Business Chic

Business Chic: What to wear in a freezing office when it’s hot outside!

We all know that there can be some crazy tempreture fluctuations especially in the sweltering summer when the A.C. gets turned up. Let's help this reader get her Business Chic in gear & figure out what to wear in a freezing office when it's hot outside with some smart & stylish layering tips.  Dear Sharon: I've taken your advice and transitioned my wardrobe for summer as I've just relocated to the dreadfully humid environs of Houston for work but now my big dilemma is that both the bus on my commute and my office are absolutely freezing. What are quick fixes I can try to avoid shivering at my desk or pulling a space heater next to me? (M.F. via Fashion Advice)  >> RELATED: What to

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What to Wear: A Dress Redo from casual to corporate, from student to professional

Dress redo to master what to wear to transition your style when your lifestyle changes. Dear Sharon: I'm a 36 year old mom who has spent the last decade of my life somewhere between completing school and mommyhood. I'm about to graduate and need some ideas to build a professional looking wardrobe to wear for my new part-time job that's a bit corporate. I'm thrilled to enter the business world with my degree under my belt but my student wardrobe of raggy playground clothes or jeans and T-shirts won't cut it for the real world. Luckily, my husband has a good job but I still don't want to start spending too much on business clothes right out of the gate.

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Michelle Obama Style: Today’s power dressing muse…

This week's 15th Anniversary of FocusOnStyle online, looks back at the First Lady's timeless and classic chic as an example of modern power dressing. -S.H. Michelle Obama Style: Today's power dressing muse. Everyday style for clean, corporate chic. Everyday style for clean, corporate chic Dear Sharon:As a corporate executive in a slightly conservative firm, I am always afraid to take fashion risks, yet I still want to look stylish. I usually dress in suits that are starting to bore me. I want to expand my business dress options but not appear as if I am more interested in my clothing than my client's portfolio. I am aware that it is a tough nut to crack, but I am ready to expand

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Kitchen Floor Entrepreneur…

In our continuing 15th year celebration of FocusOnStyle online, let' s revist this favorite post about what to wear for the stay-at-home entrepreneur.  This timeless post is from 2000, complete with it's original header art. -S.H. Real World Dressing For The Stay-At-Home Business Pro Dear Sharon: For the past several years, I have practically had to beg, borrow, and steal to get my dream business off the ground. Finally, investments have rolled in. Now, instead of looking like the power player people think I am, I'm more like someone who has been dressing in the dark.Let me explain. I've been working off my kitchen floor (as opposed to a conference table) propped alongside the Mr. Coffee, wearing ratty sweats and, my hair plunked in a

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Chic Business Style- What to wear to work resource guide

Business Chic Style Resource Guide
Business Chic Style Guide- What to wear to work I've got your business style figured out- from what to wear to pitch to investors, your next big meeting, creating the allure of success, or even casual work from home garb. In fact, this FocusOnStyle Chic Business Style Resource Guide is created just for you!  What to wear to work, career chic and dress for women entrepreneurs can get confusing. Not to worry. Here, we have chic, practical + stylish business style solutions that will carry your wardrobe throughout the year. All you need to do is to CLICK the headline of each story that you want to learn more about. >>RELATED: All our tips & tricks to help you master your Business Chic Before

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White Space + Top 2013 Style Tips

It's that time of year where my family and I head out to our place in Wyoming. A high-energy ski vacation for them. Seeking the solace in white space for me. Don't get me wrong, I do my winter sports days but it's more the peace and tranquility found in the quiet of snow that I love best. The magnificent open vistas and the white space where I find the luxury to reflect, regroup, and renew for the year ahead.  It's my first day here and Mr. Poodle & I went for a walk around our 'hood. I snapped this pretty picture of the snow glittered Aspen and pine trees while Naveed and I are were on the phone going

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Is it cool to flaunt designer labels as part of your personal business brand?

