The ultimate guide to the best pieces you can buy to get a wearable and stylish work wardrobe

Even if you work in a corporate office, these pieces I suggest here will make sure you have a stylish work wardrobe. I have done the hard work trawling the shops so you don’t have to.

I am recommending these pieces because I know they work plus they are current - by that I mean up-to-date in fashion terms.

It’s a good idea to step back and look at your wardrobe from time to time to make sure it isn’t looking dated. I find that you can just get fed up with your clothes after a while, like you’ve ‘moved on’ from them. There are lots of different reasons for this but we do evolve all the time as people so it might just be that your taste has changed. Maybe your life has changed and your wardrobe needs updating to match that. Lots of us are hybrid working since the pandemic and need a different kind of wardrobe to the one we needed when we were working 5 days a week in the office.

Maybe you’ve become more senior at work or you’re heading that way and want to upgrade the clothes you wear?

Is your wardrobe working for who you are today and your lifestyle now? If not then it’s time for a refresh.

In my many years as a personal stylist, I have learnt that having the right mix of clothes is essential. If most of your wardrobe is super casual then it’s not going to be easy to look smart when you need to. The answer would be to add some tailoring. If your wardrobe is at the other end of the spectrum and contains super smart formal clothes but your workplace dress code has relaxed then it’s time to introduce some more casual pieces to give it balance.

I already mentioned making sure your wardrobe doesn’t look dated. Cuts of clothes change and get updated from year to year and whilst I don’t think it’s at all important to be trendy, especially at work, I do know that a dated looking wardrobe will make you feel a bit dated. No-one wants to be the person who looks out of touch at work, instead it’s good to dress with confidence and intent.

So without further ado - these are the pieces I recommend to get a smart/casual or corporate work wardrobe in 2023.

Tops.
I suggest at least a plain silk one, a patterened one and a fitted one. The plain silk helps you to wear your coloured or patterned bottoms, also silk gives you gravitas and polish.
A patterned top adds interest to your work look and a fitted top is handy for wearing with wide-leg trousers. Fitted on top and loose on the bottom or vice versa is a good styling tip.

This comes in other colours. It’s an interesting shape - Sezane.

I love a pussy bow blouse right now. Very stylish and adds personality. Me&Em.

2. Tailored Trousers

We’ve been in an era of wide leg trousers for a while now and that is still very much the case. That said, we are also starting to see more fitted styles coming back into favour. Wide leg simply doesn’t suit everyone so I have included a neater more streamlined trouser here from Me&Em.

These trousers from Aligne are a great shape. I’ve got these and wear mine with trainers (I don’t work in an office). Point is they are very versatile and a handy piece to have.

Me & Em have an excellent range of stylish trousers. Love these.

3. Tailored blazer

An absolute wardrobe essential. Even if you can wear jeans to work - actually especially if you can! A blazer will always make you look and feel pulled together. A key shade for Spring 2023 is pink and Me&Em have a blazer in candy floss pink to match the trousers above.

An ivory blazer will go with everything, perfect for spring/summer plus this one below is good for shorter people as it’s more cropped.

Why wear grey when you could brighten up your outfit with this violet blazer. Me&Em.

Gorgeous Spring blue blazer. Goes well with the check trackpants.

I love these tweed Chanel-esq jackets for work - this beautiful cherry red jacket is also from Me&Em.. They are having a real moment. Mango do cheaper options as do Zara. These work really well with jeans or tailored trousers.

4. The smart cardigan

Smart is the key word here. In my opinion, if you want to look smart at work but don’t feel like wearing a tailored blazer some days then this is a great option. Maybe you’ve got a day where you are not seeing clients and can be a bit more casual. There are lots of slightly structured, cropped for boucle cardigans in the shops right now. Massimo Dutti has a few and check Zara too. Me & Em also have options.

5. The power dress

By this I mean a go-to dress you have in your wardrobe that is elevated enough to throw on if you get asked to deliver a talk or attend an important meeting or pitch last minute. I like shirt dresses because they are relaxed but still smart. If you work in a more formal place then you might want to go for a tailored dress. This is such an important and useful item to have.

I like this from Cos, smart and not boring! If it’s too bold it also comes in navy. Reiss have petite shirt dresses if this is too long for you.

A classic black tailored dress will always look great. The Fold has lots of more formal dress for corporate environments.

6. The Spring Skirt

It’s such a joyful time of year when you can actually wear a skirt without bothering with tights. If you are hourglass then a column, pencil shape or loose midi will work. If you are Pear shape then go for a loose midi rather than a fitted shape.

This is stunning. Would perhaps be better suited for events or a more creative work environment.

This is a Victoria Beckham pencil skirt - very classy with a silk blouse and heels for a powerful work look.

So there you have it, my ultimate guide for what to wear to an office in 2023. Your office might be a bit more casual, in which case I’d suggest smart jeans or more relaxed dresses. Overall, most offices are now smart/casual and the items I’ve suggested here today will fit that environment.

I am an expert stylist for busy professionals. If you are a senior professional based in London and would like some help with your wardrobe this year get in touch. The service starts with a wardrobe edit and then a day in the shops to totally refresh and transform your style. Get in touch here to arrange a call with me.