By: Danielle Gonzalez

When looking in a woman’s closet, most likely, it is filled with black; black sweaters, black blouses, black dresses, and black suits.  And though black does go with nearly everything and is a simple solution to most wardrobe questions, adding a couple colorful suits is a fresh way to add dimension and more outfit choices to mix and match with your professional wardrobe.  Shades of red are always a popular choice for business suits in the spring, don’t be afraid to find the right tone for you; coral, pink, and even peach are soft colors with a lot of professional appeal.  Navy is common also in the spring,  and should you be more daring, a softer blue can also be a lovely choice for a young woman.  But if you are more conservative when it comes to suiting colors, grey tones in tweed are an excellent choice.  When it comes to colorful women’s suits, make sure that you’re picking strong shoes in a color at least two shades darker than the suit, the idea is to look bold, not matchie-matchie. 

These suits from: Chadwicks and Barry Pace

By Danielle Gonzalez

When it comes to jewelry accesorizing many women are of the school of thought “Less is More”. And in some instances, this idea is a good standby, especially when wearing a work outfit that is very intricate and detailed. You want your outfit to have a theme, to make a particular statement, and too much of even great jewelry can take away from the look. But in most cases, more jewelry is simply that: more! Don’t be afraid to stand out with some eclectic and big jewelry, even costume jewelry is hugely popular in all social spheres. When trying to add on to a conservative professional wardrobe, oversized jewelry is a fast and fun way to instantly add drama to an otherwise blah look.

Tyra Banks showcased (at the President’s Inaugural Ball January 20) that a plain black blazer can become a wonderful frame for interesting and eye catching jewelry. And throw the notion that the items much match each other perfectly out the window; it’s all about pairing differing colors and shapes. It keeps the look fresh and youthful to go for something unexpected, like pearl and silver chains, gemstones and colorful beads, and even adding silver and gold together. Going a little overboard with jewelry while keeping the rest of your business attire subdued adds that extra “oomph” to any look!

Kara Ross New York, LLC
http://www.kararossny.com/press/celebrities.html REUTERS/Mitch Dumke

By Danielle Gonzalez

In the ever present quest for appropriate work attire, it is an eventuality that some days will not include the omnipresent black power suit.   However dear shopper, this need give you no extra burden of stress; women’s business suits are leaving the popular arena in favor of something more individualistic, giving  each woman the opportunity to express herself in a more unique way.  And though this new development does mean you have the opportunity to spread your wardrobes wings and really get creative with your day to day outfits, there are a few guidelines along the way to keep your look polished and effortlessly chic.

Should you be more conservative in your buisness attire, now is a wonderful opportunity to mix and match suit separates for a vibrant and fresh take – don’t be afraid to pair that white blazer that only comes out in summer with your favorite fall wear navy slacks.  Multiple colors and textures appear creative, just be sure to keep it under  2 bright patterns to avoiding looking like a kaleidoscope.  Also, layers are essential to keeping the look sophisticated: camisoles, cardigans, sweaters, belts, and even t-shirts can all be implemented to add depth to an otherwise boring look.

Always remember; casual work clothes can mean items bought on the cheap, but it doesn’t mean it suddenly doesn’t need to fit. No matter how good the sale! And as a general rule, you want to be casual enough to be comfortable, but pulled together enough to still be appropriate should your boss’ boss call together an impromptu meeting.

By Danielle Gonzalez

Updating an office outfit can be as simple as adding a little white to give your business attire some pop.  White on black especially adds a modern and polished tone to any ensemble. To spice up the classic black suit, a crisp white blouse underneath always does the trick, but to give the woman’s business suit some flair, go for an off white silk, it’s unexpected glamour adds a soft femininity.  A dress with a bold white on black pattern is mature and fresh, paired with a black cardigan and black pumps makes its an understated power outfit.  And don’t forget about the white or creme jacket.  A long coat is more appropriate for dressier occasions and seen during the evening, but a cropped white jacket can be paired with any classic or trendy look in your professional wardrobe.  Even white accessories such as a purse, jewelry, or scarf gives a striking impression that is impossible to ignore in its intensity.

Look at right from The Limited

Wearing a turtle neck sweater under a business suit in a contrasting color, is almost like a means of accessorizing. Regard it the same way, as when you put on a scarf in a different color to accessorize your suit. Sometimes we ad interest to our business attire by adding a scarf around the neck, but another way to acheive a silimar effect, is to purposly choose a turtle neck in a color that sort of “accessorizes” the suit outfit. This red suit jacket is contrasted with  a black turtle neck, which also ties in with the black buttons of the jacket. The black/white speckled suit jacket is accessorized with a white turtle neck, that blends with the white spots in the jacket. And last, this gray business suit has a pink turtle neck that adds a little extra life to the gray. (This pink sweater is not a true turtle neck, but it has the same effect). The last two examples have a lifting effect on the business suit, whereas the first example gives a striking, dramatic effect to the whole image. Having at least one turtle neck in a color is a good foundation for a professional wardrobe.

