Into the Blue

Scene: Manayunk, Pennsylvania

It's summer. We know, we know. The heat is unbearable, and at times stifling, and the 'barely there' styles of the season are all that you can possibly conceive of slipping into to survive until next summer. Crop tops, denim cutoffs, loose flowing dresses and sleeveless tees - those are calling our name!

But then the week swings around, and we're back to rummaging through our closets for workwear appropriate clothing that can also endure in that freezer of an office space we call home, every Monday through Friday. You know the drill. Those days you forget to bring a cardigan are miserable. Do they really have to turn the air up to the max?

Some of the most versatile (and office approved!) styles we've come across are from Mehtap Elaidi, a Turkish brand we discovered and fell in love with last fall during a buying trip to Paris. They fit perfectly with the LILA Fashion International aesthetic, plus we couldn't get enough of their classic pinstripe - as with the Passion Top (another spot-on workwear piece!) or Prairie Dress.

Their Books Top is showcased in this look! The details are what truly set it apart from more traditional workwear pieces. And you don't need to be working at Vogue to pull it off. Handcrafted from cotton in ice blue, we love the long sleeve and elbow cutouts (a fanciful twist on the cold shoulder or off-the-shoulder styles we've seeing A LOT of lately). And did you check out the crochet detailing around the cuffs? Swoon. The Books Top also comes with a ribbon that you can use (should you choose!) to tie around the waist. You can tie it in a bow in the front or back, to accentuate the waist. What better way to celebrate the female silhouette?

We've paired the Books Top with distressed denim skinnies and kitten heels. We wouldn't recommend wearing jeans to the office, unless the casual Friday policy extends to denim or your boss is cool with it. If you're office space is more conservative, consider pairing this top with a white, nude or brown skinny pant or slacks. Consider also tucking it into a pencil skirt or knee-length A-line skirt.

We had so much fun accessorizing this look! It's remarkable what a pop of color can do to transform the whole aesthetic of an ensemble. Our leather mini barrel bag in coral stands out in striking contrast to all the shades of blue we've played around with - and we got it in so many vibrant colors this season! Handcrafted from raw Greek leather in Athens, Greece, you can view the full spectrum of colors in our e-store!

We've polished off the look with a piece from LILA's own jewelry collection, the Italy Jade Necklace, which also pairs perfectly with the coral mini barrel bag. Fashioned with large oval-shaped jade beads in burnt orange and mother-of-pearl beads, this necklace was inspired by Tuscany at sunset is truly unique; this is the only one of it's kind that will ever be produced as part of the LILA Luxe Jewelry Collection. [View other one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces from LILA Fashion International, HERE.]

What are the go-to pieces you look for when shopping for workwear and how do you style them? We'd love to hear how you build your office ensembles! Follow along with us on social media for more styling inspo. xx