How to Maintain Your Personal Style in a Professional Environment

By Molly Acayan

Have you ever been called in to your supervisor’s office because of what you were wearing? Well as someone with a unique style, a nose ring and visible tattoos, I definitely have. After what seemed to be my millionth time of being spoken to for a minor detail of something I was wearing, something dawned on me: If I continue to work in such a professional environment, will I have to give up my style entirely? Will I have to buy clothes that I don’t even like? Will shopping become a dreadful activity!? Okay maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but no. No to all of these questions I was asking myself. What I had to do was discover a way to maintain my personal style aesthetic while maintaining professionalism. I finally mastered this new-found collaboration of personal and professional style. This mastery, that seems rather simple, is crucial in the corporate world. Adhering to your company’s dress codes demonstrates respect for your coworkers, supervisors and to your company’s workplace culture. If you were like me, there is no need to worry. Shopping for work, and getting dressed to go into the office does not have to be a chore. I will show you how looking for new pieces to wear for work can still be enjoyable, and how to preserve your individualism in a professional manner.

First thing you want to do as you begin this journey, is to read your company’s dress code. Every company is different, which means different guidelines. Now let’s just cover the basics here. Every employee needs to have a blazer. Blazers are a polished piece that works any day of the week. They can come in all colors, and with all sorts of patterns to fit your personality. Button-ups are another must have piece you need to look for. Button-ups are the perfect statement piece. You can button all the way up, or keep several buttons from the top unbuttoned to put your personal touch on it. The combination of a blazer and a button up, as shown in the photo above, exhibits how beautifully the two work together. Vests are also a perfect garment to wear to work. Both sweater vests and button vests can be fun to wear when dressing up to work. The outfit possibilities are endless with these garments.

Now let’s talk accessories. Accessories are the gateway to injecting your work outfits with your personal touch! Eyeglasses are a great way to bring your look together. If you don’t necessarily need glasses, but you admire the look, you can purchase clear lens frames so you can still use them as an accessory. Jewelry is a must when you want to maintain your style in the office. From earrings, to watches, to bracelets, to rings, they are the perfect staple to feeling true to you. Ties, suspenders, scarves and bowties are another accessory that you can use to your advantage. These simple yet influential pieces are perfect with almost any outfit, and they exhibit a sense of your distinctive style, as seen as this photo found on Pinterest. Belts are also an essential part of an outfit. They not only keep your attire properly fitted, they can take your outfit to the next level.

Last, but not least we will talk about shoes. You can never have too many shoes for work. Whether your personal style is laid-back or fancy, there are plenty of shoes that are available to match your aesthetic. When it comes to the office, it is best to wear neutral colors like black, brown, beige etc. Shoes truly pull your outfit together, so they are one of the most important pieces when shopping for your work outfit. With selected shoes, socks may be needed. You can always have fun with choosing what pair of socks to wear, because they aren’t as visible as most accessories.

I hope you have learned a bit more about how to dress for success while putting your own spin on it. Now take this new found sophistication, and bring the visualization of you being your best self at work to life!