This post was inspired by a request I received in an Instagram DM to talk about styling 5 basic work staples. My first reaction was “hmm, but my staples would be so boring”; to which, the response was “yeah, but that’s the point: how do you make those interesting?” And that is a good question. I don’t know if I do manage to make my outfits interesting, but for the purposes of this post, let’s assume that I do. Cool?
The other necessary caveat to this post is a quick line about context. Obviously, my 5 staple pieces (as well as the ways in which I wear them) are influenced by my lifestyle and personal sartorial preferences. This isn’t intended to be a “one list fits all” type of exercise. One of my pet peeves is the recommendation of white button-up shirts as a working wardrobe staple; for a variety of reasons they do not work for me, yet they always seem to turn up on every “classic items you MUST own” list ever written FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHYYYYY. Don’t get me started on wrap dresses. Anyway, I hope my post won’t trigger the response in you … it’s a mileage may vary situation all the way.
Work Staple #1: Black Trousers
Look, I told you this list would be boring. I am only delivering on my promise. In all seriousness, I seem to spend almost half my working life in trousers, and they are usually black. I have tried both solid coloured (non-black) and patterned pants, but I always end up going back to black as my first preference and default. This is simply a function of my preferred outfit formula; I prefer colourful tops and/or toppers paired with neutral (i.e. black) bottoms.
I used to love the super skinny, ankle crop pant silhouette made popular by styles such as the Sloan from Banana Republic, or the Minnie from J. Crew.
As my style has shifted, I have come to prefer a slightly looser (though still slim cut and cropped) silhouette in a less stretchy fabric (crepe vs. ponte). My favourite pair is from Aritzia, and while I don’t know the specific name (it’s probably an older, discontinued style), I think they currently have a few versions in stores that would work for me, should I need to replace mine.
At the risk of stating the plainly obvious, you can do a lot with black pants, styling-wise. My typical outfit formulas are black pants + top + blazer and black pants + sweater
Nothing groundbreaking here. Visual interest comes from the “add on” pieces (tops, blazers, sweaters). In the first example above, the blazer has really unique sleeves; it’s also impeccably tailored, which immediately elevates any outfit. In the second example, the sweater has interesting lines and movement to it. I often play around with different textures, especially if I am doing a monochromatic outfit.
As a sidenote, with any outfit, I always consider my accessories. I have moved away from colourful shoes (which is always an easy and fun way to inject personality into an outfit), but I do still wear jewelry most days. I have pared down a lot in this category, though, so most of the time, I pick one item – and make it a statement. So, for example, large statement earrings. Or a stack of bracelets. Or a chunky necklace. I rarely wear two accessories, unless they are both very subtle. And sometimes, I don’t wear anything at all, if I am aiming for a truly stark, minimalist look. It comes down to intention. I assess the outfit in the mirror, and think about what feeling/mood/message I want to convey with it. Accessories are the final piece (whether present or intentionally absent) that tie it all together.
In addition to the above formulas for wearing trousers, one of my emerging favourites involves layering. This is a theme you will notice elsewhere in this post. To wit:
Obviously, the focal point with these outfits is NOT the pants, but they do provide the supporting foundation. These types of looks are definitely on the non-conventional side, so they are not for everyone, but they represent the avant-garde edge of my personal aesthetic. I am still exploring that territory for myself, so I don’t have any “how to’s” per se, but the point here is to encourage you to experiment for yourself, and explore the possibilities of traditional pieces used in non-traditional ways.
Work Staple #2: Black Midi/Maxi Skirt
I used to be a devoted fan of pencil skirts, but have abandoned that silhouette in favour of the midi/maxi – purely for aesthetic reasons, don’t yell at me. Again, black is my default here as well. I have a few iterations: some with pleats, some with side slits, some knit, some cotton, you get the idea. In my experience, styling these is a different matter than styling a pencil skirt. The waist is the focal point when wearing a pencil skirt; for me, the midi is all about the vertical line. I have a couple of formulas I alternate between:
Work Staple #3: Black Turtleneck
I think we have established that black is the backbone neutral of my wardrobe, but why a turtleneck? Answer: I live in climate where the air hurts my face for about 6 months out of the year. Turtlenecks are eminently practical. They keep me warm, and they extend the life of other pieces in my closet – dresses in particular. To be clear, I actually have 2 staple “black turtlenecks” in my closet: a double ply cashmere one (worn on its own), and a thin, cotton-blend version (used primarily for layering). Both are slim fitting, and I emphasize that because finding the right turtleneck is key, and not as obvious as it may sound.
