October 25, 2011

Today's Everyday Fashion: The Work Polo






































Today's post is not sexy or glamorous but it does answer a practical question most of us have faced at one time - what do I wear with my "required" shirt? And by required shirt I mean - volunteering and wearing the official shirt, wearing a team shirt to an event, or being asked by your employer to wear a shirt. I recently attended the Women's Conference in Jacksonville for my VISIT FLORIDA job, and was asked to wear my VISIT FLORIDA polo both days. I could have slapped on jeans but I decided to have fun with it and dress it up a little bit. (As the saying goes, "You never know when you will meet the President!") The first day I had fun with color, pairing it with a printed skirt and my favorite mustard shoes. The second day, I kept the bottom neutral but added fun pops of color with my accessories.

One of my most common questions I receive is "I want to wear the team jersey but how do I dress it up?" My response is always to make the rest of your outfit as girlie as possible. Wear some slim-fitting jeans or a skirt that shows off your figure. Tuck in the jersey if possible and wear a belt. Add some statement earrings and heels. The one masculine piece (the jersey) will look great next to all the feminine pieces! Tell me - what are your tips and ideas for wearing a company or team shirt?

ps. Check out the results of the DailyBuzz Style challenge and see how the other 8 bloggers wore their brightly colored pants here!

In front of the VISIT FLORIDA booth

31 comments:

  1. This is really a great idea to jazz up a work polo/uniform top!  Like you said, I would have probably added jeans or khakis to the polo top.  I do have work polos and button downs, but I don't wear them because I never know how to dress them up.  Thanks for the ideas!    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  2. Both outfits look great! Your floral skirt is very "Florida"! I don't have any work shirts to dress up, but when I got to the Dallas Mavericks (GO MAVS! Sorry, you are probably a Heat fan!) games, I try to wear cute jeans and a Mavs shirt or some other blue shirt to show my spirit along with cute accessories. Some girls take it over the top though! During the last play off season, I definitely saw a short mini blue sequin dress worn by some "fan". It was a bit much! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My company is in the process of ordering uniforms. I'll have to wear a company shirt, but will definitely be dressing it up like you. I just crigne at the thought of having to wearing this shirt, ugh.

    ReplyDelete
  4. At first glance, I didn't understand but once I read the post, you did a great job with the polo! Way to dress it up, mam!

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOL Liz, I have a feeling many people are going to think I lost my mind at first glance. Thanks for reading! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tiffany, that stinks but hang in there! You can still have fun with it! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is such a fantastic post as so many of us have to deal with this "fashion hurdle." 
    In my previous job, I had to wear a bright red polo for certain events.  I would always balance out the red with grey skinny jeans and a fun but comfortable pair of flats (I would be on my feet all day)!  Accessories are also a must so that the look appears pulled together and thoughful :-)

    Love your posts as always J!

    XO - Marion

    ReplyDelete
  8. Emily, wowzers yes I have to say that dress sounds a little over the top haha! Your game day outfit sounds perfect though!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I definitely needed this! My department has to wear polo shirts during our events, and I always feel shlumpty-dumpty on those days because I have no idea how to style these hideous shirts LOL

    Thank you so much for sharing this. Perhaps now I won't dread the days we have events...well, I'll dread them for other reasons haha

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just to let u know- reading your blog makes me want to quit my job as a paramedic just to wear cute pencil skirts and heels daily. U look so so cute! And I always love your colour combos that I would never think of to put together.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You look so cute! I love that you posted this because it's true- figuring a way around wearing required shirts is definitely difficult but with the looks you created, I wouldn't even notice that it is a company shirt!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Don't quit your job!! We need people like you who actually do something useful for a living LOL! (Unlike me who runs around taking pics of outfits and writing articles about fashion. So not saving the world, haha.) Glad you like the blog, thanks for reading. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. So sweet, thank you Marion! Your outfit sounds super cute!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like your idea about work polos. I don't ever need one for my job, but I have worked at events before where I was required to wear a provided polo. Often, I am also required to wear khakis or something similar on the bottom. If I work an event in the future where I am not required to wear something specific on the bottom, then I will definitely remember your idea. So much cuter than jeans or khakis.

