Dressing For Your Dream Career

Nothing makes an impression better than the perfect getup, whether you’re working in or moving toward your dream career. Although most jobs require some type of dress code or uniform, this doesn’t mean that your clothes have to conform to the standard boring office attire. From your clients to your colleagues, make sure you flaunt your office-outfit, showing that you really are a cut above the rest.

By wearing an ensemble that speaks volumes about your fashion taste, your dedicated work ethic will seamlessly shine through too. If you can’t quite work out how to dress the part while still giving the impression of a fresh new outfit however, don’t fear. 2012 has seen an abundance of designers strutting their style ideas across many aspects of office clothing, so trust us when we say there’s plenty to go around.

For your eyes only, we’ve compiled some of the most iconic staple pieces, footwear and accessories to complement any woman looking for elegant office fashion, and from the cool music producer to the social media maven, we’ll have you dressed to impress in to time!

The Animal: Birds

A number of influential designers have used simple but eye-catching images of hummingbirds, pheasants and swans in their bold creations this year. With most of the attention focused on the chest and shoulders, bird prints laden with graceful lines and abstract feathers have dominated the office blouse collection.

Trend-setters Marc Jacobs have taken bird print to their collection of office dresses too, stencilling a variety of purple, blue and indigo winged silhouettes onto their knee length strapless range. These garments are easily complemented by brightly coloured clutch bags, Buckle detail sandals and feathered earrings. If you’re looking for costume earrings to suit your face shape, then look no further than Marc Jacobs.

The Palette: Pastels

Pastels have been at the forefront of this year’s fashion scene, and with many designers showing off their summer pale hues, high street shops have been struggling to keep up with demand. Although Ralph Lauren is one of the top few American designers who offer petite’s line of pastel clothing, other designers have been quick to catch the trend, including Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger and 3.1 Phillip Lim.

In order to successfully wear this look in a modern office fashion, it’s best to combine different shades and colours in pastel separates. You’ll want to look for colours like pale yellow, icy blue, blush pink and light lavender. Not all pastel colours go together, but you’ll find some complement skin tone easier than others.

The Item: Peplum

From YSL to Jason Wu, the peplum has reigned supreme with professional attire 2012. Effortlessly combined with jackets and blouses to produce an unmatched elegance, the Nina Ricci and Giorgio Armani collection of this superb flared design is this year’s must-have office fashion.

The Detail: Baroque Flourishes

Rightfully sharing the catwalk with the pastels and the peplums this year are the baroque flourishes, and whether you decide to go with fabric or fine embroidery, this is professional office-wear with a touch of regal. Inspired by Michelangelo’s 16th century Italian baroque works, flourishes have become a huge trend due to the lavishness of decorations that designers revealed during the winter catwalk shows. Spiralling shapes complement the most basic of baroque flourish design, so if you’re looking to make a statement in your office, look no further than these iconic pieces.

Zoe is an independent fashion blogger and freelance writer. She has written this post today in collaboration with Pearl & Butler, specialising in costume necklace jewellery throughout the UK.