Monday 14 May 2018

Dressing Up Tees For The Office: Business Casual Style With Pencil Skirts and Blazers

The benefit of working in a business casual environment is that it's perfectly acceptable to wear a tee to work. It was a staple for casual Fridays for me (back when I worked 5 days a week) but I thought I'd give it a go again recently. With some heels, a pencil skirt and a blazer, I felt my tees were dressed up perfectly for my office - particularly when my boss is wearing jeans. I do have a very casual business casual office.

What I wore:

grey v-neck tee in office with cream blazer heels pencil skirt and purple balenciaga work bag | away from the blue

Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram | office outfit with grey tee jersey blazer pencil skirt and heels
Jacket:  Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: Lovisa wooden statement bead necklace
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
SkirtAsos blue textured lace pencil skirt
ShoesWittner 'Mimi' heels in mushroom
BagBalenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as I'd hoped. Last time I wore this cream blazer with grey I wasn't very impressed with the final outfit. I decided to try it again with a grey tee this time, one of my favourite grey pieces, so I was sure I'd love it. I really didn't like this combo though. It was a comment from Sheila that explained it to me: the grey tee is a cool neutral, the cream blazer a warm neutral, and they are both a similar intensity of colour, so they don't look great together.

It's definitely not going to be a combination I repeat again in a hurry. I did think about a bright necklace with this in the morning to add some more colour, and think that or a scarf would have helped. I thought the purple Balenciaga work bag would be bright enough but it really wasn't.

It was a really busy day at work though, so it flew by and I didn't have much time to question my outfit choices, other than to kick myself for not taking an extra minute or two to try something different when I looked in the mirror that morning before leaving the house! I forgot my lipstick and mascara that morning too - I think I was still half asleep for a while! 😂


Last worncream jersey blazergrey v-neck tee, ASOS lace pencil skirtmushroom heelsBalenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wearcream jersey blazer and a-line skirtgrey v-neck tee and kimono, ASOS lace pencil skirt, mushroom heels and flaresBalenciaga purple work bag and wrap dress.

Perfect for pregnancycream jersey blazer in second trimestergrey v-neck tee in second trimester, ASOS lace pencil skirt.



Review and Contents of the Balenciaga Work Bag






What I wore:

purple tee with statement necklace jacquard pencil skirt jersey blazer and Bal work | awayfromblue

purple raisin 2009 balenciaga work bag giant silver GSH hardware bag | purple tee with statement necklace jacquard pencil skirt jersey blazer and Bal work | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue instagram lilac tee purple work bag jacquard pencil skirt blazer and heels
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in washed lilac

Why I wore it:

Was a little unsure about the lilac tee with the darker purple bag when I was planning this in my head, but I really liked this outfit! Unlike the outfit  above, I think this black blazer matched the outfit nicely, with the black texture on the skirt.

It's really interesting how even if you follow the same outfit formula you can have such different results with the outfits you create! Definitely shows me I still have lots to learn about style :)

What also helped I think was the bright colourful statement necklace to make me look more awake this time, as well as remembering to put my lipstick on! 😂


Last wornblack jersey blazerlilac v-neck teejacquard pencil skirtpatent heels, Balenciaga purple work bag (above).



V-Neck Tees Under $50:






How You Can Wear It:

A tee is one of those pieces you can easily dress up or down just by changing what you wear with it. If you have a more formal dress code these might be casual Friday only options for you. If you have a business casual environment like mine or aren't in a customer facing role then dressing up a casual tee for the office with a blazer, pencil skirt and heels could be a great mid-week outfit idea for you!


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66 comments:

  1. Can't able to decide that which one is more pretty combination. You paired that pencil skirt very well in both looks. I love your purple bag and the purple top. You are looking so cute and beautiful <3 Love your both style here! Have a fantastic day <3 Kisses <3
    http://www.rakhshanda-chamberofbeauty.com/

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  2. I love how you styled that purple bag girl!! I never go for colourful bags but you really make me want to try it haha as always, super cute :)

    xx Sofia | SOFIAADOT

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    1. I love colourful bags, they are the best accessory I think! :)

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  3. The second outfit was the one I liked the best too, the lilac tee looks great with the black blazer!
    http://www.lambassadrice.com/

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  4. My favorite outfit out of the 2 is the last one. I love the purple color on you x

    Laura
    https://pinkfrenzymissl.blogspot.com.tr/

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  5. both of these outfits are amazing. I like them both, but for some reason I prefer the second one. The printed skirt are so lovely...and pairing them with blazer was such a great idea. You're right, sometimes we can end up with different results even when we follow the same outfit formula. Details can play a big role in the final effect, and so do the colours. Have a great week ahead!

