Office attire basics
 

What are some basic wardrobe pieces that I can get to mazimize my work attire options without breaking the bank? I figure black pants and black skirts are musts, but what else? I'm completely clueless (I currently work in a lab and a vineyard...dressing nice for work is not really a good idea!)

Gray pants/skirts as well as khaki. Gray is nice b/c you can get dark and light and still have lots of options for your top.

I don't own anything navy.

Nice black shoes. Solid color tops (even t shirts work) that aren't low cut or too tight.

brown is a great alternative too. get creative with the colors you mix with it.

a few years ago, JC Penny used to carry good mix and match pieces for women.....jackets, pants, short and long skirts, etc. they were pretty reasonable. i think they still carry them. i always like to have a few signature pieces....like a really cute skirt or top that everyone ohhs and ahhhs over. other than those, i try to keep it pretty simple and get colors that will match with other pieces i already have.

try not to buy lots of shoes. i've been buying a few more than in the past, but only b/c i'm making a little more money. keep it simple....heels and/or flats in black, brown and whatever other basics you may need.

I travel a lot and buy my work clothes from Ann Taylor. They have a triacetate (sp?) line that mixes and matches well. I tend to stick with black bottoms, shoes, handbags - just because I travel so much. I'll brighten up the outfit with a bright top. I also like to wear sweater sets and you can wear the cardigan buttoned up over a white tank for another look. I tend to spend more money on my work clothes, but I think its better to buy classic items that will carry you thru a couple of seasons.

I'm a Talbots girl! You can't beat their petite sizes. We have three different Talbots stores within a half hour drive from me-- so I'm pretty spoiled. Talbots has the best sales!

Think "classic" when you buy, and look for good fabrics that will last you. If something costs more-- so what-- if you will be able to wear it for the next ten years. I literally have an Ann Klein skirted suit that I've worn for 15 years. It looks sensational, and never goes out of style.

I'd rather see you buy a few good pieces that you can mix and match for years to come.. then to buy lots of cheapo outfits.

Go to the nice stores (Nieman Marcus, Saks, etc) just to LOOK. Feel the fabrics. Look at how the buttons are made. Pay attention to seam construction and the zippers.

Then... go to lower priced stores and look for that same type of construction. Sometimes you can get very fortunate with some great buys at TJ Max or Marshalls... but you really, really have to look.

Look for natural fabrics-- or at least natural fabric blends. But a caution about linen-- it wrinkles like crazy. You can find beautiful linen blends that LOOK like pure linen but stand up better to a full day at work.

Try to avoid rayon at all costs.. it looks cheap.

John Molloy wrote a book called "A Women's Guide to Dress for Success" many years ago. The styles are outdated, but he gives VERY good advice on building a wardrobe and how to find expensive looking clothes for less. You can probably still find it in your local library. Worth reading.

I think you made a great start with a black pair of pants and a black skirt. Now, go crazy with blazers! Look for some good wool blends (Lands End has some beautiful career jackets), silk blends and linen blends. Buy some different color cotten or knit shells to go under them.

You can also buy a pair of white pants (they go with most colored blazers) for summer, and a pair of tan (khaki) colored. Grey is nice too. Just keep them classic. Pleats don't look good on anyone-- keep them flat fronted. I would also avoid cuffs on the bottom because they go in and out of style, and unless you're very tall, you probably can't carry them off.

I agree too with the advice to go easy on the shoes. Get two comfy pair of shoes for your dress pants (black goes with nearly everything), a pair of shoes to go with your skirt outfits, and maybe one pair of summer shoes.

I also have a very good black leather "portfolio bag." It's a soft-sided (over the shoulder attache case) that I put my purse and my lunch in. It looks very professional.

Do not wear flip flops. Do not buy "bar clothes" for work. Don't dress sexy, dress classic and professional. No plunging necklines, no "too short" skirts. Don't get caught in the "dress down Friday" trap. Dress down doesn't usually mean jeans.. it means khakis and a blazer or button down blouse.

Remember, you want to be taken seriously. You want to look professional. Always dress for the job you WANT not the one you have.

Blueangel gave some very good advice and you can help me shop anyday. :)

I don't know what part of the country you live in, but I bought several long silk skirts from Harolds over the years. For work, I'll pair them with a sweater set or nice silk pullover top. And the skirts are versatile, so if you want to dress it down or funk it up, they look cute with denim tops/jean jackets. Its hard just starting out and I always try to get pieces that I can dress up for work, but also dress down for more casual occasions.

Hope this helps

Ann Taylor Loft and Casual Corner Annex is a GIFT to all in the tight-clothing-budget price range. It's still high quality, classic stuff, but for VERY cheap. I got a dress and two shirts at Ann Taylor Loft for $35 the other day.

As for me, I have a grey, navy, garnet, and sand-colored suit. My grey suit I have both a skirt and pants for, and that is the best purchase ever. As far as price, the grey, navy, and garnet suits I got at Casual Corner Annex for under $100. The sand-colored one I got from Limited for probably around $150.