Worn on its own, a black turtleneck is a great aesthetic choice if your sartorial preferences lean towards the “wannabe architect” side of the spectrum, as mine do. I have a relatively small bust, so the neckline works just fine for me; if you’re more well-endowed, I’ve heard that your mileage may vary on that. Again, I do think that finding the right weight fabric can make a big difference. I personally don’t like chunky and/or ribbed turtlenecks, even though I love chunky knits in general – but in turtleneck form, I find them suffocating.
As a layering piece, there is nothing I haven’t tried sneaking a turtleneck under or over. (If layered OVER something, you will need a heavier-weight turtleneck, obviously. That’s why you probably need at least 2 in your closet. If you’re into turtlenecks, that is.) To wit:
Let me also take a moment to sing the praises of the black turtleneck maxi dress. I have two of these, and I love them. I actually don’t like black dresses in general, and rarely wear them … except for this particular kind. It’s basically a combination of two of my favourite staples: the long slim skirt, and the turtleneck. It’s a no brainer! These dresses are wonderful canvases for all your craziest layering experiments (again, if you’re into that sort of thing).
Work Staple #4: Statement Topper
As long-time readers know, I have a bazillion blazers. Some are plain/basic/classic/insert-your-preferred-nomenclature pieces whose purpose is to complete an outfit without drawing attention to themselves. You need those to balance out other statement items in your closet, be they tops, dresses, skirts, etc. [Sidenote: doing head-to-toe statement pieces is certainly a “lewk” but I think it’s very much an Advance Fashion move that is probably outside most people’s realm of day to day style. Hence my preceding statement.] But a good chunk of my blazers are what you might call attention-getters. This works for me for the following reasons: I live in a cold climate and work in an AC-ed office, so I typically need an extra layer; adding a topper is a more “business-y” way of accomplishing that goal, and I personally prefer wearing blazers over other types of toppers (such as cardigans).
But whether we are talking about blazers or some other kind of topper, having a few pieces that can add visual interest to an outfit is an easy way to give some extra oomph to your outfit. The bonus is that you have the option to de-oomphasize your outfit at a moment’s notice – just take off the topper.
Lately, in addition to blazers, I have started to explore the possibilities of the Long Sleeveless Topper. I know we are treading “niche style” territory here, but I’ve personally found these to be very versatile.
This leather Sarah Pacini vest is one of my current faves:
I also have a more blazer-like version from Zara:
And I recently picked up a knit version (also Sarah Pacini):
Because they’re kinda unexpected, these toppers don’t have to be fancy; the statement comes from the lack of sleeves, and the overall proportions. I like to throw them over anything and everything – pants, skirts, dresses, you name it.
Work Staple #5: Denim
I’m actually not a huge fan of wearing jeans to work, but it’s become a fairly conventional option given the popularity of casual Fridays. As potentially un-edifying as the rest of this post might be, please note: I have absolutely nothing groundbreaking to tell you about wearing jeans to work. I prefer to wear them with blazers, if only because I can then control my level of warmth AND formality throughout the day as needed. If I want to be extra fancy, I might throw on a vest, like so:
In dressing up jeans, if you are looking for an alternative to a blazer, you might want to consider a scarf, especially if worn with/over a sweater.
A word on scarves. I typically don’t mess with silk ones because (1) they’re slippery and hard to keep in place (unless you’re a scarf ninja in which case, more power to you); and (2) they can be tricky to style. Blanket-type wool scarves tend to read as too casual, so I would discount them from this particular conversation. Personally, if I want to “fancy up” an outfit, I go with a fine knit, long, rectangular scarf with some (but not too much) volume – something like a pashmina. I would choose a print over a solid colour, because you can get away with a less expensive (lower quality) material in the former case – prints are more forgiving in that sense. I have been known to pin brooches on my scarves, but I wouldn’t do it if I was wearing jeans; the brooches would be too “fussy” for my current taste in that scenario.
So there you have it: my current work staples. I toyed with the idea of including the Sack Dress into the mix, but decided not to push my luck (and your patience). But, honestly, Sack Dresses are the bomb.
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Let’s debate in the comments
