We’ve had some fun in the past couple of weeks, putting together outfits for work with things we might not normally wear to work – like sequins. But today my nose is back to the grindstone as I put together an ensemble with something that is easily work-appropriate: the high-waisted pant!

High waisted pants are still on trend, so for those of you that want to take advantage of that, I can help you out. Let’s see what I did here:

High Waist Trouser in Black ………. $19.99
Polka Dot Tee ………. $7.99
Steve Madden Oxfords in Lavender ………. $19.99
Mixed Tape Cardigan in Dark Rosewood ………. $49.50

Let’s talk about what I did here. The pants are high-waisted, and look really comfortable. I went with black and paired them with this lavender and gray polka dotted shirt, because lavender works so well with black. I went with printed lavender oxfords, because oxford shoes are really in right now, and I liked the different pattern.

Since the tee has short little sleeves, I figured you might want a cardigan to keep this work-friendly. (Or not – your office might be casual enough for you to just wear the tee, tucked into your pants, of course, otherwise, what’s the point of high-waisted pants?) I kept things in the same color family by going with this dark purple cardigan. BUT – and this is important – do not button it.

You guys know that I sometimes get a little desperate when trying to put everything together for under $100. I wanted to find a dark purple cardigan that wasn’t banded at the bottom, but this was the one I liked the most, because it’s J.Crew and it’s awesome. But the banding on the bottom is problematic, because cardigans with bands on the bottom have their own shape, and should really be worn over dresses or skirts.

But if you don’t button it and leave it open for a slouchy and comfy look, the cardigan’s shape won’t be emphasized and it will look just fine with pants. Of course, if you have an unbanded purple cardigan of your own, I highly encourage the substitution.

Again, if you leave the cardigan unbuttoned, it won’t be a problem at all. And there we have a lovely work ensemble built around high-waist pants!

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been experimenting with adding certain things to the work wardrobe that we might not add otherwise – things like sequins and shorts. This week, I’m continuing this trend by showing you a great way to introduce more plaid into your work wardrobe.

Plaid was really big last fall and is still around, solidly in place, and chances are, you’ve probably already worn plaid to work. But you probably felt a little guilty doing it, like you were suddenly opting for far too casual a look…or because you looked like a lumberjack.

There are plenty of ways to wear plaid to work guilt-free, and here’s an example:

Charcoal Wash Skinny Jeans ………. $15
Gauzy Smocked Top in Black ………. $24.50
Boyfriend Cardigan in Turquoise Sea ………. $23.99
Buckled Ankle Boot in Cognac ………. $21.80

I picked this gauzy plaid top just because it caught my eye and I really liked it, but rest assured that a normal plaid shirt with a collar and little pockets and everything is just fine, too. I paired it with these black skinny jeans. Since this is a gauzy smocked top deal, you don’t need to tuck it in because that would look ridiculous. If this were a normal plaid shirt, all lumber-jack-style, I’d definitely tuck it in.

I added this turquoise cardigan for some color, plus I like the length. It’ll look longer with the tucked in shirt, and will make you look leaner. Plus, it’s a nice feminine touch.

For the shoes, I went with rich, warm brown booties that you’d obviously tuck the skinny jeans into. I own boots a lot like these but in black, and they’re absolutely adorable. And the best part? I can dress them up for an evening out or dress them down so I can wear them with jeans and not look fancy.

I was, sadly, unable to find a bag to include in this ensemble, but I’d go with a black leather satchel with silver hardware. It would look absolutely adorable. (Because, remember, you don’t always have to match your bag with your shoes. After all, this isn’t your mother’s working wardrobe!)

I got yet another email from a reader that referred to my last post here, where I discussed making shorts work-appropriate. This one is kind of in the same vein, in that Melanie wants to know if there’s any way for her to show up at work wearing her favorite sequin-embellished tank top.

