A little over 4 years ago, I was interning as a CPA and just starting to venture out into the business world, slowly but surely building my work wear attire. I was new to the dry-cleaning game, as I’d never really had reason to go to the dry cleaner more than 3x a year (maybe!) before starting to work. After making 3 trips to the dry cleaners in my first 2 weeks of work, I decided I’d need to have more than 3 pairs of pants to get me through the summer. I already had a few pairs of skinny ones, so I was specifically thinking of something just as flattering but that gave my wardrobe a little versatility – like a boot cut, flare, or even somewhere in between a skinny and boot cut. Whatever the case, I wanted a pair that went OVER my shoes.

Girls at work had mentioned Express as a place to get solid, but cute staples for our field (accounting), which is a little more traditional than most (i.e., trendy dresses and funky outfits weren’t necessarily appropriate, especially when in the field working at clients’ offices). I always wished I could wear more fun, creative stuff to work and was on a mission to find pant options that I still felt good in, yet were also appropriate. Just because I was crunching numbers didn’t mean I had to dress for the snooze fest.

So, after getting advice from my coworkers on Express as a place to find fashionable and appropriate pants, I gave it a shot. I’d actually never stepped foot into an Express store until that trip to the mall. And let me tell you, I was BLOWN away by how amazingly their work pants fit me. But really though. When I tried on their Editor Style Pant, it was like a shining star moment and somehow the waist already fit me (which NEVER happens).

Plus, they offer the Editor style in short, regular and long. Like, hello? AMAZING! I know as a short girl I struggle with hem length, and I imagine it’s the same for taller girls, too. I appreciated the versatility in length, so, so much. Because other than dry cleaning, I was sick of spending additional money on getting my pants hemmed. #AmIRight short girls?!

And since I’ve been working on business casual content for y’all, I wanted to recreate a look I would have worn back in my CPA days. I love that these pants are comfortable, well-fitting, appropriate, AND they show my personality a bit since they are blush. Pairing it with a classic blouse makes the whole outfit look polished, and I could easily rotate my shoe choice depending on the season. Nude or brown heels would work too, but I loved the crispness of the black against the lighter pants and top.

For all you ladies who are in traditional careers, I hope this outfit serves as some inspiration. It’s not an outfit you’ve never seen before, but I always found that investing in a variety of pants that fit me REALLY well goes a long way. You don’t need to dress like a creative to still feel good in your work wear, and instead can focus on finding pieces that are tailored for your body AND career. I know work clothes aren’t the most fun thing to buy, but I love the idea of having transitional pieces that can all work together – that way your options become more unlimited.

Other items that I love from Express’s work wear is their camisoles and sleeveless tops to layer under blazers. They come in so many colors and are really a great option when you have to wear a blazer in the summer and don’t want to worry about having sleeves. The great thing about these two is that they are great options for day to night pieces too. You can easily take off your blazer or cardigan and wear one of these tanks out to a happy hour and feel fabulous.

Outfit Details: EXPRESS c/o Editor Barely Boot Pant // EXPRESS c/o Portofino Slim Fit Shirt

Thanks so much to Express for sponsoring this blog post as part of the business casual work series. As ALWAYS, all opinions are entirely my own.