Oh work wear, you always seem to be a topic of conversation among us ladies. I think we can all agree that dressing for the workplace can sometimes be a difficult challenge, especially if you know you’re hitting martini club immediately following 5:00 pm. If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is that panty hose and cocktails don’t always mix. And yes, I did have to wear panty hose at a previous job. Hi, I’m 30 going on 84.

Recently the girls and I at the office decided it would be a fun challenge to each find an outfit that would work well for both work and play. Think something appropriate enough for 8-5 yet something fun enough for 5-9. This may entail losing a piece or two, swapping out shoes or adding a fun accessory, but we got the job done. To complete this fun little challenge, we hit up my personal favorite store to shop for work attire, Express, and hit the ground running. I love their price points and all of the options that can easily be worn for work or a date night out. Fortunately Express did not let us down and we were able to find looks that felt good and looked even better.

Before we jump straight into our work vs play outfits we thought it would be fun to share a quick look into our office and work lives…come on in!

These ladies above currently complete the LIY team and oh how much I love them all. For some quick formal introductions we have Cassidy [Summer Intern/Creative Sidekick] on the left, Steph [Operations Assistant] in the middle and Becca [Creative Director] on the far right. It is amazing how different each of their skill sets are and how perfectly well we all compliment each other. I truly feel like I hit the jackpot with each one of these girls.

It doesn’t hurt that we all share a deep love for coffee, a similar sense of humor and feel nearly 99.9% comfortable to say anything/everything in front of each other [so yes, it gets weird sometimes]. I will share more in detail about all of them in an upcoming post and what they do, but as you can see – they are all pretty dang cute, brilliant, creative and in a lot of cases – everything I am not. And that, I am grateful for 😉

 Turnlock Cross Body Bag // Chain Strap Chevron Convertible Cross Body Bag //Floral Embroidery Top Handle Cross Body Bag

I am obsessed with this lace cutout top which makes a statement as soon as you drop the blazer and expose the back. Add a margarita and BAM, outfit complete.