If you’ve just graduated: congratulations! Before you know it, you’ll be part of the workforce, making money and building your career. But while you could just rock sweatpants in uni on days you couldn’t bother to get dressed up, you unfortunately can’t do that when you’ve signed a contract for an office job. At least… not when you’re not working from home! To make a good impression, it can be handy to have some staples in your wardrobe. In this article, we talk about the clothing items every business professional needs to own and what to look for when shopping.
Buy good basics
We know, buying a whole new wardrobe is expensive. But you don’t need to buy tons of clothes if you invest in some high quality basics. For instance: a pair of professional black trousers looks good on everyone and can be worn with a soft sweater, a t-shirt or a shirt by both men and women. For women in business, a smart black skirt can be worn most days out of the week too. And if your office is okay with dressing somewhat informal, it’s always a good idea to invest in a good pair of jeans. You can never go wrong with a classic Levi’s.
Buy good quality clothes
Because you want to wear these clothes for a longer period of time, we recommend you to really look at the fabric of the clothes you’re investing in. For instance for men, men’s sweaters (Dutch: herentruien) made out of merino wool are going to feel and look great for years, but they’re a bit pricier than the versions you can find in the high street stores, made of some polyester blend. Choose a smart color, for instance dark blue, and you can combine a sweater like this with jeans, with a suit, with or without a shirt underneath… investing will be worth it!
It’s also a great idea for both men and women to own a suit jacket or blazer to make any outfit feel more professional. You don’t always have to wear this with a fancy shirt, you can make the look more informal with a long sleeved shirt (Dutch: shirt long sleeve). Don’t forget a good pair of shoes – you can never go wrong with leather dress shoes for men or leather pumps for women.
Show your personality with accessories
Of course you don’t want to look like everyone else in the office. That’s why you can show a glimpse of your personality and your personal style with accessories. For men it’s fun to own a great watch or wear funky bow ties. Women can show off their style by wearing eye-catching jewelry or investing in a great handbag.
Good luck with your first steps in the workfield! We’re sure you will do great.
