Workwear is often a drag since most clothing designed for the office is often super uncomfortable. New York has been a humid, disgusting, hell hole this summer. My solution? Workleisure pieces scattered throughout my looks. Workleisure is a quick way to describe the snowballing trend of workout fabric disguised in everyday clothing styles. You won’t find a single piece of Lululemon in this lineup, though. Let me put you on to some of the chicest workleisure on the market that will fool anyone into thinking it’s regular workwear.
Spoiler, the key pieces are not affordable per se, but the girl math maths. I wear these washable staples at least 3-4 times per week and they require ZERO dry cleaning. They’ve cost me less than poly blend dry clean only Zara dresses over their lifetime. Remember, building a smarter wardrobe is the key to always having something to wear without overspending. Pick quality pieces that can be styled a million different ways over the course of 10 years. While it will cost you upfront, after a year of wearing them, you’ll notice your spending on clothing goes down exponentially.
For links to each item in each style edit, click on the outfit photos below.
Workleisure Style Edit 1
This look is comprised of the latest technical fabric designs from MM La Fleur, one of my top picks for elegant, high-end workwear. I’ve also paired it with a blouse from Aday, my favorite workleisure brand over the past 10 years. I wear their Straight Up Pants 3 times a week, literally. For this look, I’ve paired an equally stretchy pair of slacks by MM La Fleur that are full-length length vice ankle like the Straight Up Pants to create a longer line with the shortened top. These Gucci lookalike loafers also get worn almost every day to the office, as they’re comfortable to log miles of New York commuting, yet still be stylish. I’ve had my eye on Senreve’s bags since 2017: they’re designed thoughtfully to have space for your laptop, lunch, and much more, without looking like a boring work tote, or worse, tech backpack.
Workleisure Style Edit 2
This is one of my favorite looks: this outfit gives the look of a suit, however, the material is wrinkle-free tech fabric that can be machine-washed. This includes the button down too. These items can also be packed in a suitcase for a work trip without wrinkling. I always have my Aday slacks with me on the road! They’re even more amazing if you have no choice but to fly in your work clothing due to tight schedules. As someone in investment banking, it’s an absolute must. I love to add dimension and interest to an otherwise simple outfit with unique jewelry. These pieces give a sense of playful elegance to the solid colors. I rely on Amazon for hypoallergenic, affordable jewelry. This Calpak laptop bag is a functional alternative to the more pricey Senreve bag and comes in a ton of colors.
Workleisure Edit 3
I was gifted this easy-wear knot dress by Kasper. Yep, the brand your mother wore to the office in the 90’s. The brand has gotten a 21st-century makeover for the millennial and Gen Z workforce. I’ve already worn it once a week for 2 months and it still looks brand new. Taking a flight for work? This basically feels like a nightgown and doesn’t wrinkle. I’ve also thrown it in my bag and worn it without an iron or a steamer. It comes in black and blue below and is on sale right now!
What workwear items are you looking for styling advice for? Let me know in the comments below, I’ll make additional posts for these questions!
For more workwear outfit ideas, follow me on LTK for links to all my daily outfits for the office and beyond. You can also follow my Workwear Amazon List for workwear for weekly additions of my favorite workwear finds.
