fashionable career women
i made the jump to full-time blogger almost five years ago. my job, in part, is to put together and model outfits in the hopes that it provides you inspiration in your daily lives—both personal and professional. as women, our daily lives are nothing short of robust. we are asked to wear a variety of hats and function in a multitude of roles. so today, i want to encourage and celebrate those amongst us that are career women. and i want to continue to inspire all of us to be fashionable career women.
fashionable career women
my readers all (or have) worked their entire lives. you are teachers, lawyers, professors, nurses & doctors, entrepreneurs, executives, fashion bloggers, and, yes, mothers. some of our work pays. and some of our work should pay more. regardless, you all have helped and continue to shape the direction of our world with your countless hours of dedication. thank you.
dress in pictures | dress 2 | dress 3 | dress 4 | dress 5 | dress 6 | dress 7 | jacket (similar, high-to-low)
many of my readers are retired or are in the process of retiring. however, i have many readers that are just starting or are amidst their professional journeys. my advice to you: lean in on your network of women for advice and supports. your mothers, grandmothers, sisters, cousins are there to help you navigate your chosen careers. whether you are a stay-at-home mom, or whether you go off to an office every day, trust in the women that have gone before you. they are trailblazers, and their wisdom and experience will serve you well.
as my readers know, i’m a believer in both health & wellness and fashion. feeling our best and looking our best each and every morning prepares us face whatever life has in store for us that day. yesterday i continued to chart my health journey. eating correctly and staying physically fit allows me to get up every morning and work well into the evening.
today i want to encourage us to look our best when we enter our jobs—no matter what that job may be. when we feel good and look good, we exude confidence. and confidence propels us forward and helps achieve our professional goals–no matter what those goals may be.
i’ve put together a plaid mock neck dress and jacket courtesy of Ann Taylor. the jacket sold out immediately, so i’ve found a similar one from Talbots. nothing says fall quite like “plaid.” and the sleek, sharp lines on both the dress and jacket are perfect professional ware.
these boots were made for walking
it’s time. time to pull our boots from the back of the closet to the front. whether you’re calf- or knee-high type-of-gal, fall and winter are all about the boots. in case you missed it, i put together my top 10 list of shoes for fall & winter. (see the video above.) it should come as no surprise, a large portion of that list was comprised of boots.
boot in pictures | boot 2 | boot 3 | boot 4 | boot 5 | boot 6 | boot 7 | (similar, high-to-low)
i’ve got a pair of suede Vince Camuto’s from Nordstrom. they’re a neutral that offsets the plaid dress and jacket. and if you’re looking for other options, i’ve compiled these boots here, here, here, here, here, and here.
mama’s got a brand new bag
no professional outfit is complete without a bag. over the years, i’ve talked a lot about handbags—how, where, and what to buy. (see also this post.) sticker shock is a thing. no doubt. but it’s always important to reiterate that bags are investment pieces. they can and should last you a lifetime.
i’ve put together a list of bags that are perfect with any fall outfit. prices range from high-to-low. i’m just loving the Gucci python bag.
bag 1 | bag 2 | bag 3 | bag 4 | bag 5 | bag 6 | bag 7 | bag 8 (similar, high-to-low)
alright, gang! it’s monday, and the workweek is upon us. here’s to all the fashionable career women out there, including mothers. as always, i want to hear from you. let me know what your chosen profession in the comments below. is it your first career? second? are you retired? do you miss working? not at all? have a great week.
I’m “of a certain age” and never feel comfortable showing my knees. So while I love the boots and dress and jacket, I’m not sure I’d wear it unless I was wearing tights. What do you think about this with tights?
tights are always a good choice! xo
Beth:
Thanks for the nod to all working women whether paid or not! At 67 I’m still working in finance as a Controller – as long as I still enjoy working and no one is asking that I retire, I’m keeping on! One advantage of reaching my age is that I have finally learned to only buy what I really love, keep it classic (my style) and making sure whatever I buy works with other items I already have. Love reading your blog – thanks for a little fun & knowledge on a Monday!!
wisdom comes with age. love your style philosophy. and love the fact you’re still in the workplace doling out that sage advice you certainly have earned through the years.
Smart and Sassy Beth!
Love the whole outfit!
Amy
i just fell in love with the retro look! my mother always had a matching dress and coat hanging in her closet. so this ootd makes me think of her. xo
I have several pairs of knee high boots and I love this look but never wear boots with a skirt. I seem to only wear them with tucked in pants or jeans. I think the slim skirt or dress is an opportunity for me to try it. In a moment of pure delight, I bought a pair of red leather knee high boots and I’ve never worn them…any ideas?
Connie, omg, I’m so jealous right now! Wear them with your jeans, pants, anything you desire! Instead of reaching for the black boots, grab the red ones… yes, you’ll get a few looks (and compliments!) but you’ll get used to it, trust me on that one! Lol
I’ve been looking at red boots to wear with my new electric blue puffer coat… you’ve inspired me, thank you, Connie.