It’s fruitful to pay attention to details as you stroll by the clothing racks in the stores. While hastily browsing through what I thought was a row of conventional business suits the other day, I noticed some amazing details on these skirts, pants and suit jackets. These images are of business suits made be English designer Karen Millen. She never sticks to traditional when she creates suits.

Notice the stitching on the pocket detail.

 

This gray skirt has a lot of design detail on the pocket flaps below the waist band, and also on the flaired part at the bottom. It came with a matching gray suit jacket, but can also be mix and matched with black jackets.

How about a green suit jacket to alternate with your black suit pants? What color are you in the mood for today? Here are some examples of various ways to wear a green suit jacket, to mix-match career clothes and woman’s business suits. The first one has a long coat-like cut, and when worn indoors looks best if kept unbuttoned so that you see the blouse. The second is a short conservative jacket cut with standard lapels, which looks very cute with a basic white blouse under it. The third is also short, but has a more unique cut in that it is rounded at the bottom, has hidden buttons, and collar style lapels. (With this type of collar you would not wear a blouse showing over the jacket.) When building a professional wardrobe, take into account what type of suit jacket cut best fits your own personality. Which jacket cut do you think is more like your style?

Here a 4 ideas on how you can use blouses and tops to create several looks for the same business suit. I have taken a classic black suit from Ann Tayor and put it with a few different blouses and a lace top to give you some ideas. For your professional wardrobe for 2009, why don’t you keep the same suits, and revamp your image by simply getting a few new blouses and tops.

Black suit with a basic red blouse. Red and black make a dramatic impression.

Black suit with a blouse with a fun print. Spunk things up with a lively design.

Black suit with a classic white blouse. This classic look is very professional.

Black suit with a lace top. Add pizazz by having a lace camisole show between the jacket lapels. (But keep the suit jacket on the whole day when you wear sleeveless.)

Here are some ideas on how to create work outfits with white pants (without using the obvious white suit jacket). First we have a casual, cute outfit, with a tomato red jacket over a black and white print top. That outfit could work very well with a black jacket, but the red adds some spunk. This outfit would be good for casual work clothes. Second we have a very formal business outfit, with a pair of flowy white dress slacks and a light gray plaid blazer. The gray blazer has a very slight shine to it, which makes it look even more formal. This is a good business attire combination to have in addition to the other matching formal suits in your professional wardrobe. The third pair of white slacks are worn with a simple gray blouse, that has a light luster to the fabric which makes it look more dressy. This work outfit could pass for either business casual, or professional business attire depending on what type of black suit jacket is put with it.

Check out the these two examples of a woman’s business suit in black: one is formal and the other is casual. Which do you think would be a better work outfit for where you work? The first one is a very traditional and formal black skirt suit, worn with a purple top (from Bloomingdales). This is definitely a power suit, and is a great piece of business attire.

The second photo is a black skirt suit, worn with an Argyle sweater over a basic white blouse (from Benetton). This suit, although also a black skirt suit, is pretty casual and would not be a power suit. There are subtleties in these two work outfits that make a difference.  Both of them would be good for a professional wardrobe. The second one is a very cute, youthful and energetic look, which would work very well for business casual attire.

These classic gray women’s business suits are brightened up with tops in bold colors, like pink and purple. Contrasting a gray suit jacket with a top in a bright color, like purple, is a great way to lift your mood if you are in a funk. You might cheer people up in the office with this type of work outfit. Pink and purple tops work well if the gray suit has an undertone of blue in the gray, but if the gray has an undertone of green, it might not. Match up the top with your business suit in the day light, if possible.

Leopard print shawl, necklace and purse.

Here are 4 rules for accessorizing a woman’s business suit with leopard print accessories:

1. The various leopard accessories have to match each other. Just because it’s all leopard print it doesn’t necessarily mean they will look good togehter. They don’t have to be a “set”, but compare the brown tones in between the spots of the leopard print and choose the accessories that harmonize.

2. Limit the amount of leopard accessories you wear at one time with your business suit to 3-4. If you wear too many, it may look like you escaped form the zoo. This type of “over accessorizing” is what makes people wonder if it’s a good idea or not, but it’s just fine as long as you stay away from over-kill.

