Ladies, if you are anything like me, the corporate attire is not exactly your preferred style of dress. While we can all rock a cute pencil skirt or a funky blazer, normally we don’t present a full corporate / business look when we are being social. Trends that usually incorporate business pieces are usually mixed with more casual pieces, like a blazer with a denim pant or a pencil skirt with a crop top or tee. So, while we all may have a few business pieces, at the end of the day, do you have enough business attire for a corporate job? Well, if that is your dilemma right now or if you need a few tips on how to expand your wardrobe without breaking the bank…let’s proceed!
To begin, let’s discuss what’s appropriate for corporate attire. In business it’s important to actually look professional. Looking professional can mean a number of things to different people, however the universal dress code for corporate attire is a long way from anything casual. Jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, or anything you’d wear to a picnic is NOT business / corporate attire. This brings me to tip one…
TIP ONE: COVER UP AND CONSIDER FIT
While we all want to be fashionable, we must also remember that business is business. First and foremost, you must present yourself in a serious and respectable manner, which also means that being too revealing or too sexy is not professional. Let me be blunt… do not show any cleavage, skirts should be at your knee or below the knee, cover your shoulders and by all means iron your clothes (had to throw that in :-)).
Now let’s talk about fit. Fit is very important! You can easily find that people are judge based on the fit of an ensemble. “Too tight” can suggest slutty or trashy; “baggy” could suggest sloppiness or carelessness. When considering fit, there should be a balance between the two (tight & baggy) – or simply meet in the middle and avoid extremes. We are in the new millennium so there are a lot of things that are more acceptable nowadays, like heels higher than two inches or no pantyhose. Corporate attire has evolved just like any other fashionable segment so the options are endless within reason.
TIP TWO: BUY PIECES NOT FULL ENSEMBLE AND SHOP SALES
First evaluate what you currently have that could compliment your work attire. This will give you an idea of what’s needed when you start shopping. I would recommend buying 2-4 of each piece (Blazer, skirt, pant, sweater, blouse) and interexchange pieces per week (to start). After a while you can slowly add to your work attire by buying little by little – and pay close and special attention to the sale racks and specials. During winter, spring, summer and fall, the same type of work attire is on sale from the previous seasons…GET THOSE SALES!
TIP THREE: SAVE & THRIFT!
For those of you who are not squeamish about wearing apparel that once belonged to someone else, try thrifting! You would be amazed at the great pieces you’ll find at little to nothing. Thrift stores have great pieces, you simply have to commit the time to dig through load of apparel to find them – but when you do, it’s well worth it. Of course you MUST WASH them very well before wearing. Personally, I have found Versace riding pants, Armani suits, Burberry tops and more. To me, work is work…I rather spend my hard earned money on clothes that I love.
I do hope that I’ve helped you start your journey to building your new work attire. Good Luck Fashionistas!!