I’m not going to sit here and scold all of you for even daring to think of wearing tank tops to work. Hardly! I’m actually a huge fan of lacy camisoles, and I love wearing them under brightly colored cardigans. One of my fellow law students has a similar love of corsets and bustiers, and admits that she’s been known to show up to court or work wearing a bustier over a collared dress shirt, under her suit jacket.

The point is, there are always ways to gussy up your favorite articles of clothing that would usually be too sexy for the work place – like tank tops, camisoles, and, yes, corsets and bustiers.

So I found a pretty embellished tank and created an outfit around it that would absolutely be work-appropriate.

Tapered Skinny Dress Pants ………. $15
Hannah Studded Tank in Grey ………. $19.99
Solid Varsity Cardigan in Grey ………. $39.50
Spring Flat in Purple ………. $22.99

I picked a pair of skinny dress pants that hit the ankle, no lower. They’re like work-appropriate skinny jeans! I know a lot of you really dig the skinny jean trend that’s been around for…forever. It sure seems like forever, at any rate, doesn’t it?

I paired them with this studded/sequined tank. It was one of the better ones I could find in our price range. Feel free to go with one that’s more heavily sequined, because what we’ve done here in this outfit is really dress it down, so a more glittery tank would still work.

I dressed the sparkly tank down by picking a long, modest cardigan in the same color. I absolutely adore this varsity cardigan from Delia’s. And to finish off the outfit and add a pop of bright color, I picked these purple flats. I wanted to find studded flats, but these were the best I could do for our price range. Check out the embellishments, though – they’re kind of studded. It ties in with the tank and pulls it all together.

To accessorize, consider throwing on a silver bracelet or two, and a gold one, to tie into the buttons and just add some interest. It’s totally on trend to mix the materials of your bracelets (bronze, gold, silver, leather), and here, I’d go with two silver and one gold.

And there you have a fool-proof way to dress down sequins so you’ve got an ensemble that’s low-key but polished enough for the office!

I received an email from an alert reader with an urgent question. Okay, fine, I’m fibbing: the reader wasn’t particularly alert, nor did she claim that her question was particularly urgent. I just wanted everyone to think I led an exciting life.

But her question is still an important one. The email reads in part:

Huma,

…I have a pair of great printed shorts that end about two inches above my knee, and I know that they’re acceptable for my office where the dress code only prohibits short shorts, jeans, and tubed or spaghetti strap tops. I want to be able to wear them to work but I don’t want to look like I’m headed out to the beach after. In other words, I don’t want to look too casual. Any help?

April

April, you’re in luck, because I have a bit of advice about turning shorts into office-appropriate ensembles.

Note what April said about the length of the shorts. This is important. If your shorts are too short, they’re going to look too casual; and if they’re too short, they’re going to look wildly inappropriate.

When it comes to length, if your shorts are any shorter than 1-2 inches above your knee (3 is pushing it but I have no way of knowing whether or not your office dress code is lax enough to permit that – just use your best judgment), leave them at home. They should be just two inches above the knee, at minimum, and shouldn’t be made of the same fabric as beach shorts. No terrycloth, no super crinkly linen or anything.

Let’s take a look at how I emphasized the ‘business‘ end of an ensemble including a totally ‘casual’ article like shorts.

Stretch Twill Shorts in Retro Garden ………. $27.90
Ballet Neck Tee in White ………. $15.90
Arturo Chiang Flats in Copper ………. $23.70
Teardrop Bracelet ………. $6.99

I was hoping to find a pair of pretty shorts in a nice tribal print for under $50, but it wasn’t happening, so I went with these pink and brown ones. Notice the length – totally appropriate.

To reduce the casual effect, I picked out a plain white top with full-ish sleeves. Okay, half sleeves. But not the slouchy kind of half sleeves. The informal kind of full sleeves. The white works well with the pink and brown, and it’s pretty fool-proof.

For the shoes, I opted to go with flats. You could easily pick out a pair of heels to go with this outfit, but I think the loafers here look better. And besides, high heels would just look awkward here. Kittens would look fine, but it would depend on the look of the shoe.

