"It all started in the summer of 2014 when I saw an internship opening at Who What Wear," my co-worker Nayiri began, reminiscing just the other day about the events that led her to where she is now in her career. "I applied thinking, Please notice me, please notice me." Obviously things worked out, because here she is four and a half years later, only now she's not an intern: She's a senior fashion editor, and she's the one we turn to for ideating really cool campaigns (not to mention really cool minimalistic outfit inspiration).
I also knew she'd be the very best person to turn to for elevated office essentials, given that my beat-up old museum tote bag situation is no longer working out, and boy, did she deliver… She spilled the contents of her very on-trend mock-croc Mansur Gavriel and showed me the error of my ways. Among her essentials? The coolest pair of gold hoop earrings (ideal for instant outfit elevation) and a bottle of refreshing FIJI Water (perfect for a late-afternoon break on the office patio), but don't just take my word for it…
Take a Peek Inside Nayiri's Chic Work Bag
We've got an office water cooler, sure, but most of us are so on the go that we rely on FIJI Water to get us through the busiest workdays. Nayiri's frequently driving from fashion shoots to client meetings and back to our West Hollywood HQ, and she's never without a refreshing bottle of the brand's natural artesian water.
She also can’t overstate the importance of selecting just the right bag. "I love a good mock-croc, especially one in a rich chocolate color," Nayiri says of her everyday favorite. "It's the perfect size: big enough to fit my essentials (even my laptop charger)."
She may be a fashion editor, but she's got some excellent beauty product recs as well. "During the winter months, my hands get very dry, and as I'm approaching 30 (one more month left, people!), I find that my hands are getting a little less smooth than usual," Nayiri shares. "I've been using Avène for years, and the hand cream from this trusted French brand does the trick."
But back to fashion… "I commute an hour to get to work, so driving with my nice shoes is a total no-go," Nayiri says. "I always leave my house in flip-flops to drive in but will keep my work shoes in my work bag to change into when I get to the office. I'm really into these flats from The Row because they fit my new-mom schedule and they're chic AF."
"Did I mention I'm a new mom?" Nayiri asks. "These AirPods have saved me on days when I'm working remotely and need to multitask with my baby nearby. Plus they look chic next to my Chanel lip balm." (More on that below…)
Nayiri's jewelry collection is especially enviable, so I wasn't surprised to see these Sophie Buhai stunners make her list. "Another fact about being a new mom: You will forget everything," she notes. "It's only when I'm pulling in to the parking lot at work when I realize I forgot to wear earrings, so I pledged to myself that I'd be keeping a pair of stylish gold hoops in my bag at all times, just in case."
Her other work-bag beauty essential? "For years, I've been using Avene's cold-cream lip sticks, but this season, I'm changing it up," she says. "The A.C. is blasting in our office, and I'm going from meeting to meeting chatting up a storm, so my lips are in constant need of TLC. I love this Chanel lip balm because it looks good in my bag and it keeps my lips moisturized."
Last but not least? "Out of the multitude of things I've learned from being a Los Angeles native, keeping a cardigan with you during the fall months is at the top of the list," Nayiri says. "Because it's freezing in the morning and then switches to tanning weather in the afternoon, I keep a belted cardigan in my bag just in case I need to put it on, or take it off."
Up next, looking to refresh your gym bag for the season ahead? We've got just what you need…
