What are they for – is the belt there just to hold your pants up, or to accessorize your business suit? Sometimes wearing a belt even when it’s not needed gives a more put together look for your business attire. Accessorizing with belts can be bold and make a statement of it’s own, or it can be a very subtle enhancement to your work outfit – sort of, as if you don’t really notice that it’s there but it does something to create a complete and polished look. Belts can be worn both with pant suits and skirt suits, and also over a suit jacket if it fits you well. If the suit jacket is a little bit big on you, it will be more obvious when you belt it, so be careful about that. The skirt or pants don’t necessarily have to have belt loops – some look good when the belt just lays flat over the waist band (you have to experiment with that).

Basic belts – You need to have a couple of belts that are very simple in basic colors. Some people look good in black accessories, some better in brown. Some people can wear both black and brown. However, don’t wear brown shoes with a black belt and vice versa. When it comes to brown vs black the shoes and belt do have to match. This is not true of other belt colors though, like red or white.

The buckle – When you accessorize your business suit with a belt, pay attention to the shape of size and shape of the buckle itself. Do you prefer round or square buckles?

Bold belts – A belt can also be used to make a statement of it’s own. Experiment with giving a new look to an old woman’s business suit by wearing a bold belt that gives it a different edge. Find at least one bold belt. (In this case the shoes don’t have to match – that rule is only about not mixing black and brown.)

Note the pocket details before buying the suit.

If the seams pucker, don't buy the suit.

Make sure the buttons on the sleeve are neat, and have no loose threads hanging.

Inspect the general details and stitching, before buying the suit.

There are several things you should inspect when you buy a woman’s business suit. Just because the price tag is high, it may not be the best business attire for you. It goes with out saying that the suit should of course be fully lined. And super cheap quality lining will sooner or later rip, so stay away from that. Check the wrinkle factor of the suit material by grabbing  a part of the suit with one hand and crunch it all up with your fist – when you let go and the fabric falls out of your hand, you will see how wrinkle prone the material is. (Wool blends don’t wrinkle much; linen wrinkles a lot.) Inspect the seams at the lapels and the pockets – if anything looks less then perfect, don’t buy it. If you see a loose thread, pull it and see what happens. If there are too many loose threads, don’t buy it. Check the suit’s seams for any puckers (especially around the shoulder). If there are any puckers at all, ask the sales associate to steam them out – but if the puckers can’t be steamed out easily, it means the stitching was not done right to begin with when it was sewn, so don’t buy it. Inspect the buttons at the bottom of the sleeve to make sure they are neat and straight. Last, when you wear the business suit, look and see that the lining doesn’t poke out lower than the hem line at the edge of the  sleeves or at the bottom of the suit jacket.

No tights with business attire, please. Puh-leeaas! I don’t care how popular they are right now, you can NOT wear tights to work. On the mannequin in this photo somebody made an effort to make these tights look more formal and dressy by putting them with a blazer. No way. That just does not work. Maybe for a party, but not for a work outfit. It doesn’t matter if you try to turn a pair of tights into a business casual outfit by wearing them with a suit jacket. It looks terrible. (I seldom use blogs to simply rant, but today I couldn’t hold it back.)

Here are two examples of two pretty women, with two different body types, in two different white dresses – one for a full figured body and one for a skinny body. Compare the differences, and see how each dress compliments it’s wearer:

Michelle Obama is wearing a white dress that is flaired out at the skirt.

• Body type: Full figured.
• Dress cut: Dress with flaired out skirt.
• Accessories: A wide silver belt, that makes her hips look good.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is wearing straight dress with a thin belt.

• Body type: Skinny.
• Dress cut: The dress is straight all the way.
• Accessories: A thin black belt.

When you shop, buy work clothes with the right cut for the body type you have, not the body type you would like. We all come in different shapes and sizes. If the clothes don’t look right on you, it is never the body type that is wrong, it is always the cut of the garment that is wrong. There are no wrong bodies, only wrong clothes.

Compare how Michelle Obama’s white dress makes her hips look really good. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’z hips aren’t so prominent but that belt makes them a little more noticeable. When you have a full figure, a wide belt is better. The thin belt looks better on Carla. The silver belt on Michelle makes a softer look and doesn’t contrast as much, whereas the thin black belt on Carla makes more of a contrast.

Photo credits: AP Thierry Chesnot

On those rare days that you don’t go into the office (you lucky girl) yet still wish to appear pulled together you can find yourself quickly lost in weekday fashion; somewhere between suits and sweats. Since you’re not in the office, there’s no need for the full hair and makeup: gloss, mascara, and blush are all you need at the most. For hair that’s done but not done up, dry your bangs with a round brush and simply pull the rest back in a loose ponytail. On days like this, linen, cotton, and organic cotton are a wonderful choice since they will move with you and the fabric will breathe well. Thin belts are your best accessory choice on these days since they can be that fun color add on and define your curves. Boots are always a great idea; brown flat riding boots with a small metal embellishment are not only popular this season, they are also hugely comfortable and can go with anything from skirts to Bermuda shorts to denim. This can also be a fun time to wear short sleeve jackets in colorful options and even white pants, it is spring after all.

By: Danielle Gonzalez

With the implementation of casual Friday and the overall relaxed feel at offices, jeans are now being seen around the cubicles with increasing frequency.  Each office environment is different and it is up to you to decide if your office can handle the casualness of jeans. Though a general rule that can always see you through and make sure you look professional is this: dress for the position a level higher than yourself.  If you never see your supervisor wearing jeans, it’s a good bet it would be inappropriate for you too.  But if you can wear jeans, the difference between casual chic and casual is a good fit and wash. Dark denim in a bootcut will never steer you wrong; some great brands that instantly slim and offer full coverage are: Sevens, Joe’s and Citizens (all of which can be found at Macy’s for one stop shopping).

When wearing denim to the office, layers are important to keep the look professional.  Blazers are especially sleek since they are unexpected, and paired with a lacy cami and slim cardigan makes the look feminine and effortless.  With jeans, jewelry can play a huge part: necklaces and bracelets are a great way to be eclectic and boho chic.  Denim can be a fun break away from the usual office attire and remain sleek and styled.

 By: Danielle Gonzalez

Outfits by Ann Taylor and Anthropology

 Too short.  This is a good length for the office.

Don’t push it with the short skirts. Work is still work. When you have to wear business attire the skirt shouldn’t be shorter than just above the knee. Even in warm weather. The gray skirt with a contrasting jacket on the right, is a good look for a professional woman. The skirt out fit on the left is cute, but just a bit too short to give a strictly business like impression. You can wear a matching skirt suit, or a skirt with a different jacket. Both work just as well.