3 keys to a not so boring office look

When it comes to office looks, what would you think of? Let’s start with the common sense: Black and white and grey is the go-to palette, blazers, tailored pants, and pencil skirts are the absolute essentials, and finally, work those 2 inch black pumps that you could never go wrong with as a finishing touch. Is there anything wrong with going with these basic concepts? Of course not (although even basics don’t have to be really basic). Is there anything fun with that? Probably not either. The point is, bringing something inspirational to elevate your day to day ensembles doesn’t mean extra work, you just need a little change of mind.  For today’s post, I am more than happy to share with you 3 keys leading to a not so boring office look. What I’m showing here is to stuff all 3 tips into one outfit, which you don’t have to do when you try to incorporate these ideas into your own looks.  Just anything that you feel comfortable with, stick with that, and then add a bit imagination. Now, let’s begin!

1. A nontraditional shirt can be your best friend.

I know how many white/ivory/cream blouses/button downs/tops you might have in your closet, so next time when you shop, trust me, try something different. It could be an unexpected shade you never worked with, a texture you wouldn’t wear that often, or a detail that somehow seemed too much. Like in my look,  I picked this satin blouse (similar here, here, also like the satin shirt in my earlier post here) in a greenish yellow tone, decorated with ruffles and pussy bow. Even if you are paring this blouse with the most ordinary black pants/pencil skirts, the pop of the top itself can already take the whole outfit to the next level. The best part is, you could tone it down by layering with a tailored blazer, while take off the blazer after work,  this outfit could be instantly transformed into a date night look.

2. Put your own twist on the bottom. 

There are a thousand ways to make your outfit pop with just a change of bottom. What I did was to opt for a knitted midi skirt (gone, similar here, also like the knit skirt in my earlier post here) accentuated by multi-colored unbalanced stripes, thanks to my indefinite obsession for the striped pattern.  Maybe you are into the floral print, then go for it. Or, you could challenge yourself even more by switching to a wrap skirt. Getting tired of leg baring?  Test out some wide-leg pinstriped trousers, you can thank me later. J

3. That jacket can be your statement. 

Especially when you are not ready for the first two tips, believe it or not, simply swapping out that bland blazer can work the magic. For this one I picked a slightly oversized drapey jacket in olive color (similar here, under $50, also like the velvet jacket in my earlier post here). I found it perfectly understated, while also fun enough with its double breasted design and brass button details.  Again, the point is to make the change, but remember to always choose something that helps you feel really good in your own skin.

 

OK now, it’s a wrap. I hope you enjoyed reading this post, and stay chic in the coming new week!