How to dress well for young corporate fashion girlies
Disclaimer, this post is aimed at women and feminine people in the corporate world, but these tips can apply for anybody regardless of gender expression <3
1. Covering up vs stripping down
It can be difficult for young people to find a comfortable balance between their workwear and their personal style. The average young person may struggle to adapt their own oversized, cropped, baggy or revealing clothes to suit the needs of a professional work ensemble. The easiest way to do this is to create boundaries for your work clothes, and stick to them as much as possible.
Personally I like to keep my boundaries at three separate points, sleeves, skirts, stomach. I never wear sleeveless clothing, and my minimum sleeve boundary is a thick tank sleeve. My skirts are generally just above the knee, and never shorter than my fingertips. This makes me feel more comfortable when sitting, bending, or crouching down at work. My torso is covered at all times while at work, and generally this is the norm for office wear. I like to wear clothing that meets or overlaps in the middle to ensure that I feel comfortable and appropriate at all times.
2. Necklines, cuffs and waistbands
When choosing necklines for work clothing, try to limit the amount of skin shown for a more professional look. I recommend trying turtlenecks, round necks, boat necks or a shallow v-neck for best results. When wearing button downs, never unbutton more than three buttons from the top. If you have a v-neck that you would like to wear to work but you feel is too revealing, try layering a camisole top underneath it, or securing the neckline with a safety pin at an appropriate depth.
Cuffs are a really fun way to express some of your personal style, and to help accentuate your proportions. Personally, I love to wear a flared sleeve, or even a bubble sleeve. More exaggerated and interesting sleeves add a unique touch to your standard corporate outfits. Experiment with sleeves and sleeve lengths to find what you’re comfortable with.
Waistbands are often something we don’t consider when choosing office outfits, but they can make a drastic difference when styled intentionally. Personally, i generally opt for a high waist trouser or skirt, as I am rather short, and i find it easier to keep my outfits work appropriate this way. However, a low rise pant or skirt with a long top, or a mid rise trouser with interesting layering, or even different dress waistlines can create unique and more personal silhouettes for your outfits. Playing around with accessories along your waistband such as belts or waist beads can help put a personal stamp on your corporate ensemble.
Office and formal setting require that you eliminate some fabrics from your wardrobe, such as denim. Much as a tasteful, tailored denim piece may look more formal or appropriate than a pair of faded, baggy slacks, many corporate dress policies will forbid denim from entering your office. Instead of wallowing in your sorrows, try introducing new fabrics to your workplace wardrobe. Along with your standard cotton blends that everyone has, try wool or wool blends, corduroy, satin, silk, velvet, tulle or mesh. There are a place for most fabrics in the corporate world as long as they are styles appropriately.
Introduce pieces that have multiple fabrics such as tulle sleeves or skirts, wool bands or satin accents to maximise your personal style expression. Also, do not be afraid to lean into an embellished look. Beading, embroidery, lace, sequins and metal hardware are all potential accessories you can introduce to add flair to your outfits.
The most common misconception on the internet about office wear is that you can only wear black, white and grey. I denounce this idea, and instead propose that more colour is injected into your wardrobe in 2024. Just because you are in a professional setting does not mean you cannot dress in vibrant and interesting colours. Mixing and matching different colours into your looks is a great way to put a professional outfit together without feeling drab or dull. This also means that you are more likely to wear the piece outside of work, making it a better investment and a more useful piece of clothing.
Accessories are one of the easiest ways to spice up a boring and lifeless outfit. Accessories extend past jewellery, into belts, gloves, hats, scarves, umbrellas, coats, bags, nail varnish, makeup and shoes. Mixing and matching a large selection of different accessories will allow you to rewear the same pieces over and over again without getting tired of them. They also are a great way to link your outfits back to your personal style and help you transition between workwear and homewear more easily.
Remember, the most important parts of office outfits are that they are:
Making sure that your outfits suit you and feel comfortable for you is the key to looking and feeling fabulous at work.
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