The Office Style Looks for 2017

Looking good on the job is everyone’s priority, and yet office dressing can feel like the Wild West of fashion! Once upon a time, the corporate working wardrobe consisted of various suits in grey, black, navy. Court shoes in plain colors; striped or plain white cotton collared shirts. Looking good on the job is everyone’s priority, and yet office dressing can feel like the Wild West of fashion! Once upon a time, the corporate working wardrobe consisted of various suits in grey, black, navy. Court shoes in plain colors; striped or plain white cotton collared shirts. more conservative style and adopting a more “me” style which is refreshing and showing their peers that success starts from within. If you feel great in what you’re wearing, you will exude confidence and hence perform better. So what was once a very conservative work wardrobe that consisted of maybe 5-7 basic essentials, the ‘new modern’ basic essentials has broadened. It is about the staple pieces to have in your corporate wardrobe and the do’s and don’ts with your work wear.

Working in a corporate environment doesn’t mean your wardrobe has to have a complete overhaul or has to be boring. Yet it does have to be appropriate for your type of work. You can cleverly incorporate your own personal touches into your 9 to 5 style, all you need is a few key pieces that will give you a professional edge without looking like weekend wear or ‘disco’ wear. General dress codes vary per workplace and professional field. I call it the Three C’s: Conservative, Creative and Casual.

HOW TO LOOK IN 2017

1.Cultivate an image.

It’s boring to see people put no effort into their outfit BECAUSE they are going to work. As if work doesn’t require a deliberate style or image! No matter where you work, the way you dress makes a difference in the way you are perceived. Make no effort in your outfit and you risk the consequences of being perceived as ‘lazy or unkempt’. Every day, at work or not, is a chance for you to craft the image of yourself exactly as you want to be treated. Remember that and take the time to really shine.

2.Dress based on your career, not on trends.

The rules for office dressing don’t necessarily change from year to year—they change from occupation to occupation. More conservative lines of work, like finance or law, really do demand a stricter dress code. Whereas a graphic design or architecture firm may allow, or even encourage, a creative style in the work place.

A good quality suit jacket with a pant and skirt option sets a great foundation for ladies to build on. (Remember, I am talking about a more conservative corporate environment like finance or law where a suit is required). A black, navy, or charcoal suit will get you off to a good start. There are so many lovely interesting styles that you don’t have to go for the classic cut anymore. In that way, you can mix the jacket with a different pant, skirt or dress to add some interest (for the ladies only).

3.Nail down some confidence-boosting pieces.

There are many factors that make clothes confidence-builders, such as a fit and colors that flatter—these pieces make you FEEL happier and are conversation starters. For some women, it may be a suit, well-fitted blazer, pencil or A-line skirt, and a silk blouse. I can’t tell you what the one thing is for all women, but all women can find at least one that makes them feel most happy and confident. For men also, is not just about purchasing the right essential garments. It is also about how to combine colors.

Also, go for quality over quantity – buy less quantity for the purpose of quality. By doing this you will end up having clothes in your wardrobe that you wear more often and feel better when you wear them. And those garments will even last longer than the cheap ones with lower quality.

The office space is becoming more refined by the day and it is expected that employees will redefine their dressing to meet the new definition of the work environment.

I feel as if the term ‘professional’ dressing has certainly broadened over the years. One ‘professional’ style does not fit for all the years. Styles are changing and trendy by the day. Matching hat, bag, and gloves are certainly not a must—or even a thought!—anymore. Gone are the days of pantyhose as a uniform requirement. And gone are the days where women felt they had to obliterate their femininity in an unflattering suit to work in a predominantly male environment. This is an era of self-defined style for all because you shall be perceived by what you wear.

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4.Tailor your office clothes as much as possible.

The one thing ALL work wear should have in common is great tailoring. To look good and appreciable in your clothes, the first thing to consider is figure out your body shape and what looks great on you, working out the parts you love and making sure they fit best. Whatever your style is, whatever you are wearing – make sure your clothing fits. And make sure it fits you at the moment not (maybe) in the future. Pay attention to the cut and fit of the clothes and pick garments that favors the build of your body.

5.Incorporate touches of menswear into your look.(For Women)

The new menswear style for women is something I am particularly fond of. It’s a softer mix between feminine and masculine silhouettes. Think a silk blouse paired with a men’s style cropped or slouchy trouser and a flat shoe. Women aren’t required to wear heels to feel powerful and stylish anymore. This said, a fitted masculine blazer with a pencil skirt and strong stiletto isn’t any less of a wonderful option.

6.Pay attention to versatility, diversity and simplicity.

Start by investing your money on some more “classic” pieces. Go for blue colored suiting, white and light blue button-ups, white t-shirts and cotton trousers in black or grayish color. All of these will give you good foundation to build up the wardrobe in this New Year. A versatile selection can in fact be achieved with very few sets of clothes. For example a man with only two suits, four shirts, four ties, and two pairs of shoes already has 64 different combinations to select from. The secret here is to keep your garments simple, classic and interchangeable.

7.Go for classic colors, patterns, and styles.

Play safe in terms of colors and start with options that are again versatile and easy to combine. Try shades of blue, grey and brown. When it comes to patterns and general style, start by selecting timeless and classic garments instead of trends and fashionable items. The “rule” to keep in mind is that plain fabrics are always more formal while the fabrics with more bold and visible pattern are more casual. Also it is a fact that solid shirts are a lot more versatile and interchangeable than shirts with clearly visible patterns. By keeping your shirts plain you have more options and space to play with patterns in accessories and even in your jackets. Also try to avoid shirts made of synthetic fibers and opt for pure cotton shirts.