If you are new to my blog or haven't caught on to my love of abbrev's, this post is about professional wear! (Get it? Profesh? Ok now you must catch on to the rest of my abbrev's because doing that every time would get exhausting.) Since I am now in graduate school and will be entering the workforce faster than you can say paycheck soon, I have realized the desperate need to build my professional wardrobe. While these clothes may not be the most exciting to purchase, they definitely are necessary.
If you were to ask any business person about first impressions, what would they say? What would they remember about you? How would they judge their impression of you if they only had a couple of minutes to make a decision?
YOUR APPEARANCE!
For someone like me, it is difficult to maintain a personal style while also looking professional. I have found some awesome basics that can combine my own personal style with an overall professional look. Depending on the field you are entering, you can vary your style accordingly. For instance, who would want to hire a fashion editor with boring fashion?!
I like to get inspiration for professional wear from some of my favorite first ladies homegirls, Jackie O, Michelle Obama, and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (former model, current French 1st Lady.) Their impeccable style, attention to detail, and maintaing of personal style is amazing.
Since most of us have become fabulously frugal Recessionistas, it is painful to splurge on expensive business wear. Especially as a young woman who has yet to maintain any sort of income, I would rather buy cute clothes to go out to dinner or hang out in. BUT IT IS NECESSARY and there are ways to look great on a budget!
Here I have compiled some profesh pieces that would be a great start to any professional wardrobe! A great word of advice is to check out the outlets of the stores that you would like to buy your suits from. My personal favorite outlet for professional wear is Brooks Brothers. Their classic style, clean lines, and detailed craftsmanship ensures that you will be investing in some great pieces. (Even if it is from an outlet!) If you like what you see and prefer other brands, use these basics as a guide and find the similar looks at the stores of your choice!
2 for $149
Brooks Brothers (Outlets have all of these as well! They are much cheaper there too! This applies to all of these pieces!)
Did I mention this is NON-IRON?!? Hello fellow lazies, this is for you. Even if you splurge on an expensive, basic white dress shirt...NO ONE will know if you re-wear it a bunch of times and it will hold up well! (Don't forget a nude colored bra or cami underneath for everyone's sake.)
$348
Brooks Brothers' stuff is really on another level. If you invest in a simple navy blazer like this one you can be sure it will be the last one you will ever have to buy. Not only can this match khaki, white, or grey work bottoms...imagine this blazer paired with a slouchy white shirt, rolled up distressed boyfriend jeans, and some great gladiator heels? A long gold necklace too you say? I thought so too! (Ok I know this post was about professional wear but I had to stress the multi-usage of these pieces. Oh, and this outfit would be presh so I had to mention...)
The white dress shirt, the navy blazer, and a black, grey, or white suit would have you more than set to take on the working world. As I have just discovered, while Brooks Brothers has awesome suits, a great outlet, and a timeless style, their website sucks. They don't even have all of their suits up on the site. BUT, when you are buying a suit from a store like Brooks Brothers, it is going to look great no matter what style it is, as long as it is TAILORED! I personally can not stand getting clothes altered but it is oh-so-necessary! You will look like a million bucks in a well fitting professional outfit (and maybe land close to that in a salary deal!)
Through Pink Colored Glasses,
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