10 Perfect Pieces to Creating a Dressy-Casual Wardrobe

Are you really good at what you do whether you're a corporate professional or an entrepreneur, but when it comes to your dressy- casual wardrobe, you question, how do you create a perfect dressy-casual wardrobe?

What are the pieces you need?

Where do you go shopping?

Welcome to the dressy casual wardrobe series, part 4 as we bring it all together with pants, shoes, and jacket options for creating your perfect dressy-casual wardrobe.  

Life has changed over the last 24 months; it’s gone more casual. 

Adding the 10 Perfect Pieces to your wardrobe will allow you to dress with ease, be on-brand, and confidently ready to be noticed. 

Step ONE / 2-3 Pants

• 2-3 pants that fit your lifestyle

• Make sure your pants fit your body type

• Can you wear each pant style with 2-3 other pieces in your wardrobe

Step TWO / 2-3 Jackets

• Think of your jackets as a layering piece

• Choose 1-2 neutral colors

• Find a signature jacket that presents a polished put-together look

Step THREE / Shoes

• Think 3 levels of shoes – casual, dressy casual, sophisticated/fashion forward casual

• Focus on your lifestyle and how you want to feel when you show up

• What shoes are missing in your current wardrobe?

As you are shopping and creating your dressy casual wardrobe, think about your lifestyle. By incorporating the ‘right 10 pieces’, it allows you to show up confidently put-together, feeling polished, and ready to be seen and noticed. 

Stop fussing with your clothes. Edit them out or alter them. 

If you are ready to take the next step and know you can’t do this on your own, let’s chat. 

Book your ‘Get Dressed with Ease’ call

Click here to learn more about my head-to-toe transformation, 90-day Reveal Your Radiance program.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

How to Style Your Dressy Casual Jackets for Weekend Play or Casual Work Environment

Jackets are my thing. Whether it’s for work or play. 

You may be more of a sweater girl. Either way, they are both great layering pieces and add an extra layer of style to any outfit. 

As a Seattleite, I feel there is always a need for a tad of warmth in both the summer and fall. (ok, yes I’m always cold)

Today, I’m sharing 3 dressy casual jacket options that you can wear in a casual work environment or weekend play, elevating your simple casual look to a put-together and polished one. 

I talk about lifestyle and having a wardrobe that supports you. 

So, what does that mean really?

Being able to go to your closet, and instantly know you have the perfect jacket for the event or occasion you’re attending. 

And of course, with some style. 

#1 The Most Versatile Jacket

• Why? Because I can wear this black and white gingham jacket with three levels of dress. 

• It is a jean denim fabric that is relaxed yet elevated, never feeling underdressed or overdressed

• Whether I wear it with my pearl earrings or white sneakers, it just works beautifully for my elegant casual lifestyle

#2 The White Track Jacket

One of the trends for spring and summer 2022 is the “great white out”. Lots of white, whether that is shoes, dresses, and eyelet blouses. 

• The beauty of white, it’s crisp, clean, and organized. (aka; the personality of white) 

• It is a neutral that goes with just about EVERYTHING. 

• Not just for working out, in fact, this jacket never makes it to the gym. Have fun with the versatility and choose your right color. 

#3 The Running Jacket That is NOT Just for Running

There are times when you need a casual jacket to throw on with your cute joggers, jeans, or skort. This is that jacket. (ok, yes you can definitely wear this jacket for running and you will look sooo good!)

• Fall in love with the color and feel of the fabric 

• A hood, brings more casual to the jacket

• Quality, brings more elegance to your style

As you are shopping and creating your dressy casual wardrobe, think about your lifestyle. 

• What are the various events in your life that you never have the right jacket?

• What do you love on other women or see online, and wonder if you could pull it off? 

• Begin making a list of your needs and missing links. 

• Shop with more intention and make new decisions. 

If designing a dressy-casual wardrobe feels like too much work and you need help, let’s connect so that I can learn more about your lifestyle needs and personal style challenges. 

I would LOVE to help you. 

Click here and let’s chat.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

3 Shoe Options to Wear with Your Favorite Pants

Have you just bought a new pair of pants that you can’t wait to wear when you suddenly realize you don’t have the right shoes?

Or maybe you are questioning what style of shoes are appropriate? 

Having a variety of shoe options, definitely makes getting dressed more fun. 

The good news, is you have options.

I’m going to share 3 Shoe Options to Wear with One Pair of Pants.

Shoe Option #1 – The White Sneaker

The White sneaker was made popular back in 2014 by fashion bloggers and street stylists, the simple white trainers.  

It’s now 2022, and they are not going anywhere. They are here to stay, and I personally love my white sneakers.

If you’re a girl with a little sportiness or enjoy a little comfort, a white sneaker is a must. 

• They provide a clean classic vibe. The color white denotes refined and elegant. 

• You are elevating your sneaker game with a minimalist white sneaker. 

• Wear your white sneaker with a jean, a casual summer dress, or a skort.

