Whether you work from home or at an office, having the freedom to change up your work wardrobe can be fun! Or intimidating, depending on how you feel about fashion. But the thing is, your work style can say a lot about you, whether you realize it or not. By today’s standards, a simple black blazer or a reasonable cardigan isn’t going to be enough to help you stick out amongst your peers. And if you’re looking to climb the business social hierarchy, that’s exactly what you need to do.
Aside from the politics of it all, why wouldn’t you want to dress it up a little at the office? Your work wardrobe should make you feel empowered—like you could take on the world. In fact, your work style can even be a key motivator in helping you feel confident to take on your next project.
So what do I recommend? As someone who’s always been on top of modern fashion, I can confidently say that these five styles are the perfect way to show your personality through your work wardrobe.
5. Animal Print in Your Work Wardrobe? Yes!
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Animal print is a chic fashion trend that has never gone out of style. It’s suitable for any age group and it’s so commonplace that it’s practically neutral. Animal print work clothes, to the untrained fashionista, may seem like inappropriate work attire. But it’s actually the perfect way to showcase your personality. Prints should always be encouraged for your work style; they just seem to hold a sense of courageousness. Plus, they can be somewhat intimidating. Anyone who’s bold enough to add a bit of cheetah or zebra print into their work clothes is someone who won’t back down from a challenge.
Here are some of my favorite animal print work clothes that I have in my personal closet:
Blue Leopard Print Blazer: You all know how I feel about blazers at this point. You can never have enough of them. And if that’s the case, why not spruce up your work style a bit? I absolutely adore this blue leopard print blazer by Nicole Miller. It’s the perfect way to edge into the more adventurous styles like animal print. From far away it may just seem like your standard black blazer, but it has a subtle print that I think really brings out some of my personality.
Fur Pumps: In my opinion, shoes look absolutely gorgeous when they’re covered with animal print. These are another subtle way to add more flair to your work wardrobe that will stand out from an otherwise bland outfit. My first suggestion for fuzzy pumps are called the Alice + Olivia heels that are available at Saks Fifth Avenue. They have a wide heel so that they’re comfortable and stylish at the same time. Or you could go for these leopard print heels that have a more polished print and a pointed toe.
Zebra Blouse: I find this one to be really fun and a great way to spruce up your work wardrobe. This leopard print blouse is loose-fitting so that it’s breathable and comfortable. All you have to do is pair it with some black slacks and watch as you turn heads at the office!
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4. Brown Paper Bag Pants
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This is a new trend that seems to be big when it comes to work clothes. These brown paper bag pants are often slim-fitting, elastic slacks that fasten with an illustrious center bow. These, paired with a sensible blouse, would create a modern outfit if you’re looking to redesign your work style. Here are a few of my own favorites.
Classic Brown Paper Bag Pants: These are high-water pants that come at the natural waistline. They come in a couple of different colors like army green, grey, black, and even pink. The elastic waist ensures that they will be form-fitting with the bow acting as a fashionable accessory to show off your personality. They even have pockets!
High Rise: For my ladies who are more drawn to today’s high-rise pant fashion, the brown paper bags come in this style, too. These trousers are a bit more flamboyant when it comes to color choice, but hey, what better way to highlight your new work clothes? They come in red, pink, green, black, and yellow.
Brown Paper Bag Shorts: For those more humid months, you can add these shorts to your work style. You can even pair the black shorts with some leopard print heels—if you dare.
3. Flowy Skirts
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It doesn’t matter if it’s spring, summer, or fall—I’m seeing these flowy skirts all the time. They are a sensible fashion statement that can really highlight a care-free personality. I especially love pairing these with some black ankle boots. Here’s where I got mine:
Floral Flow: These are called Iro and they are labeled as a Blink Asymmetric Skirt. I loved wearing this skirt with wedge heels and a plain black tank top.
The Nina: This flared skirt from Nordstrom is just to die for. I definitely recommend adding these to your work wardrobe. The tailored floral design looks even bolder with the small criss-cross detail in the front.
Joie: I am in love with this glittery flowy skirt. It’s such a unique piece, so I would recommend it for any woman’s work wardrobe. It is the perfect statement piece to wear out to a company party or event. It’s classy, elegant, and bold all in one.
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2. Layered Jewelry
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If you’re on the fence when it comes to jewelry, I don’t blame you. There are larger, more intense pieces that could come off as costume jewelry, but then there are smaller pendants that may just be too dainty to notice. That’s why I recommend layered jewelry. It adds a bit of fun to your work style without going too overboard or too conservative.
Layered Bracelets: Putting together a band of small, stylish bracelets is a great way to add dimension to your outfit. I personally like to combine my simple gold band with my gold watch.
Layered Pendant Necklaces: I especially like wearing these with V-neck dresses. It adds that extra bit of personality to your work wardrobe. Just make sure that if you are layering your necklaces, the pendants are similar enough in style that they won’t clash with one another.
1. Stripes
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People are always afraid of adding stripes to their wardrobe. Personally, I think that if you are adventurous enough to wear stripes, then you can pull off just about anything. While it’s true that stripes look best going vertical, they still look good on dresses, blouses, and pants.
Dresses: If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ll know this is one of my all-time favorites. This is the J.O.A. layered dress from Amazon. Affordable, stylish, and it looks great with my leather Gucci purse.
Blouses: This one adds a touch of elegance to your work style. I love the way this shirt has slanted stripes. And this one just goes to show that stripes look good in any color, whether it’s black or red.
Pants: A two for one! Brown paper bag striped pants are suitable for today’s fashion climate. Can’t you just imagine these paired with a classic white blouse? You’ll be a stunner for sure.
What’s your work wardrobe like? Let me know in the comments!
