A three piece suit (skirt, pants and jacket) in matching material and a very basic color. If you are a blue-based color person, stick with a black suit. Yellow-based people go with a brown. This will give you two different suits as well as a plethora of options when you wear the bottoms separate. Plus pick a time-less style as a suit it likely to last you several years if you take care of it properly.
Several pairs of dress pants or skirts. Again go for basic colors, black, gray, brown, navy. If possible stay away from pinstripes with a funky color (like pink), because this will make matching difficult. Make sure whatever you purchase will match a couple pairs of pants
A couple on-suit jackets. These are essential for carrying off the day-to-day business look. They are less formal than your suit jacket but still give the air of professionalism. This is also where your personal style can shine through. Buy jackets in a bring color or fun design. Just stay away from anything really out there!
A couple button-down woven tops. Depending upon your look and profession you might need more or less of these. Some women don't feel comfortable in this stiff look. But it is important to have a couple shirts to wear for interviews and very important meetings. Whether we like them or not they are consider very professional.
Several nicer, non-woven, tops. These can be thin sweaters, a dressy tee, even an upscale cami. These tops need to be paired with your suit as well as the jackets you bought.
A nice pair of plain pumps. Especially when interviewing, you want to keep your look simple, professional and streamlined. Go for a basic mono-tone colored shoe with at least a little heel. Stay away from recent trends, