3 Types of Dresses You Can Wear from Work to Happy Hour

Let’s be honest: Half the fun of going to work most days is dressing to impress your coworkers. Building a professional wardrobe that shows off your sense of style and personality can actually be pretty satisfying. And, thankfully, many workplaces have relaxed their dress codes to give employees lots of freedom to express themselves — and stay comfortable all day.

A remarkable way to get your money’s worth from your work wardrobe is to choose timeless, minimalist items that are stylish enough to wear to happy hour, too. You’ll get more mileage out of your wardrobe as well as compliments at work and your favorite neighborhood watering hole.

Here are three types of professional work dresses for women versatile enough to wow your boss and your friends when you meet up for drinks later.

Sweatshirt Dress

Wearing an actual sweatshirt to work — unless you work in an uber casual environment — is generally a little too informal for most dress codes. It’s best to save those for casual Friday.

A sweatshirt dress, on the other hand, combines the coziness of a sweatshirt with an elevated silhouette. The Naomi Sweatshirt Dress, for example, features the soft yet heavy cotton mix you’d expect to find on your favorite hoodie. However, its beautiful draping, high neckline and near-knee-length hem transform it into an edgy statement dress that will make a splash in a meeting as well as while sipping martinis to celebrate how well your big presentation went.

Button-Down Dress

Looking for a new twist on the classic work uniform of trousers and a button-down shirt? Try a button-down shirt dress like the Willow Dress. With its boxy cut, classic collar and midi-length hem, this button-down dress is sure to slay at work. But with a cute pair of tights and some heels, it can also boldly announce your arrival to happy hour.

Oversized Linen Dress

Adding an oversized dress to your closet is an excellent way to make a statement during and after work — especially in a luxurious, natural fabric like linen. The Veda Zippered Dress is a minimalist must-have capable of transitioning from day to evening with ease, especially with its zip detail running up the spine for that little extra visual edge.

Adding an oversized work dress with sleeves to your oeuvre gives you tons of fun opportunities to accessorize, too. Depending on the shoes, jewelry, bag and outerwear you layer on, this shapely garment can transform from Monday morning marvelous to Friday evening fabulous at a moment’s notice.

Avoid the hassle of having to change out of your work clothes before hitting happy hour. Instead, drape yourself in a designer work dress that can do both from the get-go. These three kinds of dresses — sweatshirt, button-down and oversized — are more than capable of pulling double duty. Depending on which accessories you select, you’ll be able to win respect at work and rake in the compliments at happy hour, too.

Like modern women themselves, work dresses for women today can keep up with all the demands of a busy professional and social life — and then some.

Looking for something special to spice up your workday wardrobe? Check out Marcella’s entire collection of casual and day dress for women today!