Are You Professionally Chic?
This is the question most of us need to ask ourselves twice a year. Just like it’s good to change the batteries on your smoke alarm every six months, it’s helpful to reevaluate your aesthetic for the change of weather, if you live somewhere with dramatic seasonal changes. And it’s imperative that you dress for the position you want (not have).
Here are a few tips to help you, whatever your style.
Are you a casual dresser?
If you are in a more creative job that has a lenient dress policy, have a blast with it! However keep in mind that you MUST keep your look polished. Fit is important when wearing comfortable attire. Try these ideas for your laid back office style casually chic yet still work appropriate:
The classic casual outfit is jeans, flat shoes, white collared button-down and layered with a sweater. Add an element of chic to your casual look with a blazer. Also dressier accessories like necklaces or cute bags to keep the look flattering
If you are in a corporate environment and its Casual Friday or even if you go in on your off time, always look the part. Try these ideas for your casual corporate style:
Dark denim jeans without any holes and with little distressing; keep it clean.
Never wear a tennis shoe/sneaker; a heel always makes for a longer leaner appearance.
Are you more of a feminine dresser?
Trends likely lead you in color inspiration and patterns yet the overall style of your choice is romantic and soft.
You’ll never go wrong with styles like simple sheath dresses or peplum dresses/skirts. You should wear more sophisticated and less flirty pieces keeping more of your skin covered; like below the knee skirts/dresses, crewnecks, soft collars and ¾ length sleeves. Avoid super sexy pieces when you go with a shorter dress or skirt, wear opaque tights to fill in all that bare leg and a knee-length boot or bootie.
Are you a conservative dresser?
You have specific wardrobe staples like a two-piece suit, countless styles of button-downs and a true love for most styles with a masculine edge. Your color scheme doesn’t veer to far from the basic navy, black, gray and white however you pull in color and trend mainly in your accessories. You can mix and match most of your work pieces for a variety of events or occasions. You may enjoy pants or skirt suits, but you really show your chicness in variations of fit (slim leg, ¾ sleeves, notch collar, no collar, single vs. double breasted, etc…).
Are you a trendy dresser?
You are the style star of the office! Everyone looks to see what you will wear to work every day because you are on top of the trends. My advice: don’t invest greatly in too many trends at once because most of those trends will be gone by end of the season. Wear anywhere from one to three trends at a time, NO MORE! Here is an example of a trendy dresser: graphic print dress, Chanel inspired jacket with booties and black tights….trend mixed with basics is a great combination for style!
Pamela Watson is an experienced stylist who currently works as the trend expert for Builders of Style, where she prepares A-list clients for red carpet events, music videos, concerts, and award shows.