How To Make Your Vintage Inspired Wardrobe Office Friendly

While I may not technically have a dress code at work, I understand the struggles when trying to make your vintage/vintage inspired wardrobe work for everyday life.  I also work at the Pinup Girl office, which means my outfits are similar to my usual ensemble but tweaked a bit for comfort.  I know every office is different and some of these might not work for you, but here are my tips for getting the most from your wardrobe!  P.S. All the examples below were actual work outfits.




- Comfortable shoes are must (but don't have to be boring!).  I have a ridiculous amount of basic flats for everyday wear, but they tend to be anything but exciting.  I love my lace up flats from Pinup Girl Clothing and my Mandalaye flats from Jessica Simpson.  They're comfortable and great for a casual work environment.  If your office is a bit more dressed up, I'd recommend anything from Bettie Page or Chelsea Crew.  Their heels are incredibly comfortable and work perfectly with a retro inspired wardrobe.





- Cardigans are your friend.  Depending on your office situation, many necklines/sleeveless tops and dresses won't be appropriate.  That's why a cardigan (or an arsenal of them if it's my closet) are the perfect solution.  I prefer a cropped cardigan because it doesn't take away from the silhouette of your outfit.  Pinup Girl Clothing and Modcloth have a generous assortment of colors to match everything in your closet!




 

- Skip the petticoat.  As much as I love a big full skirt, it's just not practical at the office.  When I wear a dress or skirt to the office, I'll wear an underskirt (like this one HERE) with a full skirt or opt for a more demure a-line skirt.

- Dress down your fancier wiggle dresses.  I'm kind of new to wiggle dresses and pencil skirts because I rarely wear them outside of date nights.  I recently decided to get more wear from these pieces by styling them casually to work.  Again, cardigans are your friend and a pair of flats can completely change an otherwise "fancy" dress.

- 3/4 sleeve tops are the perfect staple.  If you enjoy skirts as much as I do, then you're constantly on the hunt for a great top to wear with them.  I really love 3/4 sleeved fitted tops because they're office appropriate, comfortable, and stylish.  The Sabrina top from Pinup Girl Clothing (pictured above) is a wonderful top that comes in an assortment of colors.  A budget friendly option is the Boatneck Tee from Target, which also comes in varied colors and prints.

Do you wear your vintage or vintage reproduction pieces to work?  What are your tips for keeping your wardrobe office friendly?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

P.S. To see more of my work outfits (I post them every weekend), follow me on Instagram!

Heart In A Cage

I can't sing enough praise for the Junebugs and Georgia Peaches collection from Pinup Girl Clothing.  There were a few pieces I couldn't wait to add to my closet and then there was this Junebugs dress.  While I love a great novelty print, the collar kind of scared me.  While visiting the boutique with Sammi last week I decided to try it on for fun.  It may not have come home with me that day, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.  And as you can see, it's now a part of my dress collection.  I even got a sweet compliment from my husband when I wore it!  I guess collars aren't so bad after all...

What's On My Radar: Current Loves

This month has a bunch of new and wonderful picks!  I'm looking into some home decor items (my husband and I are slowly redecorating our house) and I've been meaning to expand my shoe collection as well.  Of course, it's still me so there are lots of dresses and pretty prints included.  Here are my picks for August:

Target

1. Metal Linear Floor Lamp
2. Burke Slipper Chair
3. Templeton Futon
4. Safavieh Windsor Mirror
5. Windham Accent Cabinet

Target has really upped their game in the home decor department!  Kevin and I just repainted our office and now we're redecorating the space.  While this is a joint effort, these are the items I'd pick for the new space. 

Chelsea Crew

1. Teal and Tan Oped Toed Heel
2. Nude Round Toed Heel
3. Pastel Petal Heel
4. Black and Tan Heel
5. Mustard and Tan Opened Toed Heel

Chelsea Crew heels are just wonderful!  I own several pairs and often wear them to work because they're so comfortable.  Right now they're on Zulily so you can get all of these picks and so much more for a steal.  It's best not to wait because they never stay in stock for long!

Modcloth

1. Biking Through Brussels Dress in Bloom
2. Because I’m Blossom Dress
3. Bloomington Breeze Coat
4. Need I Say Amour? Dress
5. Biking Through Brussels Dress in Dijon

Yes, I know there's a coat on there but it's just so perfect.  I may use it about once a year (if I'm lucky) but it's too pretty to pass up!  As always, quirky novelty prints and florals rule my wandering eye...