    As for a team shirt, I will definitely be sticking with my jeans or shorts and sneakers. I think it looks ridiculous when women where heels or skirts with their jersey, or just otherwise look way too feminine. I mean, it's a sporting event! Ha ha. There is no way I would ever wear a belt with a jersey or wear a pink jersey, hat, or whatever else. BUT to each his own, right?  :-)

    I always enjoy your posts whether I agree with them or not and look forward to them every day.

    http://health4lifekc.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  15. super cute skirt!
    www.modernsuburbanites.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so not saving the world either! Don't downplay what u do! Doing what you do provides inspiration for women to look and feel our best. I think contributing to others happiness is pretty important too. I won't quit my job but I will find every other excuse to dress up and be girly :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hannah, yes agree to disagree! :-) I rarely make it out to actual sporting events, but if I'm at a SuperBowl party or a bar watching the game I don't hesitate to wear heels with jeans and a team shirt.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm one of those kinds of girls who goes all out when going to games. I've been known to wear gawdy, dangly team earrings and black strips under my eyes. I also wouldn't hesitate to wear a colorful wig, spray paint my hair, or paint my face. Ha ha. However, I do love the heels and jeans look, and I like to rock that look with a nice graphic tee - even a sports team T - if I'm not going to a game but just out and about. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Can we hang out? Because that sounds awesome, LOL. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I have two company issued polo shirts which I've never worn the 4 years I've been here.  Since the shirts are men's cut to begin with, pairing them with khaki's or jeans (like the men in my office tend to do) always seemed dowdy to me.  Thanks for your great ideas.  I must just dust off one of those polos for casual Friday! 

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a great idea!  Thankfully, I don't have to wear anything polo-like for work (or anywhere else!), but if I did, then I would definitely mix it up.  I love your two options, especially the ultra-tropical skirt :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Tip: Choose a company shirt in a color that looks great on you and that will go with lots of other things in your wardrobe!  Prep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I really like how you chose the milky-WHITE, faceted Moonstone briolettes............ (i.e., in your gold-plated brass pendant earrings, courtesy of MiKel Maia, as in your blogpost of 4/28/11)............ to  *h.i.g.h.l.i.g.h.t.*  the WHITE embroidery of the VISIT FLORIDA logo on your pink polo!!   

    Wearing earrings, (WITHOUT any white at all in them), sure wouldn't make the logo on your polo "pop"............ as much as your gorgeous earrings, (WITH those milky-white Moonstones in them), do:  your attention to detail is really amazing, J!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. That polo looks great with the skirts. I have to wear unisex t-shirts for work sometimes and like you said in your post I try to pair it with something girly like skinny jeans and cute shoes.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Love the polo ideas, but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A WOMAN EVER WEAR A SKIRT TO A GAME OR SPORTING EVENT. NONE. That is my biggest pet peeve. Women look ridiculous when they do that. Women can deal with being in jeans for a few hours. COME ON! Do you have any idea how much everyone makes fun of women who show up to football games in skirts? As an avid football fan, I beg of you to not spread such nonsense.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Amy.... that's not at all what I was trying to say, lol. I think a work polo tucked into a skirt is a great idea like I showed here. And I might wear a team shirt with a skirt to a bar, but definitely not to a sporting event. I guess I should have specified, but where you are going in that outfit and the weather is going to dictate practicality and whether or not a skirt makes sense! Always use your best judgment! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love the way you styled it. It looks awesome and not at all like a "team shirt"

    ReplyDelete
  28. Nice ideas from polo the shoes are amazing and colorful shirt is really some thing new what every young and modern women loves to wear these days. thanks for exploring these new fashion ideas with us.

    ReplyDelete
  29. because the dressiness of a skirt points up the sloppiness of your jeans? puh-lease! if a woman feels comfortable in a skirt she should be able to wear it without the slobs making catty comments!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow you looks so fabulous in that pink athletic polo shirt. My husband loves to shop it one for me from a authentic company. Your idea is so superb to wear it as it further increases your looks.

    ReplyDelete