Last year, around this time, I found myself in the swan song of my maternity leave. The prospect of going back to the office, though sigh-inducing, had its silver linings—an actual pay cheque; a chance for my son to spread his wee, chubby, wings; and a reason for me to get my big girl clothes back on. Whether you’re coming off parental leave, or you just need to add a little sunshine to your fall, re-stocking your professional closet is not only fun, it’s the responsible thing to do.
Fall is the perfect time to get back to the basics as well—it’s great that you own a fuchsia tweed skirt and a three-shades-of-green paisley blouse, but there’s only so far you can mix and match those items before people will start giving you unfortunate nicknames. This is about getting the building blocks down—you want to add rhinestones later? That’s what accessories are for. Repeat after me: black, white, grey, navy.
1. The Black Blazer. Depending on budget, you can easily pay a lot of money for this, but Zara, as always, has some great options that are classic and sartorially on point.
Cool Wool Blazer (zara.com $79.90)
2. The Dress Pant. Get a pair in black, one in navy (which is a neutral, trust me), and one in grey. The Sloane Slim Fit Ankle from Banana Republic is super comfortable, comes in great colours, is often on sale, and is cut in such a way that you can wear flats or heels and not have to fret about the hem.
Sloane Slim Fit Ankle Pant (bananarepublic.com $110.00)
3. The White Shirt. Not that you need further reason, but the white shirt is also all over the Spring 2014 runways, so this isn’t just an office staple (no pun), it’s a fashion staple.
Equipment Signature Blouse (shopbop.com $223.54)
4. The Pencil Skirt. J.Crew’s No. 2 Pencil Skirt. That is all.
No. 2 Pencil Skirt (jcrew.com $110.00)
5. The Black Shift Dress. It doesn’t get any more effortless than this and it’s a great transition piece from summer into the cooler weather (think tights). As with all LBDs, the right accessories will make this pop when you’re feeling shiny.
Sleeveless Shift Dress (jcrew.com $139.99)
6. The Cami. Silk always wears nice, looks swish under your blazer (or without your blazer, for post work shenanigans), and it doesn’t have to suffocate your wallet. Get it in black and in white, at the very least.
Silk Cami (jcrew.com $59.50)
7. The Cardigan. There are people in my office with space heaters under their desks during A/C season. You know what’s cuter, cozier, and less of a fire hazard?
Ribbed Cardigan (zara.com $69.90)
8. The Heel. A good pointed toe pump will be in style forever, in or out of the office. And let’s be realistic—most of us aren’t interested in the pain a five inch heel will gift you with after an 8 hour day, so unless your job is playing ‘sexy librarian’, you’re going to do just fine in the three inch range.
DVF Anette Pump (shopbop.com $298.77)
9. The Flat. I don’t wear heels on Mondays—they’re already tricky enough to navigate without having to balance on the balls of my feet. A ballet flat, an oxford, and a smoking slipper should cover all your bases.
Pointed Vamp Shoe (zara.com $39.90)
10. The Trench. Sure, you likely aren’t actually wearing this inside your office, but you’ll look sweet on the commute, and I highly doubt I’m the only one who cringes at the woman in the amazing outfit artlessly covered with the shell of a ski jacket. Don’t make me shake my head at you.
Classic Trench (bananarepublic.com $240.00)