And other things are, eveery once in a while Lerner will have a sale for multiple collared shirts... go and BUY THEM OUT!!! You can NEVER have too many collared shirts. And if you're on a really cheap budget, Target (pronounced, Tar-Jay) has collared shirts, too... just watch, because those are cheap and they will shrink and you're back at square one. :-)

CarolinaDG, are the Ann Taylor Loft and Casual Corner Annex in the Gaffney outlets or are they somewhere in Charlotte, NC?

I love slinky knits, they don't wrinkle and they're light and airy.

Also, if you can find a nice wardrober set, usually 4-5 pieces of a coordinating fabric/color: pants, skirt, jacket, shirt, sometime a dress too.

And get LOTS of shirts. You can double wear pants, no one'll know, but you can't wear a shirt again for at least 2 weeks, so get more of those.

I love this stuff! The triacetate hangs beautifully, and doesn't wrinkle. Ann Taylor has used the same fabric for four years now, I think. So, it's possible to pick up a new piece and goes with with what you already have. (Which in my case is three blazers, two skirts, two pairs of pants, a sheath dress, and a shell.)

The Casual Corner Annex that I got my suits from is the one in Gaffney. I think there's an Ann Taylor Loft there now, too, but I'm not sure. The one I'm referring to is at Concord Mills.

All the advice above is GREAT!!! One thing I've noticed recently (and someone mentioned above) is you definitely can have less pants/skirts than tops. I would recommend 1-2 pairs of black pants that you love; a black skirt (knee-length or just above the knee); charcoal gray pants/skirt; khaki pants/skirt; white pants (like someone above said they look very sharp with most colors. Just make sure they are NOT tight or see-through); light gray pants/skirt. As for tops, go with basics. If your office is business casual I would (as others recommended) invest in a variety of colors of button down shirts. Banana Republic carries some great fitted ones at their outlets for about 25 bucks each. I would also get basic nicer short sleeve/long sleeve tops and fitted sweaters in a variety of colors you like. Avoid the basic black and white for everything…you'll get bored without some color! Most colors are great to interchange with the above pants and skirts.

I would AVOID navy anything. It is really hard to match with shoes and you'll end up frustrated because you have these great navy pants and nothing to wear them with.

Also, check out sales online and in stores…you can get great deals if you know the size you wear. I do this often at J.Crew and Banana and on their respective websites. Also check out Smartbargains.com. It's the Loehmanns website…I've gotten some great deals on there.

Great advice. I do, however, think you can do navy.
Black shoes go fine with navy pants-- and if you read the "Dress for Success" books, John Molloy found that navy blue is the best color to interview in.

Oh you guys, please be careful with white pants. They can go wrong so easily. The other day at work a woman was wearing a white skirt, and I really didn't need to know about her thong but I sure did.

That's why "Underalls" was invented. :)

But, you're SO right! Be careful with white!

If you don't have a lot of $$$ to spend, I agree with the poster that mentioned JC Penny. I remember they did have a line of suits (nice quality, lined, smooth, breathable fabric) that for one price you got a suit jacket, skirt and pants. I have also seen combo's like this at Dillards too.

Anyway, if you bought this in black, you could get a lot of use from buying tops/accesories to mix and match with.

In my area, TJ Maxx sells nice quality clothing too (they have a whole seperate "Career" section).

bumping a great thread!

Do you not wear navy with brown? That's what I do, to avoid the whole navy-black issue... Maybe that was the wrong decision. :eek:

I think it is probably the right decision but navy can just put a whole wrench in my wardrobe...especially navy pants, they always look weird no matter what color I put them with!

OMG cosign...nothing looks worse than a nice pair of trouser pants or a skirt with a pair of clunky shoes circa 1995. Invest in some nice work shoes...they can make a great wardrobe look great just like bad shoes can make a great wardrobe look tacky. Well, that along with club wear at work...but that's another thread...lol

Payless is GREAT for trendy shoes. Target is good as well. I mean, as much as I would love to wear Nine West shoes all the time, between my dogs and the fact that I walk around a lot, my shoes usually only have a shelf life of about 2 months. Sad, but true. :(

If they are in your area, Kohl's is a great place to pick up some basics, especially during sales which they have about every two weeks. Last year I picked up some great pants and a few tops that were pretty reasonable for career wear.

It sounds like Macy's in the NW... They have basics and there is a "Saturday Sale" or a "One-Day" sale pretty much constantly. My boss at Pottery Barn wore a really cute brown sweater set to work yesterday that she got on sale at Macy's...

I tend to have success buying basics at Old Navy - I got a bunch of "teacher clothes" there last week. However, their pants do NOT work for everyone - same for Gap.

Does anyone have an opinion on kitten heels for work/teaching? They look more comfortable than high heels, but I am just not sure...

Macy's has a sale pretty much every week. In New York State there's a law that says that your merchandise can't be on sale more than 26 days out of the calendar month or something similar like that, so they have sales a lot and just keep stuff regularly priced 4 or so days out of the month.

