What to wear to Look like you Mean Business

If you work in a corporate environment with a fairly formal dress code you’ve probably heard the saying “dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” One of the best ways to upgrade your image is with quality, classic accessories. It’s amazing how many people notice your accessories, before they notice your outfit. You can make an inexpensive dress look designer with the right accessories but sadly it doesn’t seem to work the other way. It’s worth spending more on a bag and shoes that you wear everyday of the week than on a dress you only wear once a month. Here is where cost per wear really makes sense. You see all you needed was the justification to buy that beautiful bag!

 

Start building your accessory wardrobe with a great work bag or feminine briefcase in a neutral colour that goes with all your workwear basics. Add classic court shoes, a smart laptop or ipad case, a stylish watch and pen. Go for colours like black, navy, tan and cream that will go with most other colours. Once you have a main “capsule” of accessories start to build a second one in another colour, perhaps black or navy for winter and tan or cream for summer. These items will last for years and shouldn’t be high fashion, they are an investment in your business wardrobe. It’s a great time to buy now during the sales too.
Here are some options which I have deliberately teemed with an inexpensive and a mid priced dress:

I’d love to know if you have invested in one of these classics. Do you feel more confident at work when you “dress up”?

How to Build a Casual Capsule Wardrobe

The easiest and most economical way to build a wardrobe that works for you is by creating multiple capsule wardrobes; work, casual, winter, summer etc. Pieces can work within more than one capsule collection for example finer knits from your summer capsule could be layered in the winter. Here are my top tips for creating a capsule wardrobe with examples for a casual collection which if you work from home like me may only need the addition of a smarter jacket for meetings to make it work ready too.
Top tips for capsule wardrobes:

1. Start with a neutral colour as a base – black, brown, grey or navy would be good options.
2. Build your wardrobe in 3’s. For example if you have 3 skirts make one a neutral, the second a pattern which incorporates your neutral colour and the third a complementary colour. Then add 3 tops, again neutral pattern and colour that mix and match with the skirts.
3. Spend the most money on the neutrals you will wear most often.
4. Once you have the basics add in other colours that mix with your existing capsule – maybe a colour of the season if you love it and it suits you.
5. Just because you are creating a capsule collection of clothes it doesn’t have to be boring. When you buy a new piece for your wardrobe ask yourself, “does it suit me, does it work with what I already have, and will I love wearing it and feel great in it?” If you can’t say yes to all of these move on and save your money for something that does.
6. If you find something perfect consider buying it in two colours.
7. Look after your investment. When you have spent hard earned money on your wardrobe make sure you follow the cleaning instructions, hang things on decent hangers (have you noticed how one wire hanger multiplies in your wardrobe?) get shoes re-heeled when needed, fold knitwear so it doesn’t pull out of shape and give everything enough room in your wardrobe.

Examples – the pieces in 3′s




Every piece in this collection can be worn in a variety of ways. Once the basics are there another seasonal colour could be added, for example a red would work well in here.
Below are just some of the outfit combinations:





Hopefully this has given you food for thought. Try laying out your clothes in 3′s like this then mixing them up. You will then see what you are missing – take a note with you next time you go shopping to see if you can fill that gap.

Summer Trend – Sugar Candy

There is a real feminine feel on the high street for the summer (you remember what summer is!) with girly candy colours translated from the catwalks. If you feel that it’s all a bit too sugary for you try just one piece mixed in with your every day neutrals. For example add sugary pink with navy, lemon with grey or coral with black.

Here’s how it was done full on at the shows:

Images courtesy of Style.com

And some high street pieces:

Pieces above from a selection at Boden, Fenn Wright Manson Pure Collection Phase Eight, John Lewis and House of Fraser.


Will you be trying the candy trend? I am definitely lusting over some of the pretty makeup collections, and I can see myself wearing some of these colours in my outfits too – but when the sun (eventually) comes out!