
Dressing for Work
However, according top style experts, we should be making more effort if we want to further our careers.
âPeople spend 70% of their time at work but probably only 30% of their clothes money on work clothes,â says celebrity style advisor Zoe Lem.
âDuring party season people spend so much money on their party outfits but hardly any money on their day to day clothes because they think it's only work, I don't want to spend money on it, I'll just buy some cheap clothes and wear the same thing everyday,â adds Zoe.
âI think if you have confidence at work and you're wearing the right clothes it can really give you confidence and really change how you act at work and make you work better. People will also react differently to you. If you're an exec and you're dressing like you're on the shop floor then people aren't going to respect you in the same way so I think it's really important to make an effort.â
Female First have come up with some top work style tips and devised some fab office outfits that will have you looking sophisticated, important and totally hot 9 to 5.
The Easy Peasy Dress
Everyone has those mornings where you get up late, you're in a hurry and nothing seems to look right. This is where the easy peasy dress comes in.
The idea is that you have a smart, easy to wear dress on standby for such occasions. Just a plain black number with a little bit of detail such as a bib front or pretty collar works wonders for turning a early morning monster into a hot to trot office beauty in an instant.
You can use scarves, headbands, broaches and cardigans to dress you easy peasy up or down and wear it with heels or comfy flat boots depending on your morning mood. Perfect!
The Pencil Skirt
Pencil skirts are great for a feminine yet smart office look. There are loads of high waisted pencils on the high street this season and they help create a great curvy silhouette.
Team with a simple, plain coloured blouse and some cute Mary Janes for a total sexy secretary look.
Items included: Contrast trim pencil skirt, Topshop (£35), Black pull on pencil skirt, River Island (£26.99), Corset Top Herringbone Skirt, River Island (£34.99), Black puff sleeve shirt, Dorothy Perkins (£10), White frill collar shirt, TopShop (£20), Black/white piped shoes, Dorothy Perkins (£25), Round toe Mary Jane shoes, Wallis (£40)
Reinvent The Suit
Suits are the traditional uniform of the office but that's no excuse for il-fitting jackets and baggy bum trousers. There are so many new trends on the high street these days that can easily give the suit a new funky edge.
Waistcoats are fab for making the suit look more fashionable. Swap a tailored jacket for a waistcoat and a polo neck or puff sleeve tshirt and bring some style to the office.
Other alternatives include cropped and short sleeve jackets which can also give a new edge to the suit. Team with a pair of well tailored trousers and heels for a feminine take on the stuffy two-piece.
If you really do have to wear a jacket and trousers two-piece then there's nothing to stop you funking up what's underneath. Try wearing a pretty floaty camisole or a bold stripy t-shirt under you jacket for some individuality.
Items included: Burgundy stripe waistcoat, Peacocks (£16), Black stripe shawl waistcoat, Dorothy Perkins (£22), Shimmer puff sleeve top and Black puff sleeve top, both River Island, (£16.99 each), Puppy tooth cropped jacket, Topshop(£45), Crinkle bow top, River Island (£21.99), Black slouchy trousers, Miss Selfridge (£35), Black skinny trousers, Dorothy Perkins (£30) Black fitted jacket, Peacocks (£18)
Caz Moss- Female First