How To Reinvent Your Work Wardrobe

Many of my first time clients confess to me that they only focus energy into looking great on the weekend.

The fact is, most women don’t put much energy into their workwear.

For most they see workwear as completely separate and secondary to their weekend attire.

All of their effort is poured into scouring the stores for weekend looks, spending the majority of their clothing budget on special pieces they wear every now and then when they go out.

Unfortunately, this leaves little budget for work wear, which is relegated to necessary bargain buys of lower quality with little thought and little style.

Here is a scenario that might be familiar to some of you;

It is a big day at work today, your faded black pants and same old blouse won’t do! You want to wear a dress, but can’t find the right tights, where are your black patent heels? Something else maybe? Everything is jammed in your wardrobe and needs to be re-ironed. Quick!!!

You arrive 15 minutes late and constantly distracted having to pull on your pants as they are riding in every direction and your shirt is just not quite long enough. You feel so self-conscious as you feel like you do not look the part of a successful colleague and employee that you know you are!

Wow! Is anyone else feeling super stressed right now just reading this??

Everyone has their own version of this story that they have allowed to happen a few times in their life, or unfortunately in most cases, it is a regular daily occurrence.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

We spend such a large majority of our precious time at work, we need to turn our focus and creativity to our work wear!
We all deserve to look and feel great every day, not just on the weekend.
Most importantly, you can be wearing an outfit that reflects your own personal style.

If you start your work day off well, with a simplified and stylish wardrobe selection, it can set you up for success for the rest of the day.
You can be on time, stylish and feel amazing and confident – all this from a workwear revamp!

So, how do we make sure we are on the road to success with our wardrobe?

Reframe your thinking!

There are 5 days in a working week for most. That is the majority of your entire week!
Why waste them with boring work attire? Today you can reclaim these wasted days into a style opportunity!

Workwear can also be integrated into the weekend and vice versa. There does not necessarily need to be a differentiation between the two.
You just gained 5 more days to express your personality through style and feel amazing… so let’s use them!

Take stock of what you have and what you need!

Now for a wardrobe makeover! My last blog I explained to you how to sort out your wardrobe so that you have a clean slate of items that suit you perfectly, and you can clearly identify the holes in your wardrobe. This is the perfect opportunity to clear those items out that you don’t wear and are taking up valuable real estate for your new work wear!

Restock your wardrobe!
Think style that is congruent with who you are!
Before you get carried away,
Remember appropriateness!

It can be confusing as workplaces today are becoming more open to individuality and creativity with a more relaxed take on corporate wear.

A few of my clients are confused by the ambiguity of dress codes in the work place, and how to dress in a contemporary way while staying appropriate.

Each industry is different, those in finance would dress differently to those in a creative position, but of course the basic rules stand:

• No sheer fabrics or cut outs
• Just above the knee lengths for skirts and dresses
• Polished shoes and belt buckles
• No damaged clothing or accessories eg. holes
• No sneakers

Ok! Back to the fun part!

When revamping your work wear wardrobe remember:

• Present yourself in a way that is congruent with your true self; Know who you are!
• Choose from classic styles that suit your body shape, and colour group and bring in an element of your personality in an appropriate way.
• Again, remember workplace appropriateness, if you love print that is fantastic, but you need to keep it muted for the office if in a corporate workplace.

Here are some non-typical looks to get your creative mind flowing!

An A Line midi with a high waist can be styled with many different blouses to look elegant, but as shown here, this look has character and fun.
This look can be dressed up with tights, heels and a more classic belt for a corporate environment or the tassel is perfect for a more casual look.

The statement necklace creates a polished look and adds another layer of interest.

This image of the exact same shirt from Country Road’s website shows you the versatility such pieces have to be worn in both your casual and work rotation.

 

This is another fabulous option from Jacquie E. This skirt is incredibly versatile and looks as fabulous with a casual striped top as it does with a shirt for the office.

You will get a lot of wear out of this skirt as it’s navy, it is universally flattering and can be dressed up or down. Priced at $119, this item is a steal cost per wear!

You will notice cut outs are emerging as a strong trend this season. Sussan and Seed are featuring this style heavily in store for Spring.

This straight cut leather skirt from Portmans is a fabulous deep colour bringing energy and life to an otherwise conservative look.

This is a perfect transitional piece that can be worn year-round, and will work very well during Autumn to Winter with an ankle boot, as well as Winter to Spring alternating with heels.

This skirt can be easily dressed in an edgier way with a more daring cream or black blouse and high heels for Friday night drinks.

This knitted straight skirt is perfect for mix and matching for casual and work wear.

A polished or statement belt at the waist or other accessories will dress this look up for the office, and wearing with a peplum top is perfect for hiding a tummy.

This snug skirt is not recommended for those with problem areas around the thighs, always look for a more straight or  slight A-line option.

The fitted style also works well for smart casual and relaxed office wear. You can see from the looks below, Metalicus uses this style of skirt throughout their look books nearly every season, and looks fabulous with their layering options.

How great is this jumpsuit? Dress this up for work with a crisp white shirt, down with soft comfortable long sleeve top in winter and simply go without for the warmer weather.

A word on the white shirt
White shirts aren’t for everyone! Not everyone suits white as it can wash them out!

 

Another take on stripe is this gorgeous midi with a flattering tie front.

This skirt can be styled with a fresh white shirt, or gorgeous black or silk blouse, or a crisp t-shirt and court shoe on the weekend.

Stripes are classic and you will be able to wear this style season after season.

Feeling inspired??
Share with me items you will be bringing in to revamp your work wardrobe!