When I was working in an office, cardigans, A-line silhouette dresses, blouses, and straight-leg pants and/or slacks were my friends. Once in a while, I would wear blazers but since our office was pretty relaxed with enforcing their dress code, blazers weren’t part of daily or even weekly workwear. Even if that is the case for you, I still recommend having at least a good blazer and coordinating pants, if not a suit in your wardrobe. You never know when you may need it either for an interview or an important meeting.

In spite of our company not enforcing a dress code, I always strived to dress professionally (trust me, it doesn’t go unnoticed), and have separate clothes for work and out-of-work life. It was something I preferred as (one) it would prolong the life of my clothes, and (two) it limited the chances of them not being “ready” when I wanted to wear them.

When it comes to shopping for workwear, I would turn to the ones where I shop most frequently, of course. H&M, J.Crew, along with J.Crew Factory have great options. You can also find some good ones at Target.

For shoes, specifically, even if they are an investment, I would recommend Sarah Flint as they’re made and tested for comfort. Your best bets are the Natalie flats, the Perfect Pump (they come in several heel height options), the Perfect Emma, and/or the Perfect Round Toe Pump (get $60 off your first purchase with my code SARAHFLINT-BABLOOMINGMAGNOLIAS. Otherwise, I would recommend Naturalizer for more affordable options.

When it comes to blazers and jackets, and even cardigans, I love H&M — usually, they have some really great ones and are at pretty good prices. Also, you can’t pass on J.Crew and J.Crew Factory as they have many classics that can be worn in and out of the office (see them linked below). I particularly love their sweater blazers.

For classic button-downs, I recommend J.Crew and J.Crew Factory. The former also has great options for work dresses, especially for a more formal environment. Considering that they both have great sales quite often, you can definitely score pieces at low prices.

See below for recommendations for office wear.

I hope you find this post helpful.

xo,

Em