How to Build Your Professional Wardrobe and Where to Do It
Dressing for the workplace isn’t as hard as you think it may be. Honestly, the more strict the dress code is, the easier it’ll be for you because you’re being told exactly what you have to wear. For example, you start a new job and the expectation is that you’re dressed in business professional attire. Super easy. Just rack up on your button up shirts, slacks, blazers, and knee length skirts. Stick with a white shirt and the suit pieces a neutral color. For the shoes, flats or a heel that’s three inches or less. You get that, you’re set.
Fortunately, for some, and maybe unfortunately, for others, a lot of employers have opted for a more relaxed dress code. Maybe business casual, or you may start hearing a term called smart casual. I did an entire post on what exactly this means, so feel free to check it out here. As far as business casual, to simplify it as much as possible, don’t wear jeans and a t-shirt or clothing you’d wear to the gym and you’ll most likely be fine.
The purpose of this post isn’t to try to explain every kind of dress code that there is out there, because one, that would be super boring, and two, there is absolutely no way for me to know what weird verbiage company A, B, and C uses to describe their dress code. This post is a guide for the ladies out there who have a vague company dress code and have no idea where to start when shopping. I’m sharing a few tips below that I absolutely live by that have carried me from working in the retail industry to a white collar, 9-5 job.
First, You’ll Want to Begin With the Basics
Think of the simplest items in your wardrobe as the foundation to your work wardrobe. There’s no way a building could stand without it’s foundation, so while you could make your work wardrobe work without the basics, you’d be making it a lot harder on yourself. A plain white v-neck tee paired with a printed pair of trousers and mules, or a black turtleneck underneath a bold blazer are combinations that will literally always be a hit. That’s why your basics are so important … because they’re timeless, and not to mention, super inexpensive to rack up.
A few of the best places I’ve found with a good selection of these items are Ross, Maurices, Amazon, and eBay.
I’m going to take it a step further and say that you NEED a few blazers. Start with your neutral colors and add on from there - you’ll be surprised how much it can elevate your look. When I graduated, Walmart had a boyfriend style blazer by Time and Tru in their stores for $10-$15. Whether they’re still that price or even in stores anymore is questionable, but I’d say it’s definitely worth looking.
If blazers are the furthest thing from your cup of tea, and you feel like you want to add a little more to what you’re wearing, try throwing on one of your favorite cardigans like I did with the black turtleneck and printed pants above.
While it sucks that we do have to wear pants, the good thing about having a vague dress code is that if they don’t tell you that you can’t wear jeans, you probably can. So make sure you have a good pair that you can wear at least once a week. When I worked in the office, I was faithful with wearing a light wash pair of S.O.N.G jeans that I found at Ross. It was a VERY casual dress code, so there were days where I wore them with a tee or sweatshirt and sneakers and other days where I’d wear heels and a blazer.
Next … Be Sure to Keep Your Relationship with Goodwill (& the Clearance Rack) Tight
I seriously don’t think that I can stress this enough. Before the thought even crosses your mind to splurge in J.Crew, Gap, or Banana Republic, do your wallet a favor and hit up a few of your local thrift stores. You’ll be surprised at the gems you find that are in literal perfect condition. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that 95% of what I wear to work was thrifted or bought for super cheap from the clearance rack.
Let me be clear in saying that not every Goodwill or Thrift Store is going to have items that you like. And if it does, it’s likely you’re going to have to take the time and search for it. The kinds of items that you find are also depending on the area that it’s located. For me, living in upstate SC, I’m more likely to find something worth buying in Greenville than I would in Spartanburg. So don’t get discouraged if you go on your first thrifting trip and don’t find an entire outfit that can be worn to work. Sometimes it’s just luck, keep trying yours!
Remember, IT IS Okay to Repeat Garments … but IT’S NOT okay to Stay in Your Comfort Zone
Unless you’re balling without a budget, investing in enough work clothes to wear for three or four weeks without repeating anything may not be the most realistic thing - and that’s okay. I’ll wear a pair of pants on Wednesday and wear them again the following Monday with zero shame because it’s going to be an entirely new look. One of my favorite pairs of work pants are these plaid, paperbag waist pants that I purchased from Ross. The main colors are black, grey, white, and red so it’s really not difficult to find something to pair them with.
I’m only mentioning Shein because that’s where I purchased the grid print top. Along with it, I probably bought 5 or 6 other things and was honestly happy with my purchase. Everything looked exactly like the picture and the quality was decent, so I don’t necessarily have an issue with them. There have been some questionable things floating around surrounding how they treat their workers, and their shipping is a little longer than I’d like, so it’s not a place I’d just recommend shopping at. The clothes are cute and cheap, so if you do decide to shop there, I can’t say that’s not a smart route to go.
The other two tops that I wore with the plaid pants are from Ross and, of course, that’s somewhere I will always recommend shopping at. I’ll say it’s an even smarter route than Shein because you can try things on and easily return them if needed. I’m a little thicker these days, so I don’t have a choice but to try on pants because I always underestimate my size. Ross’s selection is great, though. Most of my pants are from there including the emerald green paperbag waist pants that I’m wearing in an earlier picture. I’ve also found pants at Goodwill and the clearance racks at H&M and Forever21.
Finally … Beware of the “Silent Fit Killer”
I’m not even going to beat around the bush here. Y’all’s shoe choices are killing your look. Just because black goes with everything, doesn’t mean that it should be worn with everything. You need a nude/brown pair of work shoes to wear with your outfits that don’t have any black in them. For the outfits that do, reserve the black shoes for those.
As far as the kind of shoe, ballet flats are safe, but flat mules look better, so you can easily make that swap to wear with jeans or pants. Dresses paired with flat mules are a hit or miss, so it’s worth a try, but if it doesn’t work, you can wear sandals or boots with tights depending on the season. Heeled mules can be worn with just about anything, and a lot of them are a short, block heel, so for the girls that don’t do well with heels, there’s no excuse for you to not get a pair. You can go open-toed in the Summer and closed-toed once it gets a little colder.
My absolute favorite pair of shoes that I used to wear to the office are a brown pair of pointed toe, ankle strap heels from Ross. They have a low, block heel so I’m able to comfortably wear them all day. If I still worked in retail I mostly definitely wouldn’t, so please keep in mind the kind of shoe that works for how long you're on your feet on a typical day.
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This was a jam-packed post, I know, but I had fun writing it. Some of y’all already have your professional wardrobe perfected, and that makes me as happy as it does in knowing that the right person will come across this post and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Would you believe me if I told you that I started it in 2019 but never took pictures for it? That’s the only reason I never published it. Thankfully, my last job had a great mirror in the bathroom that I utilized every time I wore a nice fit, so this is as authentic of a post you’re going to get.
In parting, the only thing I have left to say is that dresses and jumpsuits are a lifesaver, and can potentially cut the time in figuring out what you’re wearing in the mornings in half. Don’t sleep on them. Ross will be your bestie.