Business Style Stylist Advice: How you project yourself as a professional can get tricky. Let's help this reader see the sides of whether or not it is cool to flaunt designer labels as part of your business brand as some entrepreneurs do.  Dear Sharon: As an entrepreneur and marketing coach, I'm aware of how my fellow online marketers present themselves. I follow a particular woman's program where she constantly displays photos of herself decked out in every luxury label and logo that you can imagine from her shoes to what she eats. It's not a one time instance but a constant flaunting of all her luxury riches. I'm guessing that this is a calculated move to convey the wealth that

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Summer Business Attire Chic: What to wear to work when it’s hot as hell + still look polished

Summer Business Attire Chic: What to wear to work when it’s hot as hell + still look polished- Milla Jovovich at Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2013/2014 - Chanel Show
How to stay cool yet maintain polished summer business attire élan can be a toughy  during a heat wave. Let's dive in, at least the metaphor is cooling & solve the what to wear to work when it's hot fashion dilemma… My gosh, it's a scorcher out! I just got back from a meeting in sweltering midtown Manhattan, aka Schvitz City today,  and thought I would hurry up and push this post up as long as the temperature was doing a fine job rising on its own.  Commuting to and from the office in a heat wave is a no fun zone that I'm lucky enough to avoid  most of the time. But, when that summer meeting gets me to

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16 WAYS TO GET YOUR WORK WARDROBE TOGETHER: How to Clean Out Your Closet and What to Toss for a Business Chic Wardrobe

With spring/summer comes transitioning wardrobe staples and learning what to toss for classic Business Chic when looking to clean out your closet And lucky for all of us, the fashion tides have continued to herald minimal, forever-chic heritage dressing which means you can safely reorganize your work wear for the long haul. >>YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN READING: Work It: Style Guidelines for Women Entrepreneurs Start by committing to a ritual of cleaning out your closet twice a year to maintain order, refresh favorite looks and survey what could be adding to get the most out of what you've got. And if you've got the space, consider keeping a section dedicated solely to pieces you wear to work -it will make

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Three Ways to Double Duty Your Style- Business fashion for a back to work mom

 Dear Sharon: It's time for me to address what it takes to create a wardrobe of business fashion for a back to work mom. After being away from the concrete jungle for 6 years, it's time to go back to the office on a part-time basis. The thing is that my wardrobe is looking a bit dated and close to a size smaller although I am hoping to get back to my original weight. I want to start to rebuild my wardrobe slowly, as I'm not sure if I will stay in an office environment or opt for consulting work later. What's a good strategy to build an appropriate wardrobe of business fashion for a back to work mom? (J.D. via Fashion Advice)

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Trend Report: 6 Modern Pant Suits that are ageless & chic, so why not?!

I'll Have What She's They're Having: The effortless chic of modern pant suits that can take you through every time of your life Forget the frump! Modern pantsuits are more what they are NOT about, than what they are. As you can tell drool from our Paris street style ladies,  there's a flattering style for every moment of your life. Why let the guys have it easy? It really is quite simple to discover your perfect uniform and put on your business chic like it's nobody's business.  Plus, who can deny the sex appeal of an elegant woman in a menswear staple? Let's discuss…. Tuxedo babe- Let me count the ways as to how I LOVE THIS LOOK. A decidedly YSL influence

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Afraid to wear an animal print skirt to work? Think again, just add Paris Fashion Week Street Style for age-appropriate business chic

I'll Have What She's Having:  Paris Fashion Week street style proves to have zippy classic age-appropriate inspiration with business chic takes on animal print skirts. Animal prints can have a fabulously downtown cool edge, like our street style ladies and their leopard pants from London Fashion Week, yet too much fierceness may get out of hand for work. But not always, especially if you follow the super chic cues from these two sophisticated ladies, above, snapped at Paris Fashion Week. Either like the red Balenciaga print, left, or the more classic, big cheetah, pictured right, choose your style weapons and  work it!  >> MORE: I'll Have What She's Having and Fashion Week Street Style  When you want to wear a business chic & age-appropriate animal print skirt,

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Business Chic Stylist Advice- How to wear navy with brown

Dear Sharon: I'm 25 years old and work for a professional services firm. I usually wear smart shirts and trousers to work but I've got to admit that I'm a little bored of the usual black trouser, shoes and belt and trying to understand how to wear navy with brown to come out of my comfort zone.  Recently, I bought navy blue straight (almost pencil type) three-quarter trousers from Zara and they came with a chocolate brown belt. The problem is that I want to hold onto the belt but not sure what colour shoes to wear with it. Also, does the brown shade of the belt have to be the same as those of my shoes? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. (A. via Fashion Advice) More Nine West...  

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