It’s every fashionista’s worst nightmare –waking up in the morning, trying to get ready for work while uttering this phrase, “I have nothing to wear”.
We cringe, get depressed and stomp around hoping that something will inspire us before rushing off to our morning commute. But alas, we’re doomed. We literally have, gulp, nothing to wear.
It’s a common crisis that we all face from time to time, but also one that has an easy solution. Stock your closet with the wardrobe essentials and wardrobe basics. While this solution might seem too simple for our complex fashion driven mindset, it truly is the best foundation to looking and feeling our very best every day.
Look through the essentials and basics below to find the 11 business wardrobe must haves every woman should posses in her repertoire.
1.The White Button Down Shirt – About as classic as it comes, a white button down is consistently voted as a stylista’s favorite shirt for a reason. Pair it with a jacket, under a sweater or a fitted suit blazer, wear it with jeans, dress pants, wear it over leggings, add a belt, you get the picture.
The common denominator here is versatility. This wardrobe basic will literally pair with everything you own.
2.The Cardigan – During the cooler months, we all crave that one thing to warm us up in an instant. Why not make it your go-to sweater? The quintessential layering piece, throw a cardigan over just about any top in your wardrobe or add it to your favorite dress.
Choose ones that have embellishments such as lace or sequins to class up your look or opt for simpler boyfriend cardigans that add comfort and ease when a casual Friday approaches or one day business travel beckons.
3.The Fitted Blazer – Few designs step over the gender boundaries and reign supreme for both menswear and women’s wear. However, the exception to that rule is always a great fitted blazer. Pair with dress pants and a fitted shirt or throw over your favorite dress to add a bit of flair to your look.
4.The LBD – Since Coco Chanel first introduced the Little Black Dress in 1926, woman everywhere craved one of the most expressive displays of femininity.
Because of its simple design, a LBD can be worn during the day at work and can easily transition to after work cocktails or a work event. Short, long, flowy, sleeveless, chic and sexy, the LBD comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles, but no matter what, it is truly timeless.
5.The Pencil Skirt – For a skirt to fall under the category of a fashion basic, it must be figure flattering, have a versatile fabric and be wardrobe friendly.
Fortunately, pencil skirts check all the aforementioned boxes. This all-inclusive skirt creates a polished look, while allowing room for creativity. It can go from daytime to date night or from laid-back to formal with a few simple additions and tweaks to your outfit.
6.The Go-to Jeans – Admit it, you would wear jeans just about everyday if you could. While some business environments do not regard jeans as acceptable work attire, there is always casual Fridays to look forward to. And these wardrobe basics are a must in every woman’s closet. So why not splurge a little on the one item you can’t live without. Let yourself go on that scavenger hunt looking for the perfect fit. Go for darker denim for dressier affairs and lighter denim for more casual occasions.
7.The Dress Pant – Easily the best choice for the working woman. Finding a pair of signature dress pants can be daunting with all the different lengths, sizes and styles. Stick to a few basic rules and you’ll be happy with the results – find an all season fabric, a length that works well with heels and flats, a style, like the wide leg, that is figure friendly and flattering and a color that can work with just about anything in your closet.
8.The Trench Coat - Nothing exudes class quite like a trench coat. Worn by women for decades, this versatile jacket has seen its fair share of updates, embellishments and designs, but the original form is always a classic. Virtually perfect, the trench can be worn in any season, with any style, in any color, it is simply a woman’s best friend; the only exception is that it comes in the form of a coat.
9.The Flats – Not all of us can wear heels everywhere and everyday. Running around the office or jetting off to work meetings all over the city might not fare so well with our feet if we are sporting sky high stilettos. To create that effortlessly chic look, without causing permanent damage to our soles, slip on a pair of flats. Update the look with metallic colors, leopard prints, jeweled embellishments or different fabrics such as linen, tweed or wool. Your fabulously dressed feet will thank you later.
10.The Pump – The holy grail of women’s shoes, the classic pump has been a fixture in woman’s closets for as long as heels have been in existence. It is, quite simply, the #1 choice for the working woman because it has a ubiquitous style and timeless appeal.
11.The Boots – Gone are the days of simple, knee-high boots arriving in stores in two shades – brown and black. This classic has been turned upside down in a million different ways. Ankle height, knee-high, over-the-knee or thigh-high, whatever the length of the boot, only one rule should remain – boots are a crucial accessory to any woman’s wardrobe.
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