I don’t know about you, but I put a lot of thought into what I am going to wear, the style combination and how this fits with my day, who I am meeting and what I am doing.
My work wardrobe week is planned according to the types of meetings I have: power suit for power meetings, pencil skirts and shirts for consultancy meetings and a dash of fabulous for design meetings. Weekends are no different, are we ladies who lunch? Blazer, with jeans, check! Or are we strolling the streets window shopping, coffee in hand? Cue trench and ballet flats.
The stress of what to wear is one pressure we should not have to worry about and if you take a little time to think and plan you can look sharp and fab every day with little fuss.
Listen:: “No skinny jeans after 47” they say.
When it comes to my work wardrobe, less is definitely more and there are a few key things I apply when planning what to wear to the office.
1. Get your staples right
If you don’t have a good set of basics then it can be really tough to plan outfits for the work week. How often do you stare at your wardrobe each morning wondering where to start? I say if you have your staples right that is always where you start. My work wardrobe always has:
– A crisp white shirt
– Classic blazer
– Winter boot and summer point
– A fab coat
– My go-to perfect fitting pants and skirts
Deciding which perfect pant or classic shirt you will wear and work back from that makes it easier as you can mix and match your staples with seasonal pieces and accessories.
2. Work with the seasons
It’s funny how quickly a new season creeps up on us and we are still stuck in the outfit routine of last season and that stress of what to wear comes right back at us, unplanned and catches us totally off guard. Plan your wardrobe according to the seasons whether it’s the start of a hot summer or an icy winter, do a check of what pieces you had last season and then make a mental note of the things you’d like to add.
Retail is always a season ahead- ensuring we are thinking about next season way before it gets here, so take your cue to prep the minute you see this change.
3. Quality over quantity every time
I have a personal relationship with my clothes and get far too attached, so it’s disappointing to part ways with something that only lasts a few washes, because it was cheap and poor quality. Invest in key classics that not only look great but last the distance, higher quality fits and fabric have such a big impact on the look and lifetime of a garment. Over the years, I have built up my work wardrobe where I can still pull out a classic shirt or coat that I invested on earlier in my career.
Key items like work pants, skirts, jackets and coats can easily be adapted into different looks and no one would even know your black cropped blazer had been on high rotation since winter 2005. Quality clothes will last the distance and save you money in the long run.
Having a method to the madness of shopping, fashion and what to wear and putting a bit of time aside to ensure you have the basics, are prepped for the seasons and have some great classic and on trend pieces to mix and match will ensure you are dressed the part each day.
Project what you expect. Dress the part, walk the walk and talk the talk. If you are dressed the way you would like to be perceived, you start to feel and then act that way.
After all, as Rachel Zoe says: "Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak."
Pamela Jabbour is the founder and CEO of Total Image Group, which designs, sources and manufactures leading edge, quality uniforms for companies across Australia. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne and China, they dress over 250 000 workers a day, with clients including 13CABS and the Australian Olympic Team and officials. For more information visit Total Image Group.