Shoe Option #2 – The Patent Leather Sneaker Shoe

Personally, I love patent leather. It’s that instant splash of shine and dressy combined. 

Patent leather might not be your thing but think about a sneaker sole with an added dressier shoe combination. Or for you, maybe it’s casual flats. The perfect Dressy Casual Shoe. 

• Elevate the everyday with comfortable and chic.

• Experience versatility of dress sneakers for work.

•  Wear with jeans, Ponte pants, or cotton twill.

Shoe Option #3 – The Mule Shoe

I remember my first pair of mules, 20 years ago. I loved them. 

They are back with a vengeance with style and ease. 

• The easiest pair of shoes to slip into and feel instantly dressed up in a casual chic way.

• The block heel gives the dressy casual pant an elevated look and feel. 

• Short legs? Pair your pants with a pointy toe mule, it’s going to give you an elongated leg.

Looking to keep connected? Download my FREE Get Style Confident Now Guide!

Stepping down from your stilettos doesn’t mean taking a step down in style with these flashy kicks.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

3 Pant Silhouettes to Create 3 Three Levels of Dressy-Casual Style

Have you found your professional attire moving toward a “dressy casual” look and feel?

And notice that you tend not to wear professional trouser pants like you used to?

You know you need another option in pants, but are not sure what to purchase?

Today I’m going to share three pant options to add to your professional wardrobe that will give you the dressy casual look and feel yet sharp and polished.

#1 Dressy Casual Level One – the Joseph Ribkoff Trouser Pant

• What I love about these pants is you can dress them up or down, which gives you versatility and ease when getting dressed.  

• The pant has elastic at the waist. There is something so comfortable about elastic, as it allows you to move and breathe in your pants with ease. Gaining a few pounds around the middle gives you some wiggle room to still feel comfortable and confident. 

• It’s an ankle-pant. You can wear an ankle-pant with various shoe styles. A traditional pump. A sandal. A fancy sneaker.

#2 Dressy Level Two – Dark Wash Black Jeans 

• The straight-leg silhouette is classic and timeless. It is always in style and does well with most body types. 

• The dark wash black jean gives you the visual appearance of a pair of trouser pants but the look and feel of approachable and understated. That is dressy casual. 

• The black jean has a professional yet stylish appearance that can be styled with jackets for a crisp sharp presence.

#3 Dressy Level Three – 5 Pocket 4-Way Stretch Fabric Pant

• Here I am introducing a lululemon pant but there are so many options available in this level of dressy casual.  Looks like a jean silhouette but with more polish and elegance.

• Personally, I love the polished fabric with a 4-way stretch fabric that is ultra-comfortable and allows you to move with ease.

•  This pant also gives options to wear with multiple shoe styles.  From a dressy sandal or pump to a dressy casual sneaker.

BONUS: The Skort – Skirt with Benefits

• Dressier than a pant but not a professional skirt style. 

• Benefit of the spandex short underneath so you can move with ease. 

• Personally, I wear my skorts to work in front of zoom to riding my bike to the winery and then to dinner.

As you may have noticed, all my pant options are black. 

Yes, black is versatile and easy to mix-and-match. 

To expand and optimize your wardrobe, I encourage you to ‘try on’ and consider other neutrals like navy, khaki, or white. 

Join me next week for part 2 of the dressy casual wardrobe series as we chat about shoe options. 

If you haven’t already, please come join us in the Style with Significance Private Facebook group as we continue the conversation. 

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

12 Style Tips to Show Up as Your Best Self as You Go Back to The Office

You’re a different woman than you were 24 months ago, you've evolved.

 As you're looking in your closet you may be thinking, I don't even wear half of these pieces. 

You may be getting ready to go back to work, or already in the trenches of back at the office, and you're looking at your wardrobe thinking, “Oh my gosh, I don't wear 50% of the pieces I already have.”

Realizing over the last couple years how differently you were dressing, right? 

You may have lowered your standards of how you showed up, especially on zoom.

Remember, the world told you it was o.k. to wear pajamas to work.  

Sometimes you get sucked into the world views thinking it’s normal, and then one day you wake up and realize your self-confidence isn’t what it used to be when it comes to style and looking the part.

This is why I’ve come up with 12 style tips for you to show up as your best self as you go back to the office.

Style Tip #1 One by one, begin removing pieces from your closet that don't make you feel like a million bucks. 

Style Tip #2 Take note; you probably purchased clothing pieces over the last 24 months that were designed to be in front of a zoom camera. 

Style Tip #3 Give yourself permission to be done with them and say goodbye.  

Style Tip #4 When you have unwanted pieces, they clutter your mind.

Style Tip #5 You do not want the illusion that you “should” have all kinds of amazing potential outfits, when you do not.  Let them go. 

Style Tip #6 Maybe they remind you of COVID and it is a negative in your subconscious.  Let them go. 

