Be Comfortable
Professional clothes has a reputation for being uncomfortable, but they don’t have to be. While your super comfy tracksuit isn’t quite appropriate for work, you can combine comfort and fashion with professionalism. Look for pieces that are made out of soft, natural fabrics like cotton and wool. Fabrics like polyester and acrylic can feel scratchy and don’t allow for much breathing. It’s amazing how considering fabric for your clothes makes a difference, so make sure to consider it and be comfortable.
Finishing Piece
A pair of slacks and a warm sweater can go from looking casual to professional with the addition of a finishing piece like a blazer. Finishing pieces, also known as third pieces, are any item of clothing that goes on top of the essential top and bottom pieces of an outfit. If blazers aren’t really a piece found in your closet or your style, cardigans and jackets can act as finishing pieces as well. Choose something that speaks to your personal style by opting for bold prints or your favorite color. When it comes to material, almost anything goes. Just stay away from denim jackets, as these can make an otherwise professional outfit too casual.
Structured Pieces of Fashion
Contrary to popular belief, a professional outfit isn’t necessarily determined by the type of clothing pieces, but rather by how structured the pieces are. By choosing pieces that speak to your style while also providing shape and structure, it’s difficult to go wrong.
Skip that trapeze top and anything with dropped shoulders. Instead, go for something with a cinched waist, wrap-tie, and structured shoulder seams. For bottoms, a tailored pant looks just as classy as a skirt or dress. The same principle applies to finishing pieces – if you’re a cardigan person, you’ll want to make sure your cardigans have some structure to them. In other words, leave the slouchy cardigan at home.
Accessories
The right accessories can take any outfit from casual to fashionable. Accessories are also a great way to showcase your personality. Whether you like your classic minimalist gold jewelry, or you like to express your alternative sense of style with skull earrings, wearing jewelry instantly elevates your wardrobe from casual to professional. In addition to jewelry, scarves, belts, bags, hats, and hairpins are easy ways to accessorize your work outfit. The only limit is your own level of creativity.
Footwear
No matter how stylish and professional your outfit looks in front of your bathroom mirror, if you pair it with the wrong shoes on the way out the door, you can very easily miss the mark. However, just because you can’t wear those white Nike sneakers doesn’t mean your only options are those pumps that give you blisters or those boring black Chelsea boots. You’ll again want to pay attention to structure when picking shoes to complement your outfit. This means those comfy uggs and crocs are out of the picture too. Any pair of flats, heels, or boots with clean lines will work wonderfully. If you like to be bold with your fashion, there’s nothing that says a pair of neon yellow heels can’t be professional.
