Office Style
Lisa Finkelstein: Retro
Jewelry design director, J.Crew
HER SPLURGE: J.Crew party dress.
HER TRICKS: Invest in a simple A-line dress — a clean canvas for your unique look. Snap up lots of fun, affordable baubles, like enamel pins, to pile upon neutral basics. Shop for steals in new color combos. Play up your femininity at work — you can look just as confident in ribbons as in pinstripes. Enhance casual-Friday jeans with budget-friendly accessories, like a vibrant blouse, crystal belt, and big jewels. Emulate the late socialite Nan Kempner, who wore the same fabulous clothes over and over again in different ways. Transform a dress from party-frilly to polished with a shrunken jacket in a cool fabric. Keep everything — the more to mix and match with!
Jewelry design director, J.Crew
HER SPLURGE: J.Crew party dress.
HER TRICKS: Invest in a simple A-line dress — a clean canvas for your unique look. Snap up lots of fun, affordable baubles, like enamel pins, to pile upon neutral basics. Shop for steals in new color combos. Play up your femininity at work — you can look just as confident in ribbons as in pinstripes. Enhance casual-Friday jeans with budget-friendly accessories, like a vibrant blouse, crystal belt, and big jewels. Emulate the late socialite Nan Kempner, who wore the same fabulous clothes over and over again in different ways. Transform a dress from party-frilly to polished with a shrunken jacket in a cool fabric. Keep everything — the more to mix and match with!
Read more: Work Clothes - Work Fashion - What to Wear to Work - Marie Claire
The Top Five Tips for Office Fashion
Getting dressed for the office can be daunting when dress code guidelines aren’t clear. With the advent of vague descriptions like “business casual”, “relaxed dress”, and “smart casual”, deciding what to wear can be downright confusing! Here are five fashion tips to help you get out the door looking your professional best:1. Tailoring counts! I cannot stress this enough: Tailoring makes all the difference. Even a $10 suit from Goodwill can look expensive if it’s properly tailored to fit your body. If you don’t have a tailor, please Google “(Your City) tailor” and find one immediately! Here’s what to talk about when you get there:
Shirts & jackets: The armholes of your shirts and blazers shouldn’t be too high (this makes it difficult to raise your arms) or too low, and the shoulder seam should hit at the point where your arm and shoulder meet.
Pants: Pants should fit your waist smoothly with no gaps. Avoid trousers that create visible “pull lines” from your crotch to your waist–this means they’re too small. Donate them to charity. The pants should be long enough to create a nice “break”, but not bunch at your ankles.
Dresses and skirts: Dresses and skirts that hit at mid-calf are only flattering on supermodels. For us regular folk, just below the knee length is best for the office.
2. Add a jacket or blazer. A well-fitted jacket can elevate your look from I-forgot-to-do-laundry casual to I-meant-to-wear-this stylish. Experiment with wearing it open and closed, belted and loose, to see what works for you. 3. It’s there in black and white Point blank, wearing black and white always works in professional situations–it’s basically foolproof. When you can’t decide what to wear to the big meeting, this classic color combination always works.
The easiest way to wear it is to pair solid black with solid white–just make sure your white is crisp and your black is pure, deep black. Add accessories for a splash of color or texture. Speaking of accessories…
The easiest way to wear it is to pair solid black with solid white–just make sure your white is crisp and your black is pure, deep black. Add accessories for a splash of color or texture. Speaking of accessories…
4. Don’t forget the details: Remember to accessorize! The right accessories can add interest to an otherwise plain ensemble. Great shoes are vital to a well-executed look, and the right ones can make or break an entire outfit.
Ladies can also experiment with earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, leg wear, and scarves (though not all at once!), while men can play around with ties, pocket squares, and cuff links. I’m a huge fan of scarves for both sexes, and there are plenty of online resources for ideas.
5. Mix classic and unique pieces for a look all your own Have fun with your look! Clothing can be a very effective form of self-expression as well as an indicator of professional status. Wear things that make you feel good, powerful and confident and you’re already halfway there.
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