Finding office style [Guest Post]

Getting dressed for work can be monotonous, tedious and even downright frustrating (trust me, I’ve been there!). But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be! With a little careful planning and some strategic budgeting, you can make your work wardrobe as exciting as your job. (Or add excitement to a job that you don’t love!) Here are my top tips for getting dressed for the office:

Plan ahead – a week’s worth of outfits

1. Plan ahead I don’t know about you, but I’m not much of a morning person and I feel zero creativity when I’m in a rush to get ready for work. That’s why I think taking 20 minutes on the weekend to come up with some outfits can be really beneficial. I like to shut the door, put on some music and get in the zone for a little while. You will be surprised at what you can come up with if you just give yourself the space to get creative! Write down the outfits you come up with, create a few extras in case of weather changes, and then throughout the week you can consult your list to find an outfit that works for your day ahead. Can’t find anything on your list that you want to wear? Revert back to a favorite outfit you’ve worn a month or so ago. (It’s perfectly fine to repeat outfits at the office!) Planning ahead will save you time - think of the wasted minutes in the morning, trying on everything you own - and make you a better dresser!

Focus on the bottoms

2. Focus on bottoms
Have you just started a new job, or are entering the work force for the first time? It can be frustrating to know where to begin. My advice is to start with the bottom half. Invest in 5 solid colored bottoms (pants or skirts) and 2-3 pairs of neutral work shoes. You can wear these bottoms and shoes every single week and no one will notice. Once you have those, focus on buying some fun shirts, cardigans, and accessories. These are the less expensive items, and by switching them up with the different bottoms, you wardrobe will look much bigger than it actually is!

Create a uniform; cardigans and pencil skirts

3. Create a uniform
Simply your work wardrobe by focusing on a “uniform.” Your uniform might be dress pants and blouses, collared shirts and skirts, or full suits. Whatever you love and feel most comfortable in at work can be your uniform. My personal work uniform is pencil skirts and colorful cardigans. Pencil skirts work well for my body type, so I have a drawer full of them in all kinds of colors and prints. I also love the fun colors that cardigans come in, so by mixing and matching them, I have an easy work wardrobe that I love!

Have some fun

4. Have fun with it
Your employer wants you to be great at your job, but they also care about your work/life balance. Showing some personality and having fun with your wardrobe says that you still have time to care for yourself and your appearance! Not to mention that wearing something that you feel great in can boost your office self-esteem. Don’t be afraid to express yourself through your clothes (within reason) and wear some fun things to work.

Thanks to Angeline for having me on the blog today! Please check out my blog, J’s Everyday Fashion, for new fashion inspiration and how-to articles everyday! – Best, J.

Visit J, my fellow Floridian (well, almost Floridian for me) over at J's Everyday Fashion.