How To Spice Up Your Office Wardrobe With These 5 Tips

Have you fallen victim to the #OL (office lady) look? Are you tired of rotating the same few pieces in your capsule wardrobe? Is choosing your outfit of the day worse than the actual work at the office? Well then, here are 5 small changes you can incorporate into your office wardrobe to get you excited about dressing up every morning.  

1. Colourful Blazers For A Power Suit Feel

Many stray away from blazers unless they are necessary because they tend to be quite boring and uncomfortable. However, with the resurgence of the blazer and power suits in the past few seasons, there are plenty of cute and stylish blazers to choose from. While checkered blazers really had a moment last season, we think you should give bright coloured blazers a go!   

Y.A.S Petite blazer in green, $101.90; Stradivarius tailored blazer co-ord in red, $55.56; Dorothy Perkins Yellow Ruched-Sleeve Jacket, $80.90; Mango Pockets Structured Blazer, $129;
  Not only do they make you stand out in a crowd but they will also instantly brighten up your mood. Wearing a blazer really gives you a boost of confidence that can come in handy in a presentation or important meeting. Hey, they’re called power suits for a reason! We recommend going with a structured silhouette for more formal settings and a relaxed fit if you are in a creative industry. Also, if you feel that you’re not one who likes to attract too much attention, start off with pastel and jewel tones for a more subtle look. On the other hand, if you aren’t afraid of having the spotlight on you, go for a bright colour like a feisty orange or turmeric yellow.  

2. Work Bag — Try A Micro Bag Instead

One of the real struggles of working is the huge work bag that we have to lug around every single day. We think you’ll relate when we say it is the worst, especially if you take public transport or have to carry your laptop with you. That’s why we recommend you swap out your big bulky tote bag for a micro bag!  

WANDLER Yara Box glossed croc-effect leather shoulder bag, US$469.86; BY FAR Mini croc-effect leather tote, US$459.01; MEDEA Prima Short small leather tote, US$425.11; Valextra Iside Micro Leather Bag in Pink, US$2,180
  We know some of you might be scoffing at how impractical our suggestion is but hear us out. We’re sure you’ve seen your favourite celebs rocking the micro mini bag trend and dismissed it as a trend that only “non-regular people” can do but we’re here to tell you otherwiseMicro bags can be a great way to force yourself to stop carry unnecessary things “in case of emergency”. Only having to carry a few essentials will make you realise that you probably don’t need all the other things anyway. Furthermore, this is a good way to stop yourself from bringing work back home if you’re trying to do that. Regardless of designs, all the bags look super adorable because of their miniature size. But, we recommend buying one that is more on the classic side for a versatile piece that you can get more wear out of. We’ve suggested a few that are more clean and simple, to help you look more put together in the office.   
   

3. Go With A Monochromatic Colour Palette

Do you know our favourite styling tip? It’s the simplest trick in the book to looking like you’ve put in more effort than you actually did… I’m talking about going monochrome!   

Everlane Relaxed Silk Shirt, US$88; Love, Bonito Chaero Pintuck Culottes, $ 39.90; POMELO Purpose Babydoll Puff Sleeves Top in Coral Red, $59; POMELO Cropped Denim Pants in Orange, $39
  Simply throwing on clothes in the same colour palette is a pretty effortless task in the morning that you can do even before you get caffeinated. But I’m not talking about just wearing all black or blue. To stand out and make it look intentional, go for brighter palettes like all red or a dusty lavender.  Anyone can do a monochrome look but to look stylish in it, play with textures to give it interesting focal points. Match a bright red pair of culottes with a muted burgundy silk button-up; or go for a pair of patent lavender pumps with a slightly deeper purple pencil skirt. A fun interesting colour to try out? How about Living Coral, Pantone’s Colour Of The Year!    

4. Branch Out From Classic Trouser Silhouettes

Finding a fashionable and versatile pair of bottoms for the workplace can be hard; I’m sure we’ve all seen many OLs wearing the same pair of vertically striped trousers. However, that doesn’t mean we should give up and wear the same pair of trousers as everyone else or all-together forgo bottoms in favour of dresses. Instead, try out new silhouettes and designs for trousers such as the wide-leg, camel-coloured trousers (even cuter with a tie belt!) or even the reimagined cargo pants of recent seasons (trust us, they’re more subtle than you think).   

POMELO Paperbag Cropped Pants in Green, $29; ISABEL MARANT Inny paperbag-waist jeans, US$520; POMELO Multi Pockets Cargo Pants in Brown, $29; RIVER ISLAND Khaki utility peg leg trousers, $85
  Colour-wise, if we had to recommend something, we would say to go with any shades of beige, tan or olives. These colours are heavily featured on the runway, often along with the utility trend. But they are still pretty neutral to be a timeless piece in your capsule wardrobe and paired with a huge range of tops.  

5. Strappy Heels Are Back In A Big Minimalist Way

Dubbed the ‘Barely There Sandals’, this trend is named after the thin, strappy details on the shoes. However, they are more kitten heels than flat sandals if we’re being honest. Regardless, they look really minimalist and elegant, perfect for the office or even dressy occasions. Not only that, they’re everywhere so you’re sure to find a perfectly comfortable pair in a design that you love.   

Studio Amelia 1.2 Sandals in White, US$250; BY FAR Thalia croc-effect leather mules, US$188.69; REJINA PYO Harley leather sandals, US$420.63; MANGO Leather strap sandals, $89.90;
  This pair of shoes is the most perfect fit for the hot and humid weather, especially if you’re the type to sweat easily (hey, no judgement here). However, we have to warn though that this requires some preparation as you’ll likely need to get more regular manicures to rock this style.