5 Ways To Add Flair To Your Workwear

When I first started studying marketing and international business in my undergraduate years, I couldn’t wait to buy myself some nice black work slacks, a matching blazer, and all of the button-up collared shirts that my closet could handle. While it is fun to dress in classic suit silhouettes from time to time, now that I have been an active member of the workforce for a while, the basic business casual options available to women seem boring and overdone.

Prior to COVID-19, the dress code in my office was business casual. That means that we had to put together business casual outfits 5 days out of the week, which averages out to be 22 business casual outfits over the course of a month. If you’re like me, the thought of wearing the same thing day-in and day-out for the majority of every workweek is an absolute nightmare. In anticipation for our eventual return to our offices, I’ve put together some ideas to spice up your office outfits and keep you looking and feeling stylish while sticking to classic business-casual silhouettes!

Substitute a basic button-up with a turtleneck

This is a favorite cool-weather hack of mine. If I am not in the mood for another white button-up (or, if they’re all dirty…), I love to put on a turtleneck in its place. I have worn this with pencil skirts as well as with classic blazer and slacks combinations, and it has never failed me. This slight difference instantly makes me feel like a New York City sophisticate, and that is definitely something that I can get behind.

Incorporate color

Whether it is a bright pop of color or a strategic color block, I love to add some flair to my basic outfits by incorporating color. During the wintertime, I like to rotate khaki green, burgundy, or camel colored pants and skirts into my wardrobe so that I’m not wearing the same style of black slacks every day. In the warmer months, I like to incorporate pastel pink, purple, and red. Most of my business casual staples fit a black and white monochromatic color scheme, so it is super easy to pair them with a colorful element since everything goes with black, white, or both. The key is to keep it to one colorful element so that it is not overwhelming.

Experiment with different textures and structural elements

This is something that I have been doing a lot lately. I absolutely love a good pair of pleated pants to class up an outfit, but I have been trying to expand my horizons beyond that. A classic tweed jacket is always a good way to go since they have an interesting texture and often incorporate color. They are a very classy way to add an extra pinch of style to a basic business casual outfit. Lately, I have also been loving the look of bow neck tops. They are inherently girly, and they look great with both neutrals and prints. There are a ton of options on amazon, and they come in everything from cotton to polyester to silk. These are super easy to throw on with a pair of slacks, and also look great under a blazer or cardigan!

Add functional layers

I am always cold, so I love finding fun ways to layer my outfits to keep myself warm. Blazers and cardigans are my go-to items, because they are easy to put on and take off, and they can add color or provide a base for patterns depending on the needs of a particular outfit. I have found that layering adds a professional element as well, as it shows that you put thought into that additional layered element. Plus, button-up collared shirts look great under anything!

Incorporate a print

I am someone who always has black and white basics on deck, so this has been a lot of fun for me. I love grabbing fun statement pieces involving florals, plaid, houndstooth, and polka dots. You could easily put a plaid cardigan over a black dress, pair a black blazer with a houndstooth dress, or compliment a polka dot skirt with a crisp white button-up, and your look will instantly be a hundred times more interesting. However, this is something that should be incorporated similarly to pops of color in the fact that less is generally more.

It's starting to look like things may start to get back to normal sooner rather than later. I am excited to wear some fresh new pieces along with my classic staples once I return to the office. I hope that this post will aid in your transition back to normalcy as well!