*Collaborative post.

If you work from home, you obviously don’t need to worry too much about what you’re wearing when emailing or calling clients; even pyjamas can suffice. However, at some point, you will probably need to meet face-to-face with clients or even move into a dedicated office.

This poses style problems for women, who have it harder than men when deciding what to wear for work. After all, the rules for the ladies aren’t quite as clear-cut, but here’s some reliable advice.

 

 

 

 

Go for subtlety rather than showing off

To begin with, you might only need work-friendly attire for special occasions, such as meetings with clients or events like conferences and product launches. All the same, one good rule of thumb is that your clothing shouldn’t upstage either the event or the person you’re meeting.

To ensure you stick to this guideline with your corporate attire, stick to conservative colours such as dark grey and navy, advises The Balance Careers.

 

Don’t be too casual with the “business casual” look

You might see “business casual” being prescribed as a workplace dress code, but one problem with the term “business casual” is that different companies can perceive it differently. Therefore, whereas some firms may accept long shirts, you should forgo these for formal business dealings.

Otherwise, when meeting up with a client, you could give off the image of a woman who has rushed over from the gym – hardly the most professional impression you could project!

 

Invest in tailored, interchangeable outfits

Although you may not be able to get away with reusing pieces as often as your male cohorts could, quality still betters quantity when it comes to women’s work clothes. Hence, it’s worth investing in tailored clothing.

Quite simply, it will look better than non-tailored clothing – and as Business Insider explains, a “nicely cut and manufactured blazer can be slimming and fitted in the right places while not restricting your arms to your sides either.” You could often wear such a blazer on consecutive occasions as well.

 

 

Choose skirts and dresses carefully

You’ve already read some guidance on colour, but you need to watch out for the length, too. An overly short outfit could expose too much of your thigh when you settle into a chair.

As a general rule, any slit in your skirt ought to be small and centred in the back. It would not be appropriate for the slit to either exceed the back of your knee in height or, as would be the case with an excessively small or tight slit, impair your mobility when you walk or climb stairs.

 

What about the shoes?

When shopping for these, opt for closed-toed pumps coloured in a way that is complementary to your outfit. Those shoes should fit well, too, or else you could struggle to walk comfortably.

Just imagine the pride you would feel if your clothing choices help you to ascend the corporate ladder, perhaps to the extent that you end up walking every business day into a serviced office from BE Offices, a national provider of workplace amenities.