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    1. I definitely prefer the second one too :)

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  6. love the statement this bright purple bag adds!

    www.thesweetestclementine.com

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  7. You look great in both, but I like the second outfit more. Sheila was right about the colour combination in the first outfit.

    We learn from our mistakes.

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  8. I would see why you were not big fan of your outfit with the cream and gray tee. while it is a good outfit. I can see you more in this cream blazer and cream tee along with the skirt and leave the pop of color to the bag and your shoes. I think you will fall in love with the outfit. The other outfit with the purple one goes with your skin tone better. I love it more on you.
    Have a blessed week and it is really only piece of fabric. And we all have these days where we think the colors will go well but then in real life they donot. we forget that we have our skin tone that is the third combination or fourth to our outfit :) Sorry that was a long post :P
    www.chez-rama.com

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    1. haha don't apologise, I love thought out comments like yours :) True too, definitely didn't love the colour in the first one as much as I thought I would!

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  9. I think this is a perfect example of how you can wear a t-shirt to work because the cardigan and jacket take the focal point and make it more professional!!
    XOXO
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    Replies
    1. A blazer is a great way to make an outfit seem more professional!

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  10. Love the purple outfit & matching bag! xoxo

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  11. These outfits don't even say "t-shirt" to me since you did such a great job of making them look office-appropriate with the blazers and skirts! And that's an interesting comment about the warm vs. cool neutral issue and color intensity! Sometimes when things don't "go" I can't put my finger on why, so those are great points to take into consideration. Thanks for sharing that!
    Gina || On the Daily Express

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    Replies
    1. Yes it was great to realise why the colour combo didn't work out, despite how many times I've tried it, haha!

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  12. Such a great outfit for work and love that purple handbag!
    ~Samantha
    http://goldcoastgirlblog.com

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  13. What a beautiful bag, I really like the colour and shape!
    Have a lovely day :)
    Rosanna x
    Rose's Rooftop

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  14. I love your blazers! Such cute looks! I hope you had a great weekend!

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  15. Drooling over that Balenciaga!!! And I think you did a great job making this tee "work" for work!

    Laura
    Black Coffee Beautiful

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  16. I quite like the black blazer and tee shirt combination. Perhaps the bigger contrast made it pop? It's always nice to be in a business casual environment and have the freedom to wear tee shirts!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I love having such a relaxed office dress code!

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  17. I think Sheila was right with her comment and this is the reason why you didn't like the first look. Nevertheless it looks good on the pictures and I really understand why you liked the second look. The purple matches fantastic together and this colour really suits you! Happy new week!
    xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
    www.dressedwithsoul.com

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  18. I love how a basic tee can transform completely with a blazer and pencil skirt! I LOVE the color combo in that second look--the navy and purple is so pretty! Sheila's comment makes a lot of sense to me, and explains why there are a few things in my closet that, while I think they "should" go together, I just don't love together.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it was such a helpful comment! Makes me think a little more about previous combinations I've tried that haven't worked! Always good to get such constructive and helpful feedback, especially from someone I admire so much :)

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  19. It is amazing how well a t-shirt can be incorporated into work wear when done like this. I like both outfits, but I can see what you mean about the grey and cream together. I don't think it is a combo I have really tried much.

    Amy Ann
    Straight A Style

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I'll be trying it again, but it's great to know why it doesn't work! :)

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  20. I like how you dressed up the tees in both outfits, Mica:) Working in a business casual environment really makes dressing easier IMO. And that's an interesting theory about the mix of grey and cream. I do think the second outfit works more because the purple all over really suits you:)

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    1. Thanks Emmy! I do like the more colourful second outfit!

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  21. You look wonderful in both outfits beautiful. These are office perfection outfits inspiration. Hope you have a blessed week.

    https://www.missymayification.co.uk

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  22. In the first outfit, I actually like the cream and grey with the necklace - the top half is a great mix of neutrals. I think if you were going to do this combo again, then avoid any bright colours (like the purse) at all, and really focus on making that neutral mix look deliberate.

    The second outfit benefits from the bright purple top - love it!

    I'm not a fan of t-shirts in a work environment, unless they have something about them that makes them more dressy (like a print, embellishment or being cut from a different, non t-shirt fabric).

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    1. THanks Sheila! You always do workwear so well without tees! :) A great point about sticking with the neutral palette too, I need to think harder about how to make this blazer work for me!

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  23. I sometimes wear a tee or a plain jumper on top of my dresses to make them look different, it works fine if the rest is dressy enough.

    Anne - Linda, Libra, Loca

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    1. Yes, perfect in a business causal office! Especially if others are wearing jeans and tees like in my office, haha!

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  24. I do like the second outfit. The colors are really rich and dark and look great together. Maybe with the first outfit a blazer that has a richer color might work. Love how you try new items with your pieces!

    http://www.mylittlenest.org

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    1. Thanks Ruth! Yes definitely the blazer didn't work with the rest of the outfit!

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  25. I do love blazers and tees! Sadly I don't wear my blazers nearly as much as I used to....so sad! Maybe next Fall I'll make myself wear them again
    http://www.closet-fashionista.com

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    1. I don't wear them much outside the office either.

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  26. Both outfits are so cute! The second is my favourite :) xx

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  27. My fave is the second darker look. Did you try tucking the tshirts?

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    1. No I didn't, should give that a go next time and tuck them in for something different! :)

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  28. I loved the colors in the second outfit as well! Lilac is such a beautiful color. And I personally love that cream blazer and grey tee! Very cute looks! Hope you're having a lovely week. :)

    ~Lindsey
    https://have-clothes-will-travel.com/

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  29. Hi I adore both looks. I'm a huge fan of pencil skirts! I love how you layered with a tee creating a business casual look! I really need to add more tees into my wardrobe.
    I pray that you have a wonderful new week pretty lady!

    Tiff
    http://www.dashoffashandfinance.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Tiff! I'm the opposite, have so many tees I need to think of new ways to wear them all to justify keeping them, haha!

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  30. Love the comment about the grey and cream colours together. I've never though of those two together so thanks for sharing. I love the purple outfit. The colours all complement each other perfectly even though there are different shades of purple. It just works.

    SHANNON VALLE
    life + style blog

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    1. Thanks Shannon. I definitely agree and think the second outfit works better too.

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  31. Followed! Love your outfit ideas and the fact that you're not afraid to experiment. Love the colour combo in the first outfit, the cool tones work really well together. Looks so formal even though separately a tee would be so informal.

    KHVDIJA | http://www.khvdija.co.uk

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    1. Thanks! I think there's nothing wrong with trying new combinations, even if they don't work out as you planned! :)

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  32. I can't believe a tee could look good with a skirt and jacket :) I always thought to put on a dressy top when wearing a skirt. I like your lace skirt and that Balenciaga bag is everything. Thanks for subscribing on my new Youtube channel hehe, I also subscribed on your one. Have a fun week!

    www.busyandfab.com

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    1. Thanks Mercy :) Glad I could give you a new way to wear a tee!

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  33. How comfy do these outfits look! You're lucky to be able to wear a tee to the office - I think I could probably get away with it where I work now but I think the years of working in a corporate environment have made me a bit more used to wearing a button down! As usual, loving the Bals!

    Eileen | 5feetofstyle.com

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    1. haha yes, in my very casual side of business casual office I could even wear this without a blazer and it would be fine! :)

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  34. Chic looks! Love the bag :)

    xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY

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  35. I love how you dresses up a plain jane tee and made it work. For the work force.

    http://www.amysfashionblog.com/blog-home/

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  36. I am loving that purple Balenciaga- such a gem!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

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  37. I really like that second look! That necklace is beautiful :)

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  38. I love the pretty purples in the second outfit! They are so pretty paired with the navy! That is an interesting comment about the neutrals too. I've never thought of neutrals that way-cold versus warm, but it really makes sense! Hope you are having a great week!

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    1. Yes it was such an eye-opening comment for me too! It's always good to figure out why things don't work!

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  39. Such a chic casual look you have here dear! I love the first blazer, so simple, yet so elegant and stylish.

    Jessica | notjessfashion.com

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  40. Thanks everyone for your lovely comments :)

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  41. when I worked in the office I always tried to sneak a t-shirt into my look to transform into something comfortable and off work as fast as I could. Gorgeous styles!

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  42. Lovely ideas and perfect workwear :)
    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Emma | www.lifeofemmax.co.uk

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  43. Skirts like this I absolutely adore! I love how you made it glam, but daytime wearable. And of course that purple Balenciaga! Gets me every time! Hope you're well, Mica!

    Raindrops of Sapphire


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  44. I usually go for tshirts as long as I have a fancier skirt and necklace just like these outfits! Love your style so much :)

    findyourownhope.blogspot.com

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