Let’s face it: Dressing for work can feel like the first task on a very overwhelming to-do list. Whether you’re following a strict corporate dress code or tempting HR side-eye with a crop top, coming up with five outfits each week is no easy task. At least until you meet Mary Orton of The Classy Cubicle.
She took the challenge of weekday dressing and turned it into an opportunity to rethink her office style — trading starched button-downs for silk bomber jackets, stiff work bags for grown-up backpacks, and a job on Wall Street for blogging. Now her full-time gig and our constant source of 9-to-5 style inspiration, The Classy Cubicle reaffirms what we knew all along: Unexpected combos like Birks and a midi can look professional.
Her put-together polish doesn't stop at the board room, though. She owns it in her down time, too (yes, even while whipping up pancakes at home). So, while we imagined a weekend without sweatpants, she curated eight polished on- and off-duty looks with her favorite picks from T.J.Maxx. Ahead, Orton schools us on how to truly dress to impress. Follow her lead, and before you know it, fielding compliments will be your full-time job.
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