Whether you're just starting your career, or you're moving into a new position, here's what you need to complete your professional wardrobe.
1. Good quality dress shirts
When looking for dress shirts, look for quality over quantity. Ultimately, you will end up wearing a dress shirt nearly every day of the week, and you'll want to invest in a shirt that will hold up to many washes and wear. Look for shirts with smart details and easy care instructions. Smart details like taped seams will elevate your look and once you notice how puckered untaped seams look, you'll never be able to go back. Steer clear from anything dry clean only, and shirts that are wrinkle-free will save you a ton of time when you don't have to iron. Stick to simple colors like white, blue, black. If you're looking to build your wardrobe from scratch, start with buying 3 white shirts, 2 blue shirts, and 1 black shirt for a total of 6 shirts that you can wear every workday for a week, with one spare.
2. Tapered dress pants
Nice fitting dress pants are the ultimate staple for your wardrobe. Dress pants can be dressed up or down, meaning you can get extra use out of these pants on the weekends or after work. When buying pants, make sure they first of all fit and are comfortable when standing and sitting. Some pants, like ours, are specially tapered to make you look taller, which can add an extra bit of confidence to your workday. Though black is the most common choice for pants, navy, and grey are also great colors to add to your wardrobe.
3. At least one good suit jacket
Fit is one of the most important things when it comes to buying a suit jacket. When a jacket is too tight or too loose, it's pretty noticeable. Make sure to get an easy-care jacket that doesn't wrinkle. If you're purchasing your first suit, start with black, it's the most versatile for business and other special occasions in life. If you're looking to add another suit to your closet, blue or grey are also great options. You can also find machine-washable suits and suit jackets that will not only save on dry cleaning costs, but make your life a lot easier when it comes to caring for your suit in the long-term.
4. Dress sneakers
Dress sneakers are a win-win for the modern professional: you get the comfort and style of sneakers while still looking dressed up. Though there are still offices that require formal wear, dress casual is more widely accepted these days. Plus, sneakers are the ultimate shoes to wear to go from the office during the day to dinner out with friends.
The best part of all of these recommendations? You can mix and match each piece to streamline your wardrobe to ultimately make your life easier.