3. You ought to have a few items in brown tones that match the browns in the leopard accessories. It’s not necessary to wear anything brown when you wear leopard (as in the example of the black power suit above), but it’s good to have handy in your professional wardrobe, as it gives you more flexibility in creating work outfits. For example, get a brown blouse, a brown belt, a brown scarf, etc. Note: It is much easier to select leopard accessories first, and then look for clothes that has a similar shade of brown, than first buying brown clothes and then trying to find a leopard print in that tone.

4. Experiment with gold. Try on a gold belt. If you wear leopard jewelry, try layering it with gold jewelry.

Here you can find some leopard jewelry at Macys: http://www1.macys.com/search/index.ognc?SearchTarget=*&Keyword=leopard+jewelry&KEYWORD_GO_BUTTON.x=15&KEYWORD_GO_BUTTON.y=15

While it’s cold, wear a turtle neck sweater under your woman’s business suit. Transform your regular business outfits to winter outfits, by finding turtle neck sweaters that have high wool content – this way they’ll be thin enough to be worn under a suit jacket without looking bulky. Sweaters made of cotton or acrlylic yarn are not as warm, and therefore it takes more bulk to generate the same heat as a wool or cashmere sweater would. Bulky sweater are not suitable for a professional wardrobe. If you are cold at work, create winter office outfits by layering yourself with a comfortable cotton t-shirt, then a wool turtle neck sweater, then the suit jacket. If that doesn’t do it, you could accessorize with a shawl. If you wear turtle neck sweaters without the suit jacket, accessorize it with a long necklace. (Short necklaces don’t look as good with turtle necks.)

Photos: This is an example of how you can create two different looks with the same gray suit jacket, by changing red and white sweaters with it – can be found at Macy’s. The first phot is an example of how to accessorize a red turtle neck sweater with long necklaces – can be found at Ann Taylor.

Next time you shop for business suits, really look at the lapels. There are other interesting cuts out there, besides the classic and traditional lapels. Pay attention to what is around in terms of lapels and collars on the suits. You can build a professional wardrobe having a few business suits that have traditional cuts, but then add a couple of suits that are unique. There are many ways to design the neckline of a suit. Here are a few examples of a brown suit jacket, and two gray suit jackets with necklines that are very unique. Stand out in the crowd.

To belt or not to belt? Here are a few examples of skirt suits worn with belts over the suit jacket. Accessorizing these skirt suits with a belt, gives the suit a new look. It adds style, and can make you look a bit thinner. Not every business suit looks good with a belt; you have to experiment and try a few different ones to compare. A belt can re-new and old office outfit. Why don’t you go down to the mall wearing your best professional suit, and bring your camera. Then try on ten different belts with your suit and take pictures of each look. Later go over the photos with your friends and get their input.

One thing to keep in mind about accessorizing suit jackets with belts, is that you have to make sure the end flap of the belt doesn’t stick out. With pants that have belt loops, that isn’t a problem. If you find a belt you like, but that is too long, ask if it comes in a shorter size – often they do.

Feeling bored with your conventional business suit? Then the thing to do is to put on a bright, colorful top. If you are in the mood, then put on a top that is almost oboxiously bright, like this orange one. If a women’s business suit is pretty conservative, you can balance that out by wearing a top that almost screams hello. Corporate dress codes tell you what business suits to wear, but not really what tops to wear. That is one area where you can choose your own style and express your mood. It does have to match the suit though, but staying within that limit, why don’t you push it a little and see what you can get away with (put not if you are brand new on the job).  Creating business attire outfits can be more creative than you think – it does have some rules, but you should still express YOU. A professional wardrobe should of course have a few basic blouses in it, but don’t stop there – go out and find at least one really bright top for each of your business suits. Who knows, you might cheer people up in the office.

Theses outfits from Bloomingdale’s.

Purposely buying business suits and work clothes where several pieces are interchangeable, and can be re-combined into new office outfits, is a clever way to plan a professional wardrobe. Here is an example of 8 garments found at Macy’s, which are all interchangeable, and can be mix and matched in many ways. These 3 suit jackets and 3 bottoms can all be worn together. And the 2 tops can be worn with all of the suit combinations. The trick is to not buy one piece of clothing at a time when you shop – instead you can save the money you would have spent on those single items, and go buy 8 coordinated items at the same time. Some stores purposely plan their collections to make it easy to mix and match items. By shopping for several pieces of work clothes at the same time, you are more likely to end up with a professional wardrobe where many of the garments re-combine into new business suits easily.

Here’s math riddle for you – how many work outfits can you create by mix and matching the pieces in the above photo?

