Chambray shirts are typically for weekend wearing, but in today’s post in this “wear to work” series, I am going to give my tips on how to wear a chambray shirt to work because I do think there is a way to utilize this trendy top as office-wear. Here are my tips and outfits to give you some ideas and inspiration.
Chambray shirts are not for every work environment
While chambray shirts aren’t just for blue collar professions, it is still important that you heed the dressing guidelines of your work environment. If your job is in a very conservative work environment, a chambray shirt is more than likely not the best thing to wear, even for casual Fridays, and even if you dress it up with more conservative pieces. When it comes to wearing denim or chambray shirts to work, always air on the side of caution.
The proper look of a chambray shirt for work
With the array of chambray options out there you have to be careful on which type you choose to wear to work. Unless you are filling potholes, the chambray shirts you wear to work should always be crisp and neat. This means no wrinkles and no trendy holes or distress marks. See the quality of a chambray shirt you would wear to work the say way you would see a pair of jeans that you’d wear to the office, clean, no distress, well-fitted and professional in appearance.
When wearing a chambray shirt, dress up the rest of your outfit
The best way to wear a chambray shirt to work is to style the outfit with more elegant and polished pieces. A chambray shirt will look sloppy at work with a pair of jeans, casual jacket or a lack of jewelry. However, the same shirt with a pencil skirt, a classic cardigan, tailored pair of pants or professional jewelry will give you a relaxed yet professional look.
How to wear a chambray shirt to work- outfits
To further explain how to wear a chambray shirt to work, here are three outfits for inspiration and direction.
Outfit #1- With a printed pencil
During the warmer months, this sleeveless chambray shirt from Boden is great, you can easily add a cardigan, like this navy one from Modcloth, over it without the sleeves getting all twisted and bunched. This chambray shirt is also crisp and sharp, instead of too casual (though it would work great on the weekends with a khaki skirt or white pants), and works with this brown and cream printed pencil skirt to create a business-casual look. Printed skirts can be so much fun for springtime at the office but there can be a lot of confusion about what to wear with them. A professional chambray shirt can be the easy answer. To further add some punch, and professionalism, I added a pair of versatile nude pumps by Corso Como and popped some feminine brightness into the look with a pink necklace from Bauble Bar and statement bag from Aldo.
Outfit #2- With a pair pair of khakis
A chambray shirt and khakis seems like a no-brainer that requires little to no help putting together. However, to keep make this type of outfit less dull and more feminine, accessorizing is crucial. To look less “dude in your duds”, add feminine touches and polished accessories. Here I took J. Crew’s chambray shirt and classic Boden khakis and added peach touches through a pair of Modcloth slingback flats and Zara tote bag. Finishing the outfit is a Stella & Dot necklace, pearl earrings and a navy and cream striped blazer from Zara. The beauty of the basic base of khakis and a chambray shirt is you can add accessories in any color.
Outfit #3- With colored pants
If you like the idea of colored pants for work but don’t know what to wear with them, a chambray shirt can be a nice finish. Like jeans working with any color you wear with them, a chambray shirt is the same. This shirt from Modcloth has a finished look with the cuffs and is great for a casual Friday or if your office is more laid back in dress code. Here, styled with yellow ankle length wool trousers from Zara, the outfit is ready for work with a pair of printed kitten heels by Donald Pliner, a Vince Camuto colorblocked handbag, a navy belt and a gold necklace and earrings.
