Visualize yourself opening your closet right now. Turn to your workwear section, and thumb through the hangers. Are you looking at 8 different colors of the same button down blouse? Are you sliding along a different cardigan for each day of the week? Is one measly pair of black flats sitting in the corner? If you’re nodding your head right now, then you’ve most likely hit a roadblock in your work wardrobe. We’ve all been there. However, you spend a good 40% of your waking life at work so looking and feeling your absolute best for such a huge part of your life can can and should start right in your closet!
Whether you’re a CEO, an intern, or somewhere in between, how you present yourself definitely matters. Because I work in a creative industry, I luckily have a few more options when it comes to my outfit discretion. For a recent business meeting last week in NYC I wanted my glen plaid trousers to be the star of the show. A wardrobe classic, this pair of straight-leg pants is highlighted with a subtle (yet electric) yellow stripe throughout that I’ve highlighted with my canary yellow belt. Deciding to style these pants as an “unsuit,” or with another suit separate … I’ve opted for my snow-white Alice + Olivia blazer. Both of these garments could work for nearly any workplace, depending on what you pair them with.
Going with a concert tee was yet another step off the beaten path. (But another reason why I absolutely love being a stylist!) Make this look work for you by wearing something similar, but instead pair with a sleek black v-neck blouse underneath or drop the yellow belt. Too much black and white for your taste? Choose a heel in your favorite fruit-basket shade. Apple Red or a Plum Purple could act as the stand alone pop of color for a head-to-toe grayscale look. Because I already have that pop in my belt, I wanted my heels to stay neutral. Finally, this cross body bag channels the cool-girl monotone vibes and tones down the whole ensemble appropriately.
Wrapping it up with a pair of sunnies and a vintage rhinestone hair clip puts my signature spin on the outfit. Each of these elements help show that I am confident and knowledgeable in my industry. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether you’re speaking with clients, sitting in a cubicle, or leading team meetings: your work clothes say a lot about you to your coworkers and to others around you. So consider your closet once more, and ask yourself, “What kind of message am I sending?”
What I wore;
Jacket- Alice + Olivia
Concert tee
Pants- Topshop
Bag- Roger Vivier
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