How to Make Your Own Dresscode for the Office

So here you are, close to your first day in corporate America. You’re ready to move into that cubicle and finally, for the first time in your life, make more than minimum wage. At the tender age of 19, I was excited about my first REAL job at a REAL company. However, I was faced with a conundrum: what do I wear? My normal school wear consists of sweatpants, bright colors, and cleavage… none of which is appropriate for work. At all.

It seems simple: buy some collared shirts and khakis, and bring a pair of your best Sunday shoes. But if you haven’t noticed already, I’m not a collared shirts-n-khakis type of girl. I want to stand out, but not too much. I want to look funky, but professional. I want to look sexy, not skanky.

Since my resume only consisted of lab work (sweats and jeans) and working at California Tortilla (taco stained t-shirts), I had to learn how to dress in a professional work place. But in addition to dressing correctly, I wanted to stay true to my individual style. It’s been a process, but I finally have it down. Here is a guide to making your own office style:

1. Play it safe your first week/month(s). If you don’t know how deep the water is, don’t dive in head first. If you’re unsure of what the fashion norm is in your office, you will need time to figure it out. Wear something standard and overall acceptable, such as a white collared shirt and black office pants. This look is plain and simple, but looks acceptable in almost any setting. Play it safe until you are ready to experiement.

2. Observe the women in your office. If everyone in your office is wearing a navy blue suit, then it’s not wise to show up in a hot pink blazer. Take cues from the women around you; are they uptight and sleek, or are they more comfortable? Do they tend to wear tailored pieces or a traditional polo shirt? Take mental notes. Know what people are wearing, but also take note of what they are not wearing.

Here’s a tip: when wondering if something is acceptable, imagine the women in your office wearing it. If a woman showed up in a leopard print cardigan, would you or anyone else think it was odd? If no, then that cardigan might be okay. If yes, then maybe you should rethink it.

Ursula approves of your style.

3. Take baby steps. So you have a general idea of how people dress around your office. You now have a good estimate of what the fashion boundaries are and what is considered acceptable wear. Now is the time to experiment. Try to spiff up your plain outfit that was mentioned before. Try a funky floral print shirt, or nicely tailored harem pants. Maybe a pair of funky earrings. See how people react. If no one seems to notice then great, what you are wearing is still A-OK. If you are noticing that people treat you slightly different or their demeanor changes, it is possible you have crossed the boundaries with what you’ve chosen to wear. Or if someone makes a seemingly innocent comment, such as “Wow, you’re skirt is so BLUE!” you may have gone too far. Reel it in.

Keep experimenting with different clothes and see how others react. Not sure if that red blazer is too much? The only way to tell is to wear it one day and find out.

4. Create your style. After figuring out what pieces of your wardrobe are acceptable and what are not acceptable, you can start putting the pieces together. Did you get a lot of compliments on those harem pants? Did anyone seem to care that your heels were cobalt blue? Did anyone make a side eye on that hot pink shirt? Take these cues and separate “Wear to Work” from “Do Not Ever Wear to Work EVER Again, EVER!!!” With these pieces, start styling up your outfits and be the most stylish one in the office!

Now, a note of caution. These are only general guidelines. If you end up looking totally jacked up at work, I cannot help you. Some offices are very loose and care free, while others might be very strict. Office culture differs from place to place. Only YOU can decipher what is appropriate to wear. You will have to use your best instincts. But also keep in mind it is a trial and error process. I have had my job for about 6 months now, and I am just beginning to truly build my office wardrobe.

And my biggest advice is to TAKE IT SLOW and take your time when building your style. Don’t worry if you mess up- if you’re a good worker and people generally seem to like you, people will forgive you for your fashion slip ups. If they don’t… well, I’m sorry about that.

If you are looking for a couple of ideas on what to wear, here are the types of outfits I typically wear to work: