Adding Life and Color to Business Casual Work Wear

Colorful Business Casual Outfits

If you’re interested in adding some life and personality to your business casual outfits, today’s post is for you!


Until the middle of last year, whenever I had to dress business casual I didn’t love doing it.  I finally realized that it was because my business casual wardrobe was full of neutrals and basics, and I didn’t have any fun pieces in it!  With my casual wardrobe I am happiest when it’s made of mostly basics and staples mixed with a few fun, colorful, and unique pieces.  I realized this needed to be true for my (small) business casual attire as well!

Today I’m partnering with ModCloth to talk workwear, and they are the perfect store to bring life and personality to your business casual outfits!  ModCloth’s become one of my top places to shop because so many of their pieces are classics with a twist of some unique characteristic which helps add some personality to my wardrobe.  I shopped there for years for casual wear, but only last year I realized they could spice up work wear too!  

Here are two different ways to liven up business causal looks.  I know all work dress codes are different, and “business casual” is a loose term, but see if you can make some of the tips below work for you!

maroon jeans + tan blazer + striped tee + leopard print pumps
maroon jeans + tan blazer + striped tee + leopard print pumps
maroon jeans + tan blazer + striped tee + leopard print pumps
maroon jeans + tan blazer + striped tee + leopard print pumps

One Colored Item + All Neutrals + Print(s)
The first outfit is likely the easier one for most people.  It only involves ONE colored piece mixed with all neutrals, so if you’re working your way up to more color this is a good place to start.  To keep it interesting, add at least one print.  In this case, I mixed two patterns to take it up another notch!

I topped off the look with a neutral blazer from ModCloth, which I’ve been eyeing for several months.  In the PMT Style Challenge, this was one of the featured items.  During the last few weeks of the challenge several members commented that they started the challenge thinking they didn’t need a tan blazer, but once they saw all the cute looks created with it, they changed their minds!  You will get SO much wear out of this blazer!

While blazers can often feel boxy or very corporate, this one has a softer vibe thanks to the curved hem and ruched 3/4 sleeves.  Even though the blazer is a neutral color and a basic piece to have, those cute details make it fun, interesting, and not boring!  See what I mean about the small twists on a classic piece?  I’m size S/M or 6/8 and wear this in M.  Find it HERE.



Shop for the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (similar)
Blazer: c/o ModCloth (exact)
Jeans: Old Navy (similar)
Shoes: Sole Society (similar)
Bag: c/o Sole Society (similar)

BTW, sorry for grabbing my hair in nearly every single picture.  It wasn’t just to pose–it was actually super windy!  




printed top + orange cardigan + teal pants + maroon pumps
colorful business casual outfits
colorful business casual outfits
printed top + orange cardigan + teal pants + maroon pumps
Colorful Printed Piece + Colors From the Print
The second outfit is fun and full of color!

The easiest trick I know to pull together a lot of color in one outfit is to start with a printed top that has several colors in it.  You can pull out any of the colors in the top and incorporate them elsewhere in the outfit.

This top is really different than the kinds of tops I’ve been wearing lately, but it caught my eye because the print is so cute and colorful!  I also love the tie detail at the neck!  The top is more fitted than I expected it to be, but in a good way.  It fits close to my body without squeezing me uncomfortably in any way.  I think that will make it really easy to tuck into skirts for a nice tailored look.  Sizing is UK, and since the top is fitted, I sized up to UK12 according to the size chart.  See it HERE.  

ModCloth has several pairs of colored trousers in “sensible” colors like olive, maroon, and navy, but they also have pants in really fun colors like yellow, pink and bright green–prefect for spring.  I could have paired this top with maroon trousers (like THESE), navy trousers (like THESE), a navy pleated skirt (like THIS) or a fun yellow skirt (like THIS), but today I went with teal pants (HERE)!  There are TONS of ways you could wear this top, from full on color like I did today, or with more neutrals for more toned down looks.

The pant legs have a curved hem with a slit, which is that small “unique twist” I mentioned earlier about ModCloth’s pieces.  They are 98% cotton with 2% spandex, so they are flexible and relaxed feeling.  I’m wearing size M, and they do relax a little more after a bit of wear.  See them HERE.

To top off the outfit, I grabbed this rust cardigan that was already in my closet, pulling out the orange in the top.  These cardigans are ModCloth staples, and I have it in mustard yellow (HERE), rust (HERE), and dark teal/green (HERE).  They come in tons and tons of colors which vary by season, they are super soft, and thousands of people love them.  I’m wearing size M.

And just because I could, I finished the look with maroon pumps.  In this outfit I have burnt orange, teal, and maroon, and no neutral clothing items, but it works because the top ties them all together for me!



Shop for the Look
Top: c/o ModCloth (exact)
Cardigan: c/o ModCloth (exact)
Pants: c/o ModCloth (exact)
Shoes: c/o Naturalizer (similar)
Bag: Nordstrom (similar)

In the widget below are some of my favorites from ModCloth’s workwear selection, all of which I think would add some character and life to your business casual outfits thanks to those cute details!  (If you are reading this through Bloglovin’, you might have to click out of the Bloglovin’ frame HERE to see the pieces.)

Head to ModCloth’s workwear selection HERE!

Tops:

Dresses, Skirts, and Pants:




Shoes & Accessories:



Which of these ways would you incorporate color into your workwear?

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