But I’m kind of into loafers right now, and I like the rich copper color of these ones. I picked out a pinkish teardrop stone bracelet, which ties into the gold embellishment on the shoe as well.

But take a minute to step back from the particulars here and note what I really did with this outfit. I added a fitted/tailored top – basically, anything that isn’t too billowy or slouchy that makes it look like you intend to spend the day with sunscreen on your nose, leaning back in your office chair and using your desk lamp to turn your cubicle into a mini tanning booth.

I picked closed toe shoes, because anything else would invite the beachy feel. Besides, I don’t like open toes in the office, anyway, and most dress codes reinforce that. It took me forever to warm up to peep toes at work.

Then I added accessories to make the whole thing look deliberate and planned, not like you just threw it on as a cover up like you would if you were running out to the beach.

And there we have a work-appropriate way to wear shorts!

Don’t worry, we’re not getting political – we’re talking about the First Lady’s fashion sense! I think Mrs. Obama has had some stellar ensembles for noteworthy state events, but she’s also had her fair share of blech outfits. However, I think the greatest thing about her fashion sense is that she always comes across as confident and comfortable in her own skin, no matter what she’s wearing, and that kind of self-assurance goes a long way in making an outfit work.

So for today, I put together a plus-sized look based on one of the outfits Michelle wore to church with her family.

So simple, but so pretty.

Here’s my take on it for all of my plus-size professionals!

Luxe Knit Scoopneck Dress in Raspberry Sorbet ………. $44.99
Striped Long Cardigan ………. $24.80
Rocket Dog Memories Thai Silk Knotted Flat ………. $19.94

I went with a flattering scoopneck dress with great draping, that’s still light and breezy and great for this warm weather. I paired it with a striped long cardigan with a belt that also helps create an hourglass figure, and threw in a pair of pink flats. They’re going fast, though, so sizes may be limited!

And there we have Michelle Obama’s simple and feminine look!

I got this email from Ella, a reader at my blog, the Reasonably Prudent Law Student, where I do my normal Business Casual Superstar series posts. Ella writes,

I bought a red blazer. Not a maroon blazer or a burgundy blazer or a dark red blazer, but a firecracker red blazer. It’s bright and attention grabbing and not at all like anything else I have in my closet. I work in the Career Counseling office at a local college, if you needed to know that, and we can wear jeans on Fridays, so I can wear the blazer to work, no problem. But my question is, how?! Any ideas?

Actually, it does help to know where you work, Emma. At my blog, I put together ensembles for general working professionals in all kinds of offices, but I always try to add some disclaimers specifically for lawyers. For example, at a Big Law firm, wearing a bright red blazer to work means you don’t even have to bother coming in the next morning. No joke. Casual Friday, at least for men, generally means a pale blue button down shirt under the suit jacket instead of a plain white one.

FUN TIMES!

Anyway, Career Counseling offices are generally less formal (the ladies in my undergraduate career office wore capris in the spring and fall) so this outfit will totally work.

Five Pocket Bootleg Jeans ………. $15
Camisole in White ………. $9.99
Button Front Blazer in Red ………. $19
Moda Spana Pump in Bone ………. $41.22
Trifari Simulated Pearl Bracelet ………. $12.06

Addendum: The price is actually $97.27. Sorry!

You said jeans were appropriate on Fridays, so I picked a pair of dark boot cut ones. I threw in a camisole, NOT in the bright floral shown, but in white, with a cute little bow at the top, and your red blazer goes over that. I added a pair of nude pumps – more like bone, and not very nude for certain skin types, but they can easily be substituted for tan.

It’s effortless and fool-proof, and totally work-appropriate!

Reframe that question in terms of shoe choice, and the answer might be a little more clear. You might be familiar with some of the adages regarding men’s fashion and troubled economic times. For example, during recessions, condom sales typically go up, while sales of men’s underwear typically go down. Thus spake Greenspan.