Topshop

1. Ribbed Midi Bodycon Dress
2. Striped Midi Skirt
3. Flower Jacquard Dress
4. Crepe Wrap Midi Skirt
5. Notched Neck Striped Dress

Topshop has some great basic pieces with even better prices, so I'm obviously a fan.  I love how they make many of their dresses in a maternity, tall, and petite version so ladies of all shapes and sizes can enjoy the same great style.


That's all for this month!  What's on your wishlist?  Are you getting ready for the fall or basking in the summer like I am?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

Navy Lilac

I took a bit of an unexpected hiatus this past week, only because I've been having way too much fun with Sammi!  Today would be our first day without solid plans which is actually quite nice.  We've done some shopping, a Disneyland trip, visited some wonderful rescue barn animals, and met up with our friends Elana, Erica, Sarah, and Alex.  We also had time to take outfit photos at one of my favorite local nature reserves.  Having another person with you while you take your own pictures isn't only easier, but it takes the edge off when you have curious people around you.  I've come to the conclusion that they're less likely to ask questions when you're in a group!

Teal Harlequin

And the harlequin outfits continue!  I didn't actually intend to post these outfits back to back, but I couldn't help but share my trip to the grape fields.  While the Temecula wineries can get pretty busy, there was nobody around in the early hours of the morning.  As someone who really enjoys being alone, this was yet another perfect moment in a beautiful place.  I feel like I'll be making these early morning solo trips more often, it does wonders to your spirit!

Purple Harlequin

I'm sure it's no surprise when I say that purple is one of my favorite colors.  So when Pinup Girl Clothing released a purple harlequin print I was all over it!  I initially purchased this dress right after having Bianca and my dress size was much larger.  I didn't think I'd get the chance to own it in my actual size because this color way is now discontinued.  Thankfully, I have a few close friends (in this case, Sarah) who all wear the same size and our clothing is constantly swapped between us.  I got this from Sarah for a steal and I'm so happy it's finally returned to me!

Singing Solitude

Without a doubt, this skirt is one of my favorite pieces in my closet.  The floral border Jenny skirt has been sold out for ages but I was lucky enough to snag one from a lovely Instagram friend.  I decided to wear it with my red peasant top (a la Amanda) because it's truly the perfect pairing.  She always has the greatest outfits and it just so happens that we have a lot of the same clothes in our closets.  Plus, Jenny skirts and peasant tops are pretty much the bread and butter of my wardrobe.  It's the perfect combo!

Sailor Sweet

I'm one of those people who feels like they need a vacation from their vacation.  We came back from Temecula yesterday afternoon and I'm just not ready to start the week yet.  It was a wonderful three days filled with swimming, wine tasting, a Chris Isaak concert, and lots of family time.  It was a much needed departure from our everyday life.  I hope I don't have to wait three more years to take another weekend off!

Amanda Dress

Can't help but love this Amanda dress.  Obviously so, I have it in two colors!  It's a great dress that can be worn casually and is work appropriate, but can also be dressed up for date night.  I personally love the deep pockets, if I can get away without carrying a purse I'm a happy mom.  I prefer this color way over the red, white, and blue, only because I tend to keep this one way cleaner.  I don't know what it is about white, I become a klutz when I wear it!

First Bloom

With the exception of these fabulous shoes, this was the outfit I wore to the office yesterday.  This classic wrap dress from Karina Dresses is perfect for work and any other event I might attend afterward.  The fabric is light, stretchy, and wrinkle free so it looks just as good at the end of a busy day.  I'm pretty sure the neckline is my favorite, it's incredibly feminine and flattering!  This particular dress is a one size fits all, but Karina Dresses makes clothing from XS-2X (and their fabric could easily accommodate larger sizes) and everything is made here in the U.S.  Don't be surprised if you see a lot more of their dresses here in the future!

View From The Afternoon

Let me tell you, this post almost wasn't published.  Yesterday I was having one of those rare no good days.  Nothing was going right, including these pictures.  I'm not one to wear pants regularly (or at all) so I was feeling super self conscious about how I looked.  I was close to just giving up and scratching it all together, but I decided to post it because I actually love wearing this outfit.  I always feel really good when I wear these pants and I'm not going to let one bad mood ruin it!