I had a unique experience starting my working career. My first job was fairly standard as a camp counsellor, which I did for two summers. I then spent the next summer working as a camp counsellor at a heritage farm where I worked with both kids and farm animals like chickens and sheep. After that, I worked remotely for a fairly casual office that only ever saw me from the shoulders up. Safe to say when I got my first office job, I had no idea what to wear and how to find the right pieces that were both office-appropriate and not from my mom’s wardrobe. I knew I wouldn’t be in the job for very long, it was only a 4-month co-op job after all, so I didn’t want to spend too much time or money buying a completely new set of clothes that I wouldn’t need after the term was over. I learned a lot from my experience, especially after spending money on clothes I didn’t need after spending a few weeks on the job. Here are my tips on how to build a capsule wardrobe for your next (or first) office job.
A disclaimer, please don’t go running out to buy a whole new wardrobe when you start a new job. I sourced a lot of pieces from friends who were getting rid of some clothes and repurposed some clothes I already had in my drawers that worked for the office if styled the right way with some more work-appropriate clothing pieces and accessories. Use what you have and then go buy a few pieces to round out your office wardrobe. Thrift stores were my saving grace when I was looking for more office attire, they have tons of stuff that is great for the office if you take the time to look through.
Now let’s get into building that wardrobe! My first recommendation is always to start with one pair of comfortable, neutral (preferably black) shoes. I was fortunate enough to get away with wearing plain black running shoes, but if you need something a bit dressier, I recommend Mary Janes as they don’t usually have too high of a heel and look timeless and classy with all outfits. Shoes will generally be the most expensive thing to buy, but I always say “splurge on the things that go between you and the earth” which includes things like shoes and mattresses. You don’t want shoes to be cheap and break quickly, or worse, give you pain and discomfort when you’re potentially walking all around the office, or even just standing for 30 minutes.
Next, pants. These are also quite simple when building a capsule wardrobe. I like to go with two different colours of pants, one black and one other neutral colour. I personally went with tan, to match with things I already had in my wardrobe, but pick another neutral colour you know looks nice on you and you feel confident wearing.
Shirts and sweaters are where you can have some fun. If you know the temperature range of your office (and your personal preference for hot/cold), then this is where things might look a little different between each person. My first office was freezing and I generally run cold anyway, so I stuck to a lot of sweaters and not so many shirts and blouses. For sweaters, I chose a few colours I knew looked nice on me including an emerald green and white/cream, and always layered it over a shirt in case it got too hot. I recommend having more serious and professional-looking colours and patterns for those big meetings with upper management, and some fun playful ones for those everyday looks.
If you do decide to go more in the shirt or blouse direction, especially if you’re working during the summer months, I would highly recommend leaving the crop tops at home and opting for some neutral bodysuits, as well as 2-3 fun patterns, colours, or styles (nothing too low cut or showing more than what a one-piece bathing suit would cover). I recommend having some type of cardigan to pair with all your shirts to keep on hand in case you have a cold snap.
All this to say, wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident, while also adhering to any company policies and guidelines. I always recommend dressing more formally in your first week or two on the job until you get a sense of what other people are wearing and what is generally considered acceptable attire. I’ve had jobs that explicitly said no crop tops in their dress code and others where I learned the attire through observation. If you’re concerned about what is acceptable, reach out to your manager or supervisor, or other employees of similar age to you and they can help guide you in the right direction. Best of luck and happy shopping!