Going from wearing leggings and an oversized sweatshirt to go to class is so different from dressing to go to your new job or internship. The idea of work clothes probably won’t make you jump with excitement. Work clothes don’t need to sound so bad! Trendy work outfits are possible, and this is a guide on how to make it happen.
It’s important to note that before you start your job, it’s a good idea to check what your company’s dress code is. When in doubt, ask HR or look at what your coworkers are wearing. There are multiple different types of dress codes. There’s business professional, business casual, smart casual, and casual.
Business professional is basically your classic suit and tie look. They’re typically required in more formal lines of work like law and finance. Think pencil skirts, blazers, and sleek dresses.
Business casual is the most common dress code for office settings. It’s a middle ground between formal business wear and casual. Think dress pants or pencil skirts, sweaters, blouses, nice jackets or a more casual blazer, and flats or boots.
Smart casual is basically stylish casual clothes. You have the most flexibility with wearing trendy clothes, all as long as you look like you put effort into what you’re wearing. More flexible, informal office work environments use this dress code.
And I think you know what casual looks like.
Accessories
Accessories are the easiest way to bedazzle your work wardrobe. Put on as much or as little as you want!
Jewelry
As far as jewelry goes, the simpler, the better, so that they can match any outfit. Although, simple doesn’t mean boring. Items like choker necklaces, hoop earrings, rings, or a chic watch can add to a work outfit. Wearing more than one piece of jewelry can also elevate the outfit even more, like pairing a nice necklace with a matching bracelet or wearing earrings and pairing them with one or two rings.
Bags and Belts
Bags are also a big deal when accessorizing, especially for work. They’re also an easy way to add a statement piece with a pop of color or pattern. An oversized bag not only adds drama, but it’ll also be able to fit a lot of stuff in it as well. Belts are also a great accessory because they can make an outfit that you wear all the time look completely new. Putting time into finding even just one belt you really like will totally pay off in the long run.
Tops
There are plenty of different styled blouses and sweaters to pick from. They’re part of the foundation of your outfit.
Blouses
Of course, a basic collared blouse would go with everything. The girls who want to show more of their personality, however, can opt for a more intricate styled blouse. Blouses come in many shapes and sizes. You could opt for a blouse with flare sleeves, chiffon sleeves, puff sleeves, or one with a nice pattern or color.
Sweaters
Sweaters have even more options to pick from: turtlenecks, button-downs, cable-knits, etc. You can even wear cropped, off-the-shoulder, and see-through sweaters if you wear a collared blouse underneath them. Sweaters also tend to be more comfortable, so the same sweater could be worn outside of work and on the weekend in a more casual fit. A piece of clothing that you might not think of but is a great work clothes option is the sweater vest. Sweater vests can be interchangeable with any blouse while also being a smaller purchase than buying another sweater.
Blazers and Jackets
Blazers and jackets are the easiest way to add variety to your outfits. Just put one on and go!
Jackets
If you only take away one thing from this article, remember to invest in good jackets. Jackets have the greatest number of variations to them, and they also can be added to almost anything you decide to go with underneath. That being said, they’re also another way to add color to an otherwise neutral-toned outfit.
Blazers
Blazers are a really safe bet for a work outfit. What’s great about wearing a blazer is that you can pull off wearing a more casual fit if you add a blazer on top of it. Moreover, blazers immediately elevate an outfit for a more sophisticated look. You can also pull off the oversized look and still be appropriate for work if you wear a boxier blazer or order any blazer in a larger size. Another way to go is wearing a cropped blazer, which has some of the same effect with a more modern twist.
Bottoms
Pants are another foundational piece. Therefore, take your pant selections seriously!
Pants
Dress pants come in many varieties, including flared, wide-legged, skinny, straight-cut, high-rise, mid-rise, low-rise, pleated, wool, cotton, linen, etc. For that reason, having a few different styles of dress pants makes it seem like no cute outfit of yours looks the same. It’s good to have a couple of different colors of pants as well. They can be a few different neutral tones like brown, black, and grey, or they can be pops of color like pink, blue, green, or whatever other color you’d like.
Skirts
Skirts are another addition that makes for a cute outfit. In brief, there are maxi skirts, midi skirts, and even mini (but not too mini) skirts. Skirts are a good go-to if you want a more feminine look for your work clothes. It’s also a good way to stand out since it’s not as common to wear a skirt in daily life. Skirts, though, can be just as comfortable as pants, especially skirts that aren’t skintight or require that you keep having to pull them down because they’re so short.
Dresses
Dresses are another unique piece of clothing that don’t get worn very often anymore unless it’s for a special occasion. Throwing one on, though, is an easy outfit choice!
You can have a simple black dress on hand that you could wear either by itself, or you could throw a jacket or a sweater on top to create an entirely different outfit. That being said, sweater dresses are another good work wear that will also keep you warm in the winter months. You might even be able to get away with a shirt dress if you style it with some jewelry. If you’re worried about a dress being too casual in this case, you can also always dress it up with accessories.
As far as dresses go, maxi and midi dresses are a safe choice to go in length since there’s no chance that it’ll be too short for work. It depends on the specific company you work at.
Shoes
I don’t normally tell a girl how to pick out shoes, but I do have some advice when it comes to work shoes.
Heels and Heeled Boots
It’s good to have at least one pair of small black heels, they’ll match with everything and be a good go-to shoe. Consequently, kitten heels, which are the smallest heeled shoes available, are a good choice because they’ll be the most comfortable as well. On the other hand, heeled Boots are a great way to deviate from regular heels or flats, whether they’re knee-high or ankle boots. A boot with a thinner heel also makes the outfit look much fancier, whereas a block-heeled boot allows for much more stability if you’re going to be on your feet all day.
Flats and Sneakers
Yes, there’s a chance that you can wear a pair of sneakers to work in an otherwise very professional outfit. White trainer sneakers or another elevated-looking sneaker can be worn, although not like a sporty sneaker like Nikes, unless the dress code is casual. Ballet flats are a hot trend for 2023 and are a go-to shoe for work. I highly recommend having a couple of pairs of these, especially if you don’t like to wear heels.
Final Thoughts
You can still like what you wear even though your work has a dress code. Whatever you wear to work is up to you. Even so, I hope that I could give you some good ideas on what you can wear so that you can actually like what you wear to work. To see more about how your style for work might change, go to How Do Recessions Impact Fashion. Go get ’em, girl.
