Great New Summer Outfits For The Office
As the weather gets warmer, it can be hard for women to find outfits that are comfortable but still appropriate for work.
So, in its "Chic on a Shoestring" segment Wednesday, The Early Show asked the editors of Redbook magazine (www.redbookmag.com) to help you look stylish without breaking the office dress code — or the bank.
Redbook beauty editor Cheryl Kramer brought along examples of some of her favorite looks.
In "Chic on a Shoestring," expensive "splurge" clothing is shown along with much more reasonably priced items, referred to as "steals." It's often hard to tell the difference, but The Early Show co-anchors and an audience member do their best to pick the bargains.
What may look great on the runway is often not suitable for your office, even if it is 100 degrees outside. All those hot weather, skin-baring, casual clothes really aren't great for work.
Some possible solutions:
LOOK NO. 1: The White Suit
The white suit is a blank canvas for summer's bold, graphic prints. Wear it with bright colors that pop.
SPLURGE:
Jacket, Premise, $435; Bloomingdale's
Pants, Premise, $285; Bloomingdale's
"Arabella Top," Tory Burch, $185; Bloomingdale's
"Derry" shoes, NA NA, $65; piperlime.com
GRAND TOTAL: $970
STEAL:
Jacket, Kmart, $29.99; Kmart stores
Pants, Kmart, $19.99; Kmart stores
Halter top, Banana Republic, $38
"Betsy" shoes, Kmart, $14.99
GRAND TOTAL: $102.97
What accounts for the price difference? The Premise suit has a much more sophisticated design than the Kmart suit and offers body-conscious seams, darts, and stitching. Both are made from stretch cotton, but the pricier suit is a more substantial fabric. The Banana Republic top is a simple halter shape with minimal construction, while the Tory Burch top has working buttons, pleats in the body, and a collar. The shoes are made from real leather; the Kmart shoes are not.
LOOK NO. 2: Summer Cashmere and City Shorts
Lightweight cashmere is the perfect way to stay warm in an air-conditioned office without feeling as though you're wearing your winter sweater. City shorts offer a sharp, professional look-essentially trousers cut off at the knee. A simple outfit like this one calls for a statement piece of jewelry such as a bold, beaded necklace. You're seeing city shorts everywhere.
SPLURGE:
Sweater, Theory, $295; Bloomingdale's
Shorts, Theory, $195; Bloomingdale's
"Camille" heels, Loeffler Randall, $495; RETAIL: $495 STORE: Dewey in Venice Beach, CA 310-392-2974 and Oak Hall in Memphis, TN 901-761-3580
Necklace, Yochi Design, $98; maxandchloe.com
GRAND TOTAL: $1,083
STEAL:
Sweater, Victoria's Secret, $39; victoriassecret.com
City Shorts, Victoria's Secret, $29.50; victoriassecret.com
Heels, Victoria's Secret, $49; victoriassecret.com
Necklace, Laila Rowe, $18; lailarowe.com
GRAND TOTAL: $135.50
What accounts for the price difference? The Theory sweater is 100 percent cashmere, while the Victoria's Secret sweater is a silk/cashmere blend. The Victoria's Secret shorts are made of a heavy twill material, while the Theory shorts are soft to the touch and have details such as pleats down the front of the legs, and grosgrain-ribbon trim on the back pockets. The Loeffler Randall platform heels are made in Italy of real wood and leather. The Victoria's Secret heels, though, consist of manmade materials and have unfinished leather straps with no details like the flower on the pricier heels. The Yochi Design necklace consists of faux pearls and beads on a chain link strand, but the Laila Rowe necklace is made of plastic beads on a nylon strand (not nearly as sturdy or design-conscious).
LOOK NO. 3: The Shirtdress
This is an outfit we begin to make a comeback last summer. But it remains a big trend a year later. A crisp shirtdress is one-step summer style. Looks polished and put-together like its original form, the button-down shirt, but without the stuffiness that usually goes along with it.
SPLURGE:
Dress, Pink Tartan, $395; Saks Fifth Avenue
"Twiggy" wedges, Cynthia Vincent, $350; piperlime.com
GRAND TOTAL: $745
STEAL:
Dress, Lands' End, $59.50; landsend.com
"World Ambassador" shoes, Seychelles Footwear, $83.95; zappos.com
GRAND TOTAL: $143.45
What accounts for the price difference? The Pink Tartan shirtdress has a lot of special details-fashionable puff sleeves, adorable buttons, interesting neckline, and curve-skimming seams that create a more defined A-line shape. The Lands' End dress is a simple construction with only the waist tie, providing shape. The Cynthia Vincent wedges are made of hard wood and real leather from Italy and have special details, such as a grosgrain ribbon tie at the ankle. The Seychelles shoes are not genuine leather and are not a sophisticated design; Seychelles shoes are always on-trend, though found in mid-level stores, while Cynthia Vincent is a designer on the rise, found in high-end stores and boutiques.