Beth, I love your blogs, your photos and all your outfits, many of which I would wear in a minute. I retired 6 years ago from my job as an Elementary School Librarian. It was important to look professional, yet casual so the students felt comfortable around me. Pants or slacks were important to me for modesty when bending, stretching, or on a step stool.
I continue to work my successful Avon business and some days are very casual for work from home. Other days are out in the community, so appearance is very important and first impressions do make a difference. My style is business or classic casual and I live in a suburban area near Los Angeles.
both careers sound like fun! so happy to hear you are enjoying the next chapter in life. it’s so important to find new adventures to embark upon. xo
Cute look! Those pieces will be very versatile, and will last forever. I have so many clothes from work, but I was really fortunate to work in academia at a grad school where I could wear pretty much whatever I wanted to–I loved it! I had lots of classic dresses, skirts, pants, jackets and could look professional, but I was lucky that I could also easily wear them with jeans and denim skirts, etc. So, essentially I was able to build up a good wardrobe of things I can wear now that I’m retired, too–classics are so versatile. Who knows–I’m even debating whether I might find some other part-time gig or work I could do from home, too. We’ll see! It’s fun to know I don’t have to, but I could if I want to. Love this age.
right?! there’s always a new chapter to write. life always has some new adventure in store for us. xo
I am a paralegal and always looking for ways to look current but still stay within a conservative wardrobe. I get lots of great ideas from your blog.
nothing makes me happier than to hear you are finding inspiration from the blog. xo
The words and messages in todays post are very inspirational and spot on! I retired about 18 months ago and the transition from executive clothes to casual has been a real challenge. I no longer need all of those dresses and suits and re-purposing items is harder than I thought it would be. I donated about 250+ dresses, suits, jackets, pants, shoes, handbags, etc to Clothes That Work to help empower other women entering the workforce. So…I appreciate your daily blog and the fact that you show us multiple ways to wear the same garment from casual to business. Thank you!
that’s heart warming to hear that so many women have been helped by your generous donation! love it. xo
Hi Beth,
Love your ootd.
I have been retired for 3 years.
I was a kindergarten teacher for most of my career, and absolutely loved it.
I loved the children and their families, the friendships with my colleagues….and getting dressed up each day. I regularly visit with my 3 children, do volunteer work…and life has surprises…I got married 2 years ago and we enjoy travelling, far and near.
how sweet! life definitely has it’s twists and turns and i’m so happy you find yourself a newlywed. what’s better than traveling with the one you love?! xo
I have never commented at websites but this posting brought up a puzzled reaction. You have emphasized good health through eating habits, exercise, etc. The suggestions for fall shoes leaves me puzzled. The pointed ties, high spiked heel pumps are uncomfortable, create a variety of back and foot problems as we age. Your comment about instant glamour but I ask, long term problems?
You are not the only fashionista to wear the “torture boxes” but the dissonance between the health emphasis and spiked heeled shoes led to this response.
you must be a new visitor. welcome! yes, i do wear pointy-toe shoes as well as sneakers, ballet flats, clogs, flats, and the list goes on an on. i believe we need to have one pair of shoes for more formal occasions which in my case are pointy-toed pumps. but there are so many choices available these days that combine form and fashion. i hope you caught my blog post where i partnered with Easy Spirit:
https://www.styleatacertainage.com/fashion/easy-spirit-fall-ambassador/
I’m 41 next week and have a 6 year old. This past January I cut my work back to 30 hours per week so that I could have more time with my daughter and it has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I’m in student services at a major university and have an amazingly supportive woman boss, who worked the same schedule when her now grown kids were younger. While I’m out of the house within minutes of waking her up each morning, I’m home in time for the school run, so feel like I’m a working mom and a 80% stay-at-home mom too, I get the best of both worlds.
Loving this post and the advice in it. This might be too early to say, but Beth, I think the recent loss of your husband is translating into a renewed sense of purpose with your blog. I’ve been a fan and daily reader for about 2 1/2 years now, but the past few months, the posts seem deeper, like you’re thinking about legacy, and while improvement was not something I ever thought the blog needed, I have been pleasantly surprised at how much more I’ve been enjoying reading with this new style. Though if going back to how it was before means that Mr. Style could come back, I’d swap in a heartbeat. I just mean to say, I admire and respect how you’re coming through, and taking your own advice of leaning in on your family and friends, and on us, your extended blog family too. It is easy to give advice, not so easy to take either our own or others!
what a thoughtful comment! i honestly don’t know what i would have done without my family these past few months without mr. style. i still feel adrift at sea but they’ve anchored me in so many ways. and i’m so grateful for lovely readers like you who take the time to read the blog and share their thoughts. thank you from the bottom of my heart. xo