Westfield Group
Getting dressed for work after a long hot summer of barely there sun dresses can feel like a sartorial drag. The subtext of even the best corporate clobber is the image of the sexy secretary, expected to climb the ladder to success in spike heels, a pencil skirt and a polka dot blouse with a big silly pussy cat bow. So much of what we wear to work reflects an antiquated male fantasy ("Oh My, Miss Moneypenny!") or a female capitulation to sober sexless menswear. Save us all from pinstripes!
So how does a girl get ahead without sacrificing colour, current trends or comfort? The first step is to rent the 80s classic "Working Girl" and make sure you own nothing that resembles the granite hued, wedge shouldered androgyny of Sigourney Weaver. And the second is to give your office wardrobe as much emotional energy and ooh la la oomph as your "real" clothes.
WHAT'S NOT GOING DOWN IN THE CUBICLE
Monochrome and neutrals deserve a break. If you wear a black skirt try it with a canary yellow blouse and not a white one. Too waitressy.Something about pale grey screams "submissive type". And all black/all over makes almost any woman disappear into a tasteful black hole.
Ditto the black pumps that are bought to be worn with everything. Wouldn't you prefer navy or dark green? Or better still to be known as "that fabulous girl in the red shoes?" Put a twist on your uniform mentality and fashion seven looks around a non-neutral shade like burnt orange, lilac or emerald green. If you dress with a bit more thought and sophistication the image given is that you are not on auto-pilot in your actual job either.
Others sins of the office include a too tight pencil skirt with a too high vent at the back (try a slightly more A-line cut like the ones this season from Portmans), the stretch cotton long sleeved button front blouse (switch up to a vintage style silk shell with a sexy cap sleeve at Country Road) and a suit jacket and skirt (swap a little black skirt for a pair of tailored shorts and wear it with a slightly tuxedo cut jacket…for a twist). Ban cardigans in favour of waistcoats. Banish Mary Janes and spike heels for a sexy wedge or even an ankle boot. And replace the tragic tradition of plastic pearls for a big bold bit of Indian silver or a statement bracelet that gives you a pulse.Personality is not unprofessional if you get it right.
WHAT'S HOT ON MONDAY MORNING
One way to break through the rut of little blouses and little skirts is to wear one classic cliché chic item at a time. But never the whole kit. For example a pussy cat bow blouse with tailored wide dark denim jeans or linen shorts. Or a serious blazer with a vintage skirt.
Smart money should go on a dress that can be worn over pants/leggings, with a jacket, with a waistcoat or with a trailing sexy scarf for Friday drinks. Another option is to trade conventional cuts like tuxedo pants for a high cut harem by Bettina Liano. Hell yeah harem pants! If this sounds like style suicide, think again. In 1969 safari suits were considered radical. How long have you been wearing those black "slacks" that you think flatten your bum? Take a risk. Let them talk. And think about it, harem pants look better when you've been sitting all day than a pencil skirt that bunches across the hips.
For shoestring style you don't really need to buy many pieces. An electric blue trench coat (from Sussan) worn over a little beige dress snaps you out of the mould as does a mousy little pleated skirt with an angora sweater in a burlesque shade such as lipstick pink. My style icons for office dominance are: Catherine Deneuve in "Belle de jour", Maggie Gyllenhall in "Secretary", Zooey Deschanel (in anything at all) and the fashion director of French VOGUE Emmanuelle Alt who wears tailored Balenciaga like a back packer: that touch of wildness only adds to your authority!
