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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Business professional

elpgal

Veteran

After years of teleworking, I find myself in the unenviable situation of wearing business professional outfits to work.

The stores I have looked in (Ann Taylor, Macy’s, Banana Republic) didn’t have much in stock except the standard black suits so I have to expand my search to online offerings.

Where else should I look? Can you recommend blogs/sites where business professional outfits are profiled. This is all very foreign to me so I apologize for the naive questions.

General

25 replies

Latest reply was from kkards

Tanya

Veteran

Hi Elpgal, for blogs/websites, try https://corporette.com/.

I don't know what your price point is, but Theory and their Outlet make some amazing suits that can often be had at a big discount. https://www.theory.com/

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I echo Tanya.

Check out the suiting and dresses on sites like Hugo Boss, Veronica Beard, J.Crew, The Fold, Me + Em, MM La Fleur, and Argent. Visually they provide good outfit inspiration too.

https://argentwork.com/collect.....gLCvPD_BwE

https://mmlafleur.com/collecti.....tm_campaig

H&M and Express are worth looking at for more affordable price points.

Dresses, if you wear them - are you after sheaths?

elpgal

Veteran

Tanya and Angie, I am an outfit repeater, so I am open to the higher price points. Thank you for those recommendations. I haven’t even heard of many of these which tells you how out of my depth I am

cat2

Veteran

I also like Elie Tahari, Lafayette 148 and Rebecca Taylor.

Joyce B

Veteran

I like JCrew for business attire.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh my word!

Elie Tahari! HOW could I forget. I LOVE Elie Tahari. Not Tahari. Must be ELIE Tahari.

unfrumped

Veteran

So much depends on which brands fit you, and it could be different for pants , skirts, jackets.
Are you near any major cities that might have several other these stores( like Brooks Brothers ) or upscale department store that carries several of these brands? If so it might be worth a day’s wander to try some things on for the general fit and fabrics and aesthetic, even if you actually purchase online , to help focus.

Penny

Veteran

Echoing all the suggestions above, and Hobbs is another good option (I wear the below dress almost weekly to the office) - I have had items shipped directly, but you can also find some of their items at Bloomingdales, which can be easier for free shipping and returns. Another helpful blog for professional attire is Capitol Hill Style. Good luck!

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rachylou

Veteran

Another plug for Elie Tahari Calvin Klein is always solid too for work wear.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I am yes to theory for classic pieces with longevity and j crew for I need x thing in y color for professional purposes

elpgal

Veteran

Thank you all!

@unfrumped I have access to all manner of stores, perhaps not a standalone Hobbs or Elie Tahari but plenty of department stores and definitely Brooks Brothers. I almost always need petites so that is somewhat limiting without alterations.

I also like color and have rarely worn an outfit with all neutrals so I have to reorient my thinking and figure out how to put together outfits.

After some random shopping from my usual places, I realized I actually need to match the blacks for suits.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Depending on HOW formal you need to be, could you mix & match your toppers & bottoms in analogous* colours instead?

*Ones that are adjacent/ next to each other on the colour wheel. It can work if either your jacket OR bottoms are a 'pseudo' neutral & everything else is a 'true' neutral (shirt/ blouse & shoes, bag, belt, hosiery etc):

For example, I have an orange blazer that I like to wear with chocolate brown trousers, & a deep red one that I wear with a plum skirt.

Could that work for you too? Good luck!

elpgal

Veteran

@zaeobi I’ll know exactly how formal when I start and see what others are wearing. Currently all I am told is ‘business professional, sweaters not ok’

CarolS

Veteran

Here's hoping that business professional doesn't have to mean no colour - especially if you area lover of colour. I'd look t take a ton of inspiration from How Angie wears her suits. Of course I know nothing about your position or the industry you are in, which of course could be a factor!

ophelia

Veteran

No sweaters?? The horror! It is winter.
Do they mean in lieu of jackets?
I’d layer under in that case since temps in offices are calibrated to large men in suits.
My sympathies in your loss of autonomy.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Ah, I see - in that case it may be safer to buy some suits in (pseudo) neutrals, like brown/ navy/ cream & burgundy/ hunter green, and then add some solid coloured shell tops/ jewellery once you know colour is allowed.

Good luck with the job(/ field?) change!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I second Hobbs! GORGEOUS quality.

Tanya

Veteran

Another British company that was not mentioned is Reiss, they have beautiful things of great quality.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh yes, Reiss! Love Reiss too

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Haha to add to the Brit list, Phase Eight do some great toppers (most of their dresses & skirts are on the more dressy side, though).

gryffin

Veteran

elpgal - I also highly recommend theory for suiting. I personally love Veronica Beard - I have the scuba suits in black and navy and multiple blazers. I usually buy on sale or from poshmark or ebay. Vince makes really nice work pants. Everlane has a nice herringbone and glen plaid jacket very reasonably and some other suit type options that are well reviewed. Those are my favorite suiting options!!

elpgal

Veteran

I too am sorry about my loss of autonomy especially since I had spent 2-3 years pre-pandemic to colorful dresses, skirts after years of dressing in standard grad student gear.

Anonymous

No sweaters??!! Have these people heard of Winter??!!
My dressier things are Calvin Klein and Lauren Ralph Lauren, but if I had to buy more work formalwear, I'd look at Boss, Reiss, and Hobbs.

Sorry you have to return to in person work

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I wear knitwear professionally. Refined, pretty, solid, fluidly tailored, and adorned with pearls.

Second looking At Lauren by Ralph Lauren, and my favourite RL brand, Polo!

kkards

Veteran

I recommend not getting to far ahead of yourself as I’d say, at least where I work, the written dress code and the actual dress are not and where not the same. At one company I worked for, one of the SVPs, a women, actually made HR rewrite the dress code because it was clearly written for guys (this was early 90s) and left women trying to figure out what to wear in our experimental casual summer.