A Week of Workwear: pt 1

As you will know from my blog post and my instagram, I recently had my first bit of ‘proper’ work experience in London with The Guardian newspaper! This was a really cool experience for me and allowed me to dip my toe into the sea of journalism to see how I liked it. Fast forward one week and I’m on the train again heading back to London for my second internship of the summer, this time with Grazia magazine!! I am super excited for this second opportunity because I have always wanted to know what it’s like working in a fashion magazine, so I really can’t wait to get stuck in!

What my little taster of working life has made me realise however, is that putting together a working wardrobe is harder than I thought. The dress code for my internships has been smart casual, which in some ways made choosing what to wear even harder! The struggle of having to decide what to wear every day for one week was stressful enough, let alone if it was a permanent affair. I feel like this is something lots of people find difficult, so I thought I would make a little blog post showing a week of workwear outfits to hopefully give any struggling interns out there bit of inspo!

Monday

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw these trousers in the H&M sale for just £6! Yes, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, they really were that cheap. I was unsure about how they would fit when I first picked them up, but as soon as I put them on I fell in love! They’re tight and loose in all the right places and are the perfect pair of comfy trousers that still look smart enough for work!

My favourite items that I own at the moment are my plain white t-shirts. They are an essential part of anyone’s wardrobe because they are the key part of so many outfits. Pair something with a plain white t-shirt and you really can’t go wrong. I think you will probably start to notice a theme throughout this post…

Finished off with this beaut pear hair clip that was kindly sent to me by Cat’s Eyes vintage, and my chunky Calvin Klein trainers, these simple accessories allow the trousers to be the main event. After all, bargains deserve to be shouted about.

Tuesday

Something a little bit more corporate, yet still hugely on trend, is this amazing suit from Topshop. I bought this a little while back after literally falling in love on the shop floor, but I have never had the chance to wear it!

I am obsessed with the blue and I think it makes a statement without being too ‘in your face’ for those who might not want to stand out too much. This suit just screams boss babe, and I certainly feel like one when I’m wearing it.

I opted for white accessories and my trusty white t-shirt (of course), because I think white and blue are a match made in heaven. The trainers help to make it more casual and I think the structure of the bag looks great with a tailored outfit! Finished off again with the hair clip because I’m simply loving it at the moment.

Wednesday

I’ve already featured this Primark dress on my blog before but I’m so in love with it that it deserves another post. I think it’s perfect for a smart casual dress code because it’s fashionable, yet it’s definitely still office appropriate!

With a white t-shirt underneath, it ensures that your shoulders are covered, and sort of makes it less slinky, so again more suitable for the working day. This dress is comfortable on the body, not feeling too tight but still manages to give you some shape!

I also got these little black wicker earrings from Primark which I think go really well with the look. Wearing your hair in a low bun makes them stand out just that little bit more!

Finished off with white accessories, including these cute platform shoes which are actually my lovely mum’s! Fresh white platform trainers are great for smart casual offices because they look smart but are comfy enough for all day wear. What more could you want?

Thursday

How could I resist a 50% off Nasty Gal sale? The answer is, I couldn’t.

I saw this shirt and straight away knew it was perfect for my internships! Smart, chic and super on trend, there’s nothing not to like about this piece. Plus the price made it even more irresistible.

I paired it with my black Primark jeans because I always find that black jeans look much smarter than normal blue denim. I like to tuck half of it in so it gives me a bit of shape but still looks oversized.

I finished the look off with a white shoulder bag and a pair of white heels. These are a good height for daytime wear and they don’t tend to hurt your feet, even when you’ve been running errands all day!

Friday

Another beaut find in the Nasty Gal sale was this gorgeous little skirt. I pretty much love anything polka dot, and at this point it’s a struggle not to fill my entire wardrobe with the pattern, so I allowed myself this purchase on the grounds that the ‘dots’ are technically hearts. So it doesn’t count right?

I absolutely love the fit of this skirt and I think the A symmetrical cut is so flattering on any body type. The length is also great for the office because it’s not too short!

I paired it with, drum roll please…my white t-shirt. Because like it said, it goes with EV-ER-Y-TH-ING. I also finished it off with my white heels, but I do love the way it looks with trainers as well! This skirt is great for that reason, you can dress it up or down, so great for loads of occasions both in and out of the office!

And so the weekend has come around and it’s time to lounge around in my tracksuit / pyjamas all day, and have another mini panic about what I’m going to wear next week…

For those of you dressing for a ‘smart-casual’ dress code, I hope these outfits could give you some office wear inspo. Stay tuned for part two where I’ll show you another week of my favourite work wear outfits!

What’s the staple item in your workwear wardrobe? I’d love to know in the comments below!

Check out my Instagram for more outfit inspiration x