The bulk of your budgeted money for clothes needs to be put toward what you wear to work. Especially since this is what you will do for the bulk of your time. You might as well get clothes that are professional, but you also want to be comfortable. Regardless of who you are, you need to look respectable in the office. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things you should be wearing to work.
For Men:
While there are many styles you could opt for when it comes to work clothes, business casual is probably going to be where most people fit in. Typically, you can pair a nice pair of pants (not jeans) with a nice button-down shirt. You might decide to wear a tie with it, or not, depending on what the dress code at your office is. Try to avoid ties that feature outlandish patterns, or shorts that are vibrantly patterned. When it comes to footwear, you might wear something like lace up dress shoes or even loafers. If you want that added special touch, throw in a sports coat to the outfit and you will look great.
Plan Ahead
It is critical, especially if you are just entering the business world, that you dress for the position you aspire to have within five years.
Invest in a Fantastic Pair of Shoes
The right pair of shoes can really make the look when it comes to dressing for success. Men’s styles tend to stay in fashion for longer than women’s fashion does. This means that if you head out to a great shoe store and pay $500 for a pair of wingtips, they will still be in fashion 10 years from now.
Shirts
There are quite a few shirts out there that can be worn untucked. Just don’t do this at the office. If you are going to wear a performance dress shirt that others will envy, like the wrinkle-free ones from Mizzen+Main, keep it tucked in.
Remember that you can always dress down for casual Fridays and dress it up for those times when you really need to impress your boss. Dressing down business casual is easy. Just substitute some nice khaki pants for the slacks and ditch the tie. Dressing business casual up is also easy. You should own at least 1 or 2 nice suits. They should fit like they are bespoke and be in a color that is conservative. Any undershirt you wear should also be a neutral color. You should wear lace up dress shoes for the business formal look.
For Women:
When you are getting ready for work in the morning, the goal should be a competent and professional look. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs to be conservative and boring though. Depending on any dress codes at your office, you may need to keep it within certain boundaries. Here is a quick look at a few guidelines for how to look fantastic at work:
- Don’t over accessorize or wear things that are distracting. This can be a huge work fashion faux pas. Anything that can be distracting, be it an accessory, a pair of shoes, or the clothing itself, should be left to wear on the weekends. Also avoid things like jewelry that can clink or jangle on your keyboard or desk as you work.
- Color is huge. There are traditional colors that indicate different things. For example, black indicates that you are serious or chic, gray is conservative, navy indicates that you are trustworthy, and red is an indicator of aggression. These colors all work well when it comes to pantsuits, as well as with skirts. They also tend to mix well with the more feminine, softer colors that also have a strong history in the office. These include ivory, soft pink, lilac, and ice blue.
- Colors that are loud, such as bright orange, hot pink, or even garish prints can also be a distraction, so try to avoid them.
- When it comes to handbags, look for one that is structured rather than sloppy. Top handle bags, structured totes, and satchels project an image that is sleeker and more organized.Â
Dressing for success isn’t all that hard to do. You just need to have the basic pieces and know how to pair them with everything else.
This is a great post with good info. I am glad I don’t have to dress up every day for work.
This is good information. So many companies are business casual, but the basic concepts still apply, and even more for interviews.
Good post. I think so much of it depends on what you do. I know in the school system some wear dresses and more classic styles and others are in jeans. I dont know if I could ever work in an office, it seems like way too much is made of what you wear.