The black power suit is a main stay of every professional woman’s business wardrobe. It is the basic foundation for business attire. But we can’t wear black all the time, and we need some variation to this staple. Mixing and matching black and white jackets, skirts and tops is a great way to add some pizazz to a wardrobe that has too much black in it. Use you black suit pants to wear with a top or suit jacket in black and white. Or wear your black suit jacket with a skirt in black and white. The mix and match combinations are endless.

Here is a good example of a gray pinstripe pant suit. Laura Bush is wearing a basic blouse in a very light shade of pink with her suit as she is picking out gold-rimmed china for the white house. Say what you will about politics, this is a good example of what type of blouse to pick for a pinstriped business suit. The pant suit is a light shade of gray, and the pinstripe is white. The easiest choice with this suit would be a basic white blouse, but you can also wear a very light blue blouse, or in Laura Bush’s case,  a basic pink blouse in a very subtle shade of pink.

Photos by: AP/ Manuel Balce Ceneta and AP/ Ron Edmands.

Are you cold in the office? Wear a turtle neck sweater under your suit jacket. Next time you’re at the mall, pick up a turtle neck or two. Pick out some basic colors that go with more than one of your suits. During the winter, getting the right sweaters become part of professional wardrobe planning. Choose one that is warm but this, so that it doesn’t look bulky under your business suit. Accessorize your turtle neck sweater with a long necklace. Your regular necklaces may be too short for this, so try on a long one to go specifically with this office outfit.

Holiday Office Party Wardrobe Plan:

Bring in your purse 1) dressy jewelry, 2) evening make-up, 3) dressy shoes or sandals. Buy a couple of dressy party tops for your professional wardrobe, that you can wear under a business suit.

 Compare these two photos of the same black business suit accessorized in two different ways. This same classic black power suit with a basic white blouse, gets a new personality by changing to a new set of accessories. The key to good accessorizing is in sets. When you see a pair of shoes, or an accessory you like, look for other items to go with it to complete the set – that way it is quick to whip together a chic professional business outfit when your off to a meeting.

Some accessories are meant to go together, like the gray snake skin pointy toe pumps with the matching bag. We put them with a gray shawl that matches one of the gray tones in the animal print, and then added a silver necklace to the blouse. Black and gray are good basics for business attire.

Put the accessories in the set doesn’t have to be “matchy-match”. On the right we picked roomy purple leather bag, and we put a pair of purple round toe shoes with it. The shoes are in a slightly different shade of purple, but they are close enough that they look good together. And for jewelry, we put a striking purple necklace to contrast with the collar of the white blouse. You ought to have some color in your professional wardrobe.

(These accessories from Nine West, Bakers, and Bloomingdale’s.)

How is this for an expression? Spend a little time searching for a coat for your professional wardrobe that is a little bit out of the ordinary, like this leopard print coat. Then pick out a pair of leopard print shoes to complete the theme, for example a pair of sling back pinty toes. This is an expressive way to build on your business suits. This leopard coat is worn with the faithful black slacks, and a classy top that matches one of the brown tones in the coat.

When you wear animal print shoes or clothes, it is easier if you first pick out the animal print item, and then after that match up one of the brown tones among the leopard spots when you select tops and the rest of the items. When you look at this outfits, it is the leopard coat and shoes that strikes you the most, however, the fact that the top matches so well with one of the brown tones in the animal print is what makes the whole impression complete. That is what makes it look classy, instead of just loud. The proffessional wardrobe needs to have both reliable basics, plus a few out of the ordinary items that suit your individual fashion personality.

A gray business suit can give a professional woman a very confident image. Compare these three examples of gray suits and get ideas for what styles you can create for yourself.

In the first photo the suit is worn with a very bright and contrasting top. This orange turtleneck top makes a statement of it’s own. If you feel that the gray color of the suit doesn’t enhance your skin tone, then this is a good way to put together the outfit – simply wear a top that you know is a good color for you very close to your face.

The second photo has a gray pant suit where the top is almost invisible. The business suit itself is the entire statement. The burgundy top underneath actually functions more like a subtle accessory, rather than a garment. Also the necklace for this suit is very subtle.

The third photo is a gray skirt suit. Some professional women just prefer skirts. This suit has black accentuated details that give it style, and therefore doesn’t really have to be added to or accessorized much. However, if a skirt suit, in particular, is completely plain, then accessories are very important (plain skirt suits can make you look like a flight attendant, if they have no detailing or accessories).

Skirt outfits are fun to wear. They can be worn as suits, but it is also fun to mix and match, and put together different combos with jackets and skirts. Here are some ideas for office outfits. Skirts and jackets can be either casual work clothes, or formal business attire, mostly depending on how formal the suit jacket is. The two work outfits on the right are more formal because they are solid colors. The two skirt outfits on the left are more like “business casual”, as they are a bit more free and fun with the prints.