday twist.

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While we here at TheOProtocol don’t mind sporting a casual dress and some heels on Friday’s, many enjoy the luxury of throwing on a pair of jeans before heading into the office. Below are some other ways to leave the dress on the hanger and finish out the work week with the coveted pair of jeans.

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