Score! You graduated university, completed a year-long post-grad diploma program, two summer internships and finally landed a contract replacing someone who went on mat-leave.
All of a sudden your trusty legging and hoodie combo wonât cut it â not if you want your co-workers to take you seriously.
Itâs time to build a work wardrobe, and you need to do it while still being able to pay off your student loans and buy beers during happy hour (for networking purposes, obviously).
Donât be afraid of incorporating fast fashion from places such as Zara, H&M, Joe Fresh and Express, and discounted fashion from Winners, says celebrity stylist Alexis Honce.
âBefore all this, work-wear was really expensiveâŚfast fashion is catching on, making work-appropriate clothes at good prices.â
Men should prioritize cash for their shoes to ensure theyâre real leather. Otherwise, they can get away with two suits, in navy blue and grey. âMen donât need to spend a ton of money. Zara menâs suits are fabulous,â Honce says. Fit is everything, so spend an extra $50 getting a cheaper suit tailored.
Meanwhile, women can start off by buying a pencil skirt and a slim-cut dress pant thatâs cropped at the ankle. Then you can âfocus on buying different blouses and then really think about looking current. Buy the colour of the season, or a great print to switch it up,â says Honce.
By mixing and matching, you can get around 20 outfits incorporating several punchy blouses and only âtwo great pants, two skirts and two dresses.â
If youâre going to splurge, do it on a blazer in navy blue or black. Keep it timeless by searching for one with a âlonger hemline to your hips, minimal details and 2 buttons max,â Honce says.
You donât have to donate your student clothes or relegate them to Sunday brunch just yet â consider tucking a T-shirt into a pencil skirt, for example. Even the oft-criticized leggings may have a place during casual Fridays.
âMy friends wear them,â Honce says. It could work âif you get a really nice pair of leggings [and wear them] as hosiery in the winter with bootsâ
Accessorizing is an easy way to prevent colleagues from noticing how small your wardrobe really is, and can also provide a conversation starter.
âDonât go too safe. Thereâs a lot of great costume jewellery at Forever 21 and H&M so switch it up daily if you can,â Honce says. âItâs better to stand out at the office.
Must haves for women
- Two pencil skirts: neutral colours such as navy blue or grey
- Two pairs of slim-cut dress pants to the ankles: neutral colours such aske navy blue or grey
- Two shift dresses
- Three cheap and cheerful tops
- A large handful of accessories
Must haves for men
- Two suits: navy and grey
- Leather shoes