As the weather gets cooler, our wardrobes need to transition along with the seasons, and for some, this can prove to be difficult. When you’re trying to figure out how to put together a great outfit for work, focus on how different pieces work together and how they add to the entire look.
Break it down by piece:
Start by figuring out a few items of clothing that flatter your body. A well fitted blazer will flatter any figure, and it’s one of my go-to pieces, but if you feel more comfortable in a cardigan or sweater, start with that. Next move onto bottoms. Depending on what you feel most confident in, that is the piece you’ll want to add to the outfit next.
For this look, I started with a blazer and black skinny jeans and built the rest of the outfit from there. Once you have an outer piece (i.e. blazer, jacket, or cardigan/sweater) you’ll need something to go under it. I opted for a simple white blouse to keep the look clean and simple. You could swap out the top depending on the look you’re going for, but once you have the main pieces that will add shape, (jacket and bottoms) you have a blank canvas to work with.
Accessorize:
Because I went for a simple white blouse, I added a double strand necklace to add some interest. If you have on a busy printed top, try accessorizing with a plain scarf, earrings, or bracelets so that your top is the main focus.
A good rule of thumb for necklaces is that you want to fill in the open space. For example, because the white blouse under the blazer acts as blank space, I chose a long necklace that falls directly where the blazer opens and the white blouse shows. This draws the eye to the “blank” space of the white blazer and makes the outfit look more cohesive.
If you are wearing a scoop neck top, choose a shorter necklace so that the necklace falls above or at the neckline of your shirt. Again, you’re trying to fill in the open/blank space that your top is creating.
If you’re not one for jewelry, you can also accessorize with hats, belts, and shoes for a more dramatic look.
Play around with texture:
When you’re putting together a great outfit for work, play around with different textures. Once you figure out the basic formula that works for you, you can try different patterns and texture to create different looks. This blazer is a sort of tweed texture, and I’ve rolled up the sleeves to highlight the black satin cuff for yet another texture. While a simple blazer, skinny pants and white blouse can appear boring, amping up the style with different textures, colors, and accessories creates an outfit that looks cohesive and dynamic.
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When you’re trying to put together a great outfit for work, start with basic pieces that makes you feel confident and build from there. Once you know what looks good on you, you can mix and match different pieces to create different looks. Start with the basics, accessorize, and play around with different textures to create interest for a put-together and stylish outfit for the office.