One of the most popular questions I’m asked is about what I wear to work, and where to find workwear – as well as how I feel comfortable to ‘wear what I want’ to work.
Truth is, despite always making sure my personality shines through with what I wear, I’ve never been totally free to ‘wear what I want’. There’s always been some sort of dress code; but I feel I’ve mostly struck a great balance between being smart enough and still being happy, comfortable, and totally me. Because let’s be honest; women have a tough enough time as it is to be taken seriously at work, you don’t want what you’re wearing to be used against you too (however wrong this is).
I’ve worked in both corporate and start-up environments with smarter and more casual dress codes; and in all honesty, I don’t think one is easier than the other. The benefits of working with a more corporate dress code is that less thought has to go into what you’re wearing (in my opinion); you can wear the same smart outfits on repeat. The disadvantage is, of course, not being able to show your personality as easily – but as I’ll show you in this post, there’s definitely ways you can be smart without boring, and still feel like yourself at work. With more casual dress codes, sometimes it’s harder to tell where the ‘line’ is – what is inappropriate for the office? But at least it can be easier to let your style shine. I do think it’s important to be able to be yourself at work – and I think you can often do this without compromising your workplace’s dress code (aside from places with uniforms, I’m sorry!). So, I’ve put together some staples which I find super useful for work, which I then style with other bits from my wardrobe to create a great work outfit! These are a great base if you’re just starting out at work, too.