Summer Workwear: Day To Night Style

Being a fashion writer, I have a stylish reputation to keep up. You can�t work in fashion if you don�t look the part! As you might know, I live and work in London. It�s such a buzzing, vibrant city and I love working there, but there�s no such thing as a 9-5 job when you are a writer. There are brunches with brands in the morning, deadlines to hit in the afternoon, and then after work drinks in cool new bars or launch parties in the evening- it�s nonstop. You can�t afford to miss anything, so you�ve got to make sure that you�re wearing something that�ll impress from day to night. Plus it can get seriously heated in summer and I find myself wondering what to wear to work during the summer. Switching between cabs and tubes all day can take its toll and it's sometimes hard to know how to beat the heat in style. 

An oversized T-shirt tucked into a sleek split skirt is a light, airy, and seriously slick style for days spent dashing around London in the inner-city heat. It�s a chic, stylish look that�ll impress your boss and then have people asking �Oh my god where did you get that?� at the bar later on. Being a fashion writer, you never know where you�ll end up or who you�ll end up meeting, but with this classic outfit combination you�ll always know that you�ll be nailing essential day to night style. 

What's your summer workwear personality? Dorothy Perkins have created the ultimate quiz to determine your workwear style ! Are you a day-to-night dresser like me? Or functional meets fashion? See the full personalities over on the Dorothy Perkins website. 

Skirt | Shoes | Top | Bag - All c/o Dorothy Perkins

Style Heroes

Topshop Coat (similar here) | Topshop Shirt | Dorothy Perkins Trousers * | Dorothy Perkins Bag | Zara Mules (similar here)

When you think of style heroes, you'll probably think of Alexa Chung, Coco Chanel, and maybe even Kim Kardashian if you are that way inclined (okay I'll face it that she's upped her fashion-game during the Kanye Era). But today I'm talking about the essential wardrobe items that we rely on during those "oh crap I have nothing to wear" days (basically everyday). Dorothy Perkins Style Heroes Campaign features 10 must-have wardrobe staples that form the foundation of our seasonal outfits. As part of the Style Heroes challenge I got to pick a mini-bag and a pair of cropped trousers to style out. 

Let's talk about the mini bag. Pretty impractical, but who cares? I don't need to carry 3 Mac lipsticks around everyday and like every teen movie I watched as a kid it's embedded in my mind that it's only cool to pay on plastic, so no loose change will be found swinging around this tiny bag. Plus those "what's in my handbag" blog posts are completely overrated anyway, so at least I don't need to worry about doing one of them.
As for cropped trousers, I love showing off a bit of ankle. The Victorians would have imprisoned me for being a totally improper lady and no man would ever have deemed me worthy of wifeing. What really does it for me with cropped trousers is the slightly retro look about them. Effortlessly chic in solid black with an oversized chambray shirt is the easiest way for casual dressing on a day-to-day basis, without fail.

Dorothy Perkins Style Essentials

Look One: Dorothy Perkins Jeans * - Dorothy Perkins Boots* - Dorothy Perkins Bag* - Forever 21 Tee - Topshop Sleeveless Jacket
Look Two: Dorothy Perkins Top* - Dorothy Perkins Culottes* - Dorothy Perkins Shoes* - Zara Bag
The perfect capsule wardrobe is something many women have strived towards creating since Gok Wan started throwing the concept in our faces a few years back on How To Look Good Naked.
Although I'm sure any fashion-obsessive on this earth still yearns for the walk in wardrobe, wall full of shoes, and closets full of designer gear, there's something still so refined and refreshing about having that perfect handful armful of clothes that are interchangeable and build the foundation of our wardrobes.
Cue Dorothy Perkins Style Essentials. Ten of our favourite wardrobe staples, from rolled up skinny jeans to the classic parka jacket. It covers all fashion bases.
Wearing the rolled up skinny with my beloved striped tee (there's actually a small hole in it now I've worn it so often...) I updated the look with a long black, sleeveless jacket.
For my second style essentials look I wanted something more classic with an emphasis on tailoring. Soft, ivory knitted textures are paired with sleek black culottes for a look inspired by all of the elegance of 40's tailoring.
Will you be investing in some style essentials this season?
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