The universe is an amazing place, full of magic and unknown possibilities. In an instant, you can go from being a 20-something-year-old girl in crop tops, sneakers, and y2k inspired denim chilling under the big, branchy tree on campus; to a 20-something year-old-girl with nothing in her closet but crop tops, sneakers, and y2k inspired denim, with a new job to report to at 9:00 am Monday morning. Now the universe is laughing at your accomplishments of securing a professional occupation, asking, “Girl! But what will you wear?”
Realistically, going out on a shopping spree for professional attire would be ideal, but sometimes there isn’t enough time to go shopping – and sometimes your wallet joins in laughing at you with the universe. Those are mere details, the magic is that you got the job! Even better, there are most definitely ways to use what is already available in your wardrobe come Monday morning, and you’ll be just the prettiest little professional the streets have ever seen.
Tops
Many 9-5 jobs require professionalism in their dress codes to create a more polished and executive atmosphere in the workplace. Part of this professionalism includes covering up a good amount of skin. For tops, this is where I ran into my largest obstacle when I began working at a bank. A good majority of the tops in my closet are cropped, strappy, or have a deep V-neckline… I can still hear the universe giggling as my sweet manager pulled me aside one day telling me that my (very trendy) criss-cross halter top was not appropriate for work. My advice for a dilemma such as this is to search your room (and perhaps your roommates/parents rooms) for 2 items that I promise will alleviate this issue. First, you’ll need a blazer or light sweater. Second, a safety pin. Now you can use any crop top or strappy tank in your closet for work, wear the blazer or sweater over the top; if it is cropped, use the safety pin to secure both sides of the sweater/blazer together so no one can see your belly. For ladies that are blessed in the front, don’t shy away from those comfortable tops with a deep V-neckline! Simply use that safety pin to close the neckline just a bit, it’s like creating a second top with one you already have!
Bottoms
Honestly, work pants are the worst, and maybe this is a “me” problem, but they never fit. They are always too long, too baggy, not true to size, rarely have real pockets, and they don’t even have belt loops – what on earth am I supposed to do with those? My biggest hack is to simply wear a dress: I cannot be bothered with pants at all most of the time; and dresses are so chic, just follow my advice for tops in accordance with the dress and you’re set! I understand some people don’t like dresses, I get it. In the case that dresses are not an option, skirts and shorts can be amazing as well! A strong pair of sheer black pantyhose under a skirt or khaki shorts is always a look. Okay, yes, skirts and dresses are basically the same, and yes, it gets cold sometimes, I get it! So, in the case where you absolutely, positively need to wear work pants, and like me, they are not working for you, I have a trick for that too. For slacks too baggy for me, bodysuits have become my best friend. Nothing is more irritating than my pants sliding down my hips, and my wee little top not being able to cover the space that the pants are meant to be (!!!) covering. Bodysuits eliminate this issue because even when the pants fall a bit, I’m still covered on my hips. Lastly, bring that safety pin back in the game, use it to pin the pants to your actual size, since off-sizes and no belt loops leave you with no other option, basically. Regardless if your bottoms are pants, which by the way are so very cute if they decide to be, or tights, always remember… Shoes are the most important!
Shoes
All shoes are usually okay for the workplace, except for sneakers or open toed sandals. This being said, it is so crucial that your feet are comfortable all day long. Comfort is the first priority when it comes to work shoes, the second is style. A flat shoe, like an espadrille or ballet flat, are typically what I lean towards if I am working more than 6 hours and I am wearing slack pants. This creates a very polished, head-to-toe look. If I am wearing cropped or rolled up pants, I love a heel to add that length back into the legs. Heels are amazing because they always make me feel like a boss. For comfort, I recommend chunky heels, whether that be a classic style heel in spring/summer or a heeled bootie in autumn/winter. Finally, a good pair of knee high, chunky heeled boots – that’s the ultimate for outfits with tights.
Accessories
Accessorizing isn’t necessarily required in a professional setting, but why would you not want to brighten up your look? With the rest of your outfit needing to depend so heavily on company dress code policy, your accessories are where you can, and should, express your personal style. Accessories are so personal, but my tip is to mentally note what you wear to the office each day, because with constant hand washing and moving around, it can be easy to misplace your favorite items! Personally, I show up in my gold hoops, rings and three pink bracelets – HR can’t say anything about my earrings, and I know that’s right.
If you found this article useful, I am so glad and congratulate you on that job! Truthfully, and completely in my opinion, dress codes on the basis of professionalism were all created by and for the male gaze, in a male dominated workplace, in a male dominated society. As a woman, a lot of these rules seem very old-fashioned to me – I genuinely don’t believe that a person’s collarbone or small bit of cleavage deters them from performing their job well, and telling people to cover up in a certain way on the basis of this professionalism, tells employees that their worth and value is dependent on their body, rather than their skill. Although, here we are in this reality, so until the culture changes, cover up and get that bag!