I think kitten heels would be fine for work.

OHH I start a new job next week and this totally helps! (I've been working for a year, but I'm getting ready to do a little shopping before the new job)

Kitten heels are my god send. I do event planning and while 2 1/2 inch heels are cute, they just don't work for the amount of walking and running I do during an event.

I spend money on my pants and shoes. I have good basic tops button-ups from express and then some nice sweaters. I tend to throw in some fun shirts from H&M for more casual days. They have some stuff that is ok for work, but it doesn't last long. Really, Ann Taylor Loft is my crack, I just can't stay away.

If you sit all day and drive to work, I would say ok, buy cheap shoes, if you are walking all day, I find that more mid-range shoes work a little better. (or maybe I just feel less ackward when I take them to the shoe repair guy to fix that little plastic bit at the bottom of the heel)

Here is my question. Is tweed classic enough? There is are a couple Ann Taylor Loft skirts I'm dying for and I just don't know how long they'll last, they seem classic to me but I'm just not sure... (thanks for all the good tips!)

Yes!! Tweed's the epitome of classic, it's my favorite fabric for the fall, and lately stores have been carrying great summer tweeds.

In answer to the "What color shoe goes best with navy" question... I find that a good deep burgundy shoe looks the best with navy, and that's what most magazines recommend. Just always remember that all accessories (shoes, belt, bag, etc) are matching, and you can pull of pretty much any color with navy. Navy and white are great for summer (think nautical).

Here is my question:

What kind of underwear is acceptable at the work place?

-Rudey

I love tweed to. Would you stick to very classic brown tweeds? I love some of the colors but don't want it to be dated by next season...

White pants should be worn with NUDE panites. I hate having to look at someone's underwear all day. None of my business. :)

Anything that is not visible...panty lines are so tacky.

I think grey tweed is just as acceptable as brown or black. The basic colors are again the most versatile. Also, I'm not sure that the pink and green tweeds that you see for the summer and spring will still be in style come next year, even though you could probably get some great deals this time of year and save them for next year!

All this talk about office fashion makes me wish that I wasn't working towards a life of wearing scrubs...

Nude thongs are a girl's best friend.

That makes me sad...I love the colored tweeds but I know I won't wear them next year. oh wells.



Underwear should be worn, not seen.

What's funny is that women sometimes think that just because they're wearing a thong, that means you can't see their underwear. Sometimes thongs result in VPL, and let me tell you, it ain't pretty most of the time.

UKtridelt - Trust me, its much more economical to wear scrubs every day. I have a masters in nursing. When I worked in the hospital, I had several cute scrub outfits (I worked in peds). They were maybe $40 a set. Now I work for an insurance company and I'm expected to dress up when I travel - which is every other week. And you can imagine how much those outfits are a piece - especially since I buy them at Harolds and Ann Taylor. Its fun shopping for the clothes - and I have to have outfits for every part of the country - but it gets pricey. Just think, the money you save on scrubs can be put towards some extra nice after-work clothes. :)

I'm laughing out loud about the thongs and visible panty lines. It tickles me when girls wear thongs but their pants are so low cut that you can see the thong hanging out of their pants.

I like to wear shapers under my skirts and it gives me a sleaker looking line. I buy the ones at Talbots, but I've seen them in several stores. And some of my friends swear by Spanks for a sleaker looking line.

For the bigger girls, Lane Bryant has these pants for the winter called Houston Pants. They are EXTREMELY comfortable and don't have to be dry cleaned (which is a major perk in my book). I usually pick dry clean only pants. They have the Houston Pants in tweed-type pants and in regular gray, black, and pin-striped. I have 3 pairs of them. They also have them in purple but I don't know if I'd wear them in an office setting or not. They also have a lot of nice button up cotton shirts that look very professional.

For the bigger girls, Lane Bryant has these pants for the winter called Houston Pants. They are EXTREMELY comfortable and don't have to be dry cleaned (which is a major perk in my book). I usually pick dry clean only pants. They have the Houston Pants in tweed-type pants and in regular gray, black, and pin-striped. I have 3 pairs of them. They also have them in purple but I don't know if I'd wear them in an office setting or not. They also have a lot of nice button up cotton shirts that look very professional.

For those of you who don't like the thongs, the microfiber panties are great too because they don't have seams and don't bunch up.

I need a suggestion or two for shoes. Really comfortable dress shoes. (Brands, types, etc.)

I need them for days where I will be on my feet for 12-14 hours at an event and can match with pants and skirts.

And they need some sort of strap. I can't wear "step into" pumps because my feet are two different sizes (slightly) and I will slip out of them.

I know that the Naturalizer has some great, comfortable shoes. Some people may say this store is for their mom, but I love their dress shoes- very comfortable!

LOL, I was thinking "I think my mom shops there!" haha. Also try nordstrom and ask what brands are know for comfort. They have good service in the shoe dept.