Style Tip #7 Because you didn’t care as much, the quality isn’t aligned with you and your normal standard of purchases. Let them go. 

Style Tip #8 They're tattered, they're ready to go. 

Style Tip #9 One of the things I learned from Marie Kondo and recently did myself was, to completely clear your closet and then begin adding the pieces back in one-by-one. 

Style Tip #10 My philosophy is that everything must be invited back into your closet, and you should love each piece. Marie Kondo would say, “Does it brings you joy?”

Style Tip #11 Do you want to continue to wear them as you move forward into 2022 and beyond? 

Style Tip #12 Do the pieces you are keeping align with how you want to be perceived as a businesswoman? 

Does this process overwhelm you? 

Does it stress you out? 

Would you love help? 

I am here to help you. 

You are invited to my new program that was designed especially for you, called The Seven Day Signature Style Edit.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

Going Back to Work: Style Tips to Simplify the Great Return

Are you a corporate professional who is going back to the office and you need to transition from your zoom tops to professional in-person outfits?  

And you've looked in your closet, wondering, is what you have hanging in your closet even in style? 

And the next question you're probably asking yourself is, oh my gosh, what fits?

Of course, you are, you haven’t worn a large portion of your pants in 24 months. 

Maybe you've gained a little weight, maybe you've lost a little weight?

And you're feeling a little bit hesitant, a little bit nervous about what are you going to wear? 

Let’s chat about getting your wardrobe prepared so that you will look put-together, confident, and feel ready to rock your world as you reenter.

My #1 Style Tip for Going Back to Work: Begin Going Through Your Closet and Editing What Makes You Feel 100% Confident NOW!

Step One: Pants

• Begin with your pants because if you've gained weight, if you've lost weight, the first place that we really notice it is in a pair of pants. And so go through your pants and figure out what fits. 

• What do you feel confident in? 

• What do you want to keep moving forward? So preparing yourself before the you know, the weekend before and realizing oh my gosh, my pants don't fit. 

• So do you need another pair of trouser pants for all your beautiful jackets or your blouses that fit really well? 

• Look at a pair of jeans, maybe you're in a more casual setting. Maybe going back to the office, I have heard that many employers are saying that you can dress down, but maybe you want a nice pair of fitting jeans that fit well. 

• Why? Because they're polished, you can put them on with a beautiful blouse or wear a pair of white jeans, and possibly add a jacket. So get your pants in order that's really important.

Step Two: Jackets

• The next is maybe you do want to make sure that the jackets that you have, what are you going to keep?

• Are some of the jackets too traditional that maybe you need to go down a notch in a little bit more of a kind of dressy casual kind of feel?

• So I believe in having a handful of put-together polished outfits that you feel confident in, and having them ready to go at a moment's notice.

• This could be a couple of pairs of pants, one of your favorite blouses, a great jacket, and all those pieces can mix and match so that you aren't, you know, stressing out feeling overwhelmed thinking, oh my gosh, you know, I've been in front of zoom for 24 months, and now I need to go back to the office, and you need to get ready.

So I want to invite you if you are somebody who's listening and saying Annette, I am overwhelmed.

I am stressed.

I need help.

Because you're a different woman now than you were 24 months ago, right?

We evolve.

So I have a brand new offer that I'm so excited about.

It's called The Seven Day Signature Style Edit.

And what did you just design for exactly what I just talked about?

You are going back to the office, maybe you already have some great pieces. Maybe you have a lot of holes and you don't know how to put those pieces together so it's put together, polished confident, and I can help you with that.

So I invite you to go check out the Seven Day Signature Style Edit, and I would love to be your Personal Image Consultant and stylist so that you can show up oozing with confidence.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

3 Ways to Style Your Timeless White Blouse  

You may be thinking, white….it's a little boring?

Maybe you’re thinking you prefer a timeless blouse with more color or frill?

However, the white blouse is a wardrobe staple that is: 

• Timeless

• Versatile

• Luxurious

1.Let’s talk Timeless

Begin styling it with your classic black jacket. Simple. I'm sure you have one in your closet. Showing up professional and put-together is going to give you the confidence that you need as you head back to the office or begin in-person meetings. 

Add pearls, gold, or silver accessories to make it your own. 

2.Let’s talk Versatility

Style your timeless white blouse with a beautiful sweater or even a denim jacket. 

There is no one way to style your white blouse. The options are endless. 

As you are investing in the timeless white blouse, think of the various jackets you already own.

The timeless white blouse now becomes an investment piece into your wardrobe.

3.Let’s talk Luxury 

The color white denotes clean, crisp, and organized. 

Is that how you want others to perceive you?

Will you choose a beautiful Italian pima cotton fabric that says bespoke?

Luxury and custom. 

Let Your Timeless White Blouse do the Speaking for You. 

HERE ARE 3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide: 7 Ways to go from feeling ‘off’ to rocking a signature look that is uniquely YOU!

2. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing and style choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 30-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are and dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

3. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel