The DOs and DON'Ts of Women's Work Wear

(This blog is dedicated to my dearest Arlin; Thanks for the idea behind this blog and I hope it is helpful to you).



Women have come a long way as individuals and as a collective evolved, from the restricted and subservient housewife and mother of the past, to an independent powerhouse making strong career climbs in today's society. There are very successful women everywhere, who excel in various fields such as science, law, education and fashion. Not only do her work ethics speak volumes, but also how a woman presents herself in the way she dresses at work does she tell the peers and superiors alike who she is.
Although women have various careers, there are still dress codes enforced so that employees demonstrate professionalism and good taste while at work. However, there are some women out there who have difficulty assembling work wear. Here are a few tips to help those in need of help assembling a work wardrobe. First, a woman must have the following pieces as staples, that will hold her work wardrobe together: a dress jacket/blazer (the one shown above is from oldnavy.com), skirts, and slacks (image above, from gap.com). These items can be worn interchangeably so they are the most important to have when constructing a work wardrobe. Other items that are appropriate for the workplace may include blouses/shirts, cardigans/sweaters/vests, and dresses. One key factor when selecting these garments is the appropriate colors.

Color is the first element a person sees when it comes to choosing garments to wear, as well as the first thing people will notice when they see you approaching the water cooler at work. The colors you should choose for your staples should be neutral (in this case, black, gray, tan, and brown) or navy blue, because staples are meant to mix-and-match, so they must complement most of your work wardrobe, and it is also cost-effective. You don't want to be drab and boring and blend in with the wall paper at work, but you don't want to match the colors of the packaging in the snack machine, either.

Another important factor to remember when dressing for the work force is fit. Your garments should fit you well and complement your shape. For example, a skirt too tight and a shirt too low may look unflattering, unprofessional, and your coworkers may wonder what other line of business you are in, aside from your day time profession. Remember: If you look good, you will feel good, and that will translate into how others perceive you at work as well.

Another factor is pricing: you don't have to break the bank to score wonderful work clothes. There are plenty of stores that sell good suits, for example, for less. Off-price specialty stores such as Filene's Basement and Marshall's have designer suits for less. Or, if you are not really into designer labels, mass merchants such as H&M and Zara have some nice coordinates you can mix-and-match with what you already have at home; for the thick and extra curvaceous, try Ashley Stewart specialty stores that have some very stylish clothing for work.

Let's recap:

1. Get your staples you can mix-and-match with: it is cheaper and more polished to get neutrals : until you become a Kimora Lee Simmons, you must comply with the dress code at work already in place.
2. Colorful tops, sweaters and accessories can accent your staples, or even trendy prints (don't go overboard with channeling your inner "jungle goddess" and wearing too many animals at once). Unless you are a can-can dancer or you work on the Vegas strip, also keep the colors to a minimum.
3. Fit is very important-you want to look polished and tailored, not tight-and just because you don't wear tight pants..slouchy, baggy ones are also not acceptable. You're an adult now, get a belt or a tailor! Baggy pants should stay at home on the couch with your snuggie.
4. Lastly: people see what you look like first and you want to be taken seriously. We women have come too far to be set back in the work force because we want to wear "Juicy" on the back of our asses.