(Also, yes, I equated condoms with men’s fashion. I make no apologies for it because condoms typically are associated more with men…even though a woman should never be unprepared. This is the twenty-first century, ladies. Let’s join it.)

As for women’s fashions, one similar adage for recession times is that heel height coincides with shaky economic times. During our last financial boom in the US, heel heights were at an all-time high…and now, not so much. That was two years ago, after all. Translation: that’s right, your ceiling-skimming stilettos are, in fact, so two years ago.

Before, Blahnik, Louboutin, and Prada were all about the 5, 6, 7, even 8″ heels. And now, fashion giant and general curmudgeon Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel) is going with kitten heels at his runway shows, as are many other famous designers, like Marc Jacobs, Cavalli, and even Jimmy Choo, who has always been the name in stilettos. These designers are all introducing 1-1.5″ heels to their collections in a bid to return to lady-like chic, after a couple years of vampy or show-girl-esque shoe styles. (Or just super girly styles.)

But, of course, this is to be taken with a grain of salt. Or a huge salt lick. Fashion repeats itself in cycles, and aside from that, it’s possible that the shorter heels are just a reaction to the recession we’ve already been through – or, of course, nothing at all.

As for me, personally, I just take this as a fun little fashion tidbit for, perhaps, the more superstitious or fanciful among us.

But I, too, have my fanciful side, so I put together a modest collection of cute kitten heels that are entirely office-appropriate. They all come in under $50, in keeping with my attempts to give you guys affordable options, and all images are linked, so you need only click to purchase.

There are certain things to remember when wearing small heels to the workplace. Just like you need to be careful when wearing heeled pumps – they shouldn’t be too sexy for the office – you need to be careful that your little heels aren’t too informal.

If you want to wear wedges, go for it. Wedges are comfortable and easier to walk in, while still adding height. But stay away from the obvious no-no: cork, and ‘beachy’ wedges. Stay away from slingback wedges, too, where the front part resembles an actual closed shoe, but then gives way to a strap that fits over your heels. Small heels, wedges, and flats are already seen as less formal (but again, this may not be the case depending on the style of the shoe) as closed toe pumps with heels, and there is no need to make that worse with a sling back.

Also, stay away from mules (also known as slides) where the front part resembles a closed toe show…and there simply isn’t a back part. Meaning they flap against the sole of your foot as you walk. At an office, nothing should flap. Nothing should make that kind of noise. Stay away from kitten heels like that.

When looking at a kitten heel for work, remember that it should be a closed toe shoe. That’s your basic rule of thumb. Closed toe. There’s always an exception, though, and I show you one below.

These shoes follow my general rules, and I tried to include different colors and styles to help you see just how many options you have when opting for these little guys instead of your pumps.

ModCloth - $42.99

I love ModCloth! Such a great store for vintage, unique, hand-made pieces. These boots are kind of really adorable, and I had to include them just to show you that ankle boots can come with tiny heels, too!

Target - $18

Here’s a standard work shoe, black, closed toe, with a cute little kitten heel. It won’t be tough to run around the office in a pair of these at all.

Endless - $39.95

Here’s my exception to the closed toe rule: the minimal peep toe. No one will have to see all your toes, which, come on, gross, but for a more casual office, this will be totally acceptable.

Jones New York - $29.94

Here’s yet another exception to the closed toe rule: the cut out! Cut outs are a little hipper, a little trendier, but generally acceptable. It’s got the pointed toe to elongate the leg, and a tiny little heel. Plus, I love the bronze.

Kelly & Katie - $29.94

This one is purely for the color, a gorgeous berry red. And also because I like the design. Very clean.

Anne Klein - $39.99

Isn’t this one great?! I love the color (navy blue), I love the material (suede), I love the buckle, and I love the toe. It’s not totally pointed but it’s not round, either.

Lord & Taylor - $38.99

I showed you earlier that ankle boots lend themselves to kitten heels quite well; so do normal boots! I like the reptilian look here. That’s apparently still a trend in footwear, but it’s soon going to be on its way out. For what it’s worth.

