Freshionable's online boutique offers stylish workwear

Flirty Business

Your worst nightmare finally came true.

You and two other coworkers pulled a Brenda and Kelly by wearing the same blouse. Sure, you laughed about being "twinsies." Posed for a Facebook photo. Then you spent the rest of the day contemplating an emergency run to the mall.

	Cao-Wu's pick: Izavel Emilie button-down shirt, $205.

Which is really how you got into this mess in the first place. So…

Turn to your computer instead and log onto Freshionable, a virtual marketplace for stylish workwear run by new Honolulu resident Jenny Cao-Wu, a Harvard graduate who lived that exact moment while working a strategy consulting job in Boston.

Forget mass-produced pieces. The 25-year-old stocks her shop with local designers like Allison Izu, UMEE, 19th & Whimsy, and H&K Handbags. She also travels, scours the Internet, and follows online runway shows to bring in emerging independent mainland labels like Dallas-based Izavel, lauded for elevating classic silhouettes with modern twists and impeccable tailoring – think a printed, origami-style pleated vest with baby blue sash, or a razor sharp button-down with slashed sleeves.

The site is shoppable by occasion (work, formal, day to night and casual) with a budget-friendly section for items under $100 and a spring lookbook touting fully styled Monday-Friday ensembles. A separate page allows you to search by state, though the list encompasses designers past and present (our suggestion: mark the ones with items currently on sale for easy browsing).

We can't think of a better way to mix business with pleasure.

Shop Freshionable here. Meet Cao-Wu and get day-to-night styling tips at the VersaStyle Fashion & Styling Event, Sunday, April 28, 2-6 p.m. at Collins & 8th, 560 Pensacola St., Suite 105. Bring used paper shopping bags for Dress for Success Honolulu to score 10 percent off select items from Andy South, Allison Izu, UMEE, 19th & Whimsy, and more. Click here for details.