Although most of us are working from home, if you work for a firm that is slowly requiring your in-office attendance or want to add some things to your wardrobe, this post is for you. I actually love workwear and enjoy getting dressed for work. This is part of the reason why working from home has become real tired and boring for me (however, I am enjoying the convenience of zero travel time and no commute).
I know that in the recent years “minimalism” has been an increasing trend and so has capsule wardrobes (a paired down collection that is real functional). Although I am not a minimalist, I do try to incorporate the capsule wardrobe concepts into my closet. I generally purchase items that I can use and style different ways to make it worth it.
Here are some things I used A LOT when life was normal and I was going to court a ton, I’ve worked in a corporate environment (where the dress code was very relaxed) and a more traditional firm where it’s less “dress for your day” and more “be ready to go to court” kind of attire.
Anyway, there are just a few staples that I had and I think you definitely need. I know things are kind of different now with the zoom discoveries and court appearances but these are things to keep in mind for what I hope is the near future.
When I was articling I was always on the hunt for affordable workwear, scroll down to the end to see a list of my favourite places to find workwear.
1. A suit
It’s key to have at least one suit. Whether it’s a skirt suit or pant suit. These come in handy for court, discoveries, interviews, etc. I would go for a black or navy that way you can use the pants/skirt and jacket with other things.
You can find really affordable suits. I had one from H&M that I used a lot and used during articling interviews. I then purchased a couple from RW&co and I would 100% recommend for great quality at an affordable price. RW always has sales so I would wait until then to pick one up. I also would recommend tailoring it if you’re a short girl like me. It makes a huge difference!
2. Sheath dresses
I love dresses because they’re easy. It’s basically a one piece outfit (well really two because I usually wore a jacket). Sheath style dresses or shift dresses are the most versatile I find. You can put a jacket over it and I’ve worn these types of outfits to court and to discoveries.
The great thing is when it gets cooler you can always throw in some tights and it’s a pretty wearable combination well into fall and spring and even mild winter days.
I always had a black dress and a couple of neutral patterned ones.
3. Coatigan or cardigan/blazer hybrids
These types of pieces are great for days where you don’t necessarily need to wear a jacket but you want to look put together. You can find blazers that are made out of a knit material for days in the office and you can also wear these on casual fridays with jeans (they are also pretty warm and less maintenance than actual structured jackets/blazers).
4. Nice comfortable shoes
In terms of shoes, I think that you should always have a pair of flat comfortable shoes especially for days you have court because heels can become uncomfortable when you’re on your feet for a while. I am not a ballerina flats girl anymore but I really like loafers, a pair of loafers is real essential for me especially when I am walking around downtown. In terms of where to purchase a pair, I find places like Coach or Michael Kors make great quality loafers that are comfortable. I generally don’t like to buy shoes from clothing stores because I haven’t had great experiences with the quality.
5. A large tote bag
You need to have a nice large professional looking bag for work. There were times that I would wear a backpack but this was less often (and more if I had to carry my computer along with me). For the most part I would always carry a large tote bag that is large enough to store my materials for court, my computer and my comfortable shoes.
6. A trench coat
What’s great about a trench coat is that its professional and its something you can also wear on your days off. Trench coats are generally on the lighter side so when the weather gets cooler you can always layer and put a cardigan under it or a vest to make it more warm. I’ve been wearing trench coats for years now, if you find a nice one you can use it season after season.
Favourite places to find workwear
Here are some outfit ideas I put together from items that I either own or are pretty similar to ones I own. I always recommend getting pieces that are can be worn many different ways and that you can pair with different items to get the most use out of them.
