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Working Wardrobes: Shoes, Suits, Skirt, Dress, Jewellery

Written on August 5, 2008 – 11:25 am | by dodo

For women starting out, returning to work or wanting to completely overhaul their working wardrobes and begin afresh, below I suggest a capsule collection of items which will provide the foundation for building a terrific wardrobe.

Select a Colour Scheme

Refer to your Seasonal Colour Palette and see what colours I have put together for the business outfit. If you like them, you can plan your basic working wardrobe around those colours. If not, don’t worry, simply select other neutrals and colours from your Palette to team together.

Opt for High Quality

Since this will be your foundation wardrobe, choose the best quality you can afford; your investment priorities should be suits and shoes.

Suits

Your goal will be to have two suits that can be interchanged to create different looks. The first investment should be a terrific jacket in a deep neutral, such as olive, charcoal or navy; the second jacket can be a lighter neutral, such as stone, pewter or medium grey. Collarless jackets will give you more flexibility with different blouses to wear underneath. For style, select current or classic looks that suit your figure. Medium weight fabrics such as wool crêpe, botany wool and light gabardine will be most versatile for up to 10 months of the year. If your climate is warmer, buy one suit in a lighter weight — cool wool or a cotton blend.

Knitted Top and Skirt

If knits compliment your figure, select a matching top and skirt that can be worn together or separately. Opt for generous, not body-hugging designs in rich, mid-tone shades to work with your neutral jackets and skirts depending on your Palette, perhaps terracotta with aubergine; periwinkle blue with grey; or raspberry with taupe.

Printed Two-Piece or Dress

Choose a fabric, pattern and style that teams well with your suits. The colours can be brighter to liven up your neutral basics. Aim for maximum mix-andmatch potential.

Blouses

Buy three blouses in plain colours from your Seasonal Palette: choose your best white, red, and pastel.

For interest, look for blouses with attractive buttons (or replace indifferent ones) and in fabrics with a `self-pattern’; for example, a satin stripe or simple design in the fabric. Best in quality cotton, silk, or a natural blend.

Trousers

If your figure and profession make trousers an option, choose a good quality gabardine pair in a neutral colour, to tone with your jackets.

Coat Dress

A simple, wool crepe coat dress looks elegant on its own or can be transformed with accessories. For example, you can add a good belt or colourful scarf, or wear it with a suit jacket. This dress can take you from day to evening if you add accessories such as gold and pearl chains, or an interesting brooch. Choose a favourite colour from your Palette that can also work with the suit jacket if worn. Purple, red or turquoise are good choices.

Three-piece Evening Ensemble

Don’t wait for that unexpected dinner invitation, but look now for that something special for evening that will be elegant as well as versatile, and that will last you for a few years. It’s best to go for an outfit in mid-tone to deep shades (e.g. bronze, purple, navy) in silk, satin or fine wool crepe. The three pieces would be:

• A simple unstructured jacket, which you can also wear — buttoned-up with a toning skirt or unbuttoned over a slimline dress — to the office
• A camisole or T-shirt, which will be handy for transforming your suits convincingly into after-six looks
• A long skirt or trousers; you can eventually add another printed top to go with these.

Overcoat

Decide if a mackintosh or a wool coat is a better bet for your climate. Make sure it’s ample enough in cut to wear over suits. Long, mid-calf lengths are most flexible as they stay wearable however much skirt lengths vary. But petite women should choose to just below the knee length designs (provided they don’t wear longer skirts).

Shoes

If you work full-time you need at least three pairs. Start with two pairs of medium heels and one with a low-to-stacked heel which will be fine with trousers. Flat shoes are very limiting unless you are very tall. Suede or plain leather styles with minimal features are the most versatile. Choose from your best neutral colours — black, brown, navy, olive, mahogany or burgundy.

Scarves

Medium-sized silk squares or long scarves can liven-up your neutral basics. If you like wearing scarves, learn several tying tricks to enable you to wear yours differently every time. Long ones can be used as sashes, too, if you are trim.

A large, colourful shawl in fine wool can serve to brighten up yolk coat or a plain dress if worn as a ‘jacket‘ (tied over your shoulders) in the evening. Beware though if you have a very short neck; the shawl will ride up round your chin — warming but not very flattering — and will emphasise your shortcoming.

Belts

Choose quality leather or suede belts to wear with skirts or trousers and to accent your dress. A belt completes the look of a skirt and helps to anchor a blouse if it is worn tucked in, but make sure it is the right shape and width for your figure type. Choose the same colours as your shoes.

Shoulder Bag/Briefcase

A large, envelope style shoulder bag can double up as handbag and briefcase. If you need a more professional look invest in a good briefcase or document case, but never use it in addition to a handbag.

Jewellery

The essentials include:

• A good watch in a simple style and modest size.
• Two pairs of earrings — gold, gold and pearl, or gold and silver — in updated classic styles.
• A brooch; not necessarily to match earrings but to add interest to jackets.
• A gold chain to enhance blouses and add interest in the evening.

Hosiery

Non-shiny, Lycra blends give the best fit and are successful on different shaped legs. Avoid very dark, opaque tights and stockings or ones with textured patterns. Tone to blend with your shoes and/or your hemline.

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