For many of us, September means more days in the office and less time by the pool. Perhaps you have one or two days of unplanned annual leave left to get you through until December or your workplace is on a real drive to phase out WFH days. With out-of-office season behind us, it’s a sensible time to do an audit of your workwear capsule, and to make sure you have all of your commuter staples covered.
Dress codes can vary considerably – here at British Vogue you could quite literally arrive at work in gold sequin Miu Miu knickers with no fear of a “quiet word”, while in other more corporate environments wearing a bright colour could be deemed “a little bold.” However, in most modern workplaces, a capsule of elevated basics is the most effective way of dressing for the 9 to 5, with an arsenal of pieces that are smart and polished, but also comfort-led and have a sense of ease. Boardroom bodycon (the kind that was basically its own character in The Apprentice) now feels a little dated, so instead of dressing like you’re an extra in The Good Wife or Suits, it pays to be a little more relaxed and unstructured.
Brands like The Row, Cos and Toteme have all reimagined standard-issue workwear staples, such as pinstripe tailoring, waistcoats and white button-down shirts, proving that functional, foundational pieces can be aspirational, too. Small design tweaks can really elevate simple basics into something you’d actually look forward to wearing at the weekend, whether that’s with luxurious fabrications or exaggerated silhouettes.
Below we have assembled a capsule of nine pieces that will make getting dressed for any office a little bit easier, whether you are looking for something to wear to a big job interview or simply to invest in a handful of easy-to-style items that will let you hit snooze for 10 more minutes. Upgrade your boring black trousers for a wool or flannel tailored pair in grey, khaki or navy, finally ditch that scruffy canvas bag for a polished, leather tote and remember that a blazer can add a powerful finish to any outfit.
