Say goodbye to morning outfit panic. This year, it’s all about creating an office capsule wardrobe that will make back-to-work dressing a breeze.
Building a robust capsule wardrobe takes a lot of time and patience. It’s a tricky process that begins with examining what you already have, what your wardrobe is missing, and what you’ll wear on rotation.
To help you create the ultimate minimalist wardrobe for work, and discover investment pieces to last a lifetime, we’ve collected some of the bare essentials you need in your collection.
1. A Wear-On-Repeat Dress
A throw-on-and-go dress should be a cornerstone of every office capsule wardrobe.
For 2024, make your mornings that much easier with an everyday dress. These dresses are those fail-safe pieces you’ll wear on repeat throughout the year. Whether you’re pairing them with cute slides in summer, or with boots and a trench for the colder months, an investment everyday office dress is worth its weight in gold.
As much as we love vivid colours, begin your 2024 capsule wardrobe with a solid foundation of neutrals, soft tones and easy-to-build-on pieces. Look for those effortless dresses that can easily be dressed up with a few key accessories – something that can be worn from meetings to lunch to casual work drinks on a Friday. We love simplistic yet elevated dresses with built-in collars (does the styling or you) or with deep pockets because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love pockets?
2. A Sleek Work Shirt
It wouldn’t be a corporate capsule wardrobe round-up without a few sharp shirts.
Shirts at the office are a no-brainer. They’re eternally elevated and always appropriate. For maximum wearability, we suggest investing in a rotation of shirts of different lengths, colours and cuts. You can style them in an endless amount of ways: tucked in or worn loose with pants or a skirt, worn open over a dress, underneath a jumper – the list goes on.
The perfect collection of shirts should include a crisp white shirt, a darker-coloured shirt, and a few colourful and striped options. Pay attention to the buttons on the shirt too, they can change an entire attire.
3. Polished Suiting Separates
You’re never underdressed polished separates.
Suiting separates are another one of those essential work wardrobe pieces as they can be worn as a full set, or on their own with other basics. In winter, you can alternate between wearing the blazer over other outfits or pairing your suit trousers with a cosy knit. In summer, you can rock the vest with a stylish skirt, or even just throw your blazer over your shoulders. Your possibilities with a polished suit are endless – it just makes dressing in the morning that much easier.
This season sees an obsession with the classic suit – think vintage without the mothballs. Bold buttons and boxy finishes will always add a splash of interest to your look, and add a little corporate flair to any ensemble.
4. A Pencil Skirt
The pencil skirt: classic for a reason.
Over the years, this office essential has taken on many forms, from the slim-fitting just below-the-knee to the ground-sweeping skirt dominating street-style shoots at fashion week. Most people shy away from pencil skirts thinking they’re constrictive, but luckily fabrication and fashion have evolved to a point to allow for maximum movement with no awkward penguin steps.
The key to finding an all-rounder pencil skirt to add to your office capsule wardrobe is to look for high-quality fabrics like wool or silk blends that provide a tailored fit. Choose a neutral-coloured pencil skirt for maximum wearability around the office, and then experiment with different lengths and shapes.
5. Classic Trousers
Dressed-up or dressed down, trousers really can do it all.
We cannot sing praises enough for a good pair of work pants. Practical yet elevated, easy-to-style and super comfortable, trousers for the office are always a good investment.
The key to an infinite office capsule wardrobe is strategic foundational pieces, like with your trousers. Separate your trouser collection into two types: one for summer, and one for winter. Your summer trousers are an opportunity to give skirts and dresses a break, but also stay cool. Loose pants in cooling linen or cotton will serve you well on those stinking hot days. We love lighter shades of citrus, sand and warmer tones. For winter, look for heavier fabrics to keep you warm in a more tailored cut. Our outfits tend to get bulkier as the temperature drops, so sleekier trousers will help to balance this out.
6. Ballet Flats & Mary Janes
We didn’t predict their return, but by gosh, we’re happy to see it.
Say goodbye to tottering heels and sore feet, ballet flats and Mary Janes are now well and truly back in fashion. Making their triumphant return in SS23 as one of fashion’s top womenswear trends, ballet flats and Mary Janes continue to dominate the runways, magazines and our dream wardrobes.
If this is your first foray into this kind of footwear, we suggest beginning with a neutral black or cream colour to begin. For summer, we love mesh ballet flats that allow for maximum airflow. For winter, any fabrication will do, but if you plan to wear them with stockings, a Mary Jane will help to keep your foot from slipping out.
7. An Investment Tote
If Mary Poppins worked in an office, she’d be carrying one of these.
Sturdy, stylish and impossibly roomy, a work tote is the unsung hero of your wardrobe. These bags are more than just a convenient way to lug around your laptop and cords; investment totes are a bag that looks good doing it.
The perfect tote is difficult to find, but luckily this season, these brands have done their homework. The perfect investment work tote should be in a neutral colour, preferably light beige or brown. Look for a bag that doesn’t distract from your work attire, but still adds a touch of class to the whole look. A tote with a flat bottom will allow for easy storage of laptops, lunchpails and all the office capsule wardrobe essentials.
Not ready to go back to the office yet? Book tickets abroad and Save Room In Your Suitcase For These Beach Holiday Essentials.