Nine West - $43.97

And finally, here’s a kitten heel with a round toe. Round toes work particularly well with skirts because they emphasize the curves of your calves. Make sure the skirt hangs at your knee or an inch or two above it, though; if it’s any longer (and you’re wearing flats with it) you most definitely will look stumpy.

And there we have a collection of the wide variety of styles you can play with as you explore a new trend in footwear: the kitten heel. Courtesy of the economy (if you believe that sort of thing).

Oh, how wrong I was, you guys. How wrong we all were.

So, today I’m putting together an outfit composed entirely of neutral shades in an effort to convince you guys (and myself) that neutrals on their own can be exciting and substantial and, most importantly, office-appropriate.

Chiffon Tips Top ………. $16.99
Soft Floral Skirt ………. $49.99
Frances Pump in Brown ………. $20.99
Mixed Bead Cuff ………. $4

I basically built this outfit around this skirt. Okay, so it’s cheating a little, because while it’s in neutral shades, it’s got a pretty floral print that keeps it from being one of those blah-filler-neutrals. But whatever; you can’t build an outfit on those blah fillers alone, anyway. And this skirt also illustrates that something in neutral shades can still be interesting on its own.

I paired this summery (but still work-appropriate) skirt with this great top from the Limited. I really adore some of their pieces, and I love this updated twist on the classic tee. It’s in a neutral oatmeal shade, but it’s got folded pieces of chiffon fabric (just like the skirt!) in tie-dye colors along the neckline, making it youthful and colorful and fun.

I balanced out the look with a pair of brown and off-white pumps; but if you wanted to go with a warm peach or a coral or poppy-colored shoe, nothing is stopping you. I just decided on the brown and beige shoe as more of an illustration about neutral pieces. Have fun with the shoe color, without overpowering the look. I threw in a brownish/reddish cuff with yellow touches since the tee is short-sleeved and will leave the arms bare, and there we have it!

Abstract Print Skirt in Red ………. $19.97
Double Button Placket Shirt in White ………. $17.49
Peplum Blazer in Light Tan ………. $49
Metallic Ballet Flats in Bronze ………. $10.50

I picked a colorful skirt with cheery red tones, and paired it with a white shirt with fun almost-ruffles. It’s still work appropriate even if you decide to ditch the blazer, which is a lovely tan piece in a flattering cut.

I picked a pair of bronze metallic flats to add some sparkle and excitement to the outfit (bronze because they pick up the brown tones in the blazer), and there we have it! Simple, but fun and pretty.

For those of you that have been following my columns here at the Working Wardrobe for a while, you know that when I go about putting together business casual outfits for under $100, I usually select pieces that are pretty evenly balanced: If I’m going for pants, a blouse, a purse, and shoes, I try to get them each to hit around the $25 mark.

But today, I just couldn’t resist this BCBGeneration shirt dress. I don’t use nearly enough designer items in these posts, for obvious reasons (expense; one designer item would eat away the majority of my budget), and today, I thought, heck, let’s go for it!

Let’s take a look at what I did below.

BCBGeneration Striped Cotton Belted Shirt Dress ………. $56.10
Tapered Skinny Ankle Dress Pants ………. $15
Taddy Pumps ………. $16.19
Red Purse ………. $10

Isn’t the dress great? It’s got a professional look to it, undoubtedly, what with the collar and the stripes and the cuffs. The belt adds shape, and since I liked the cut and didn’t want to mess with it too much, I went with a pair of skinny black dress pants. Skinny pants look great with heels, so I picked the red heels for a bright pop of color. I matched the shiny heels with that red purse that the lovely dog is showing off for you. It’s an Etsy find, and I think it’s just adorable! I have my favorite Etsy sellers, and I generally like to share Etsy finds just because all the items are homemade and very unique, and you can get some truly pretty and fabulous stuff for a steal.

So there we have it: a black and white ensemble with a nifty designer dress and vibrant red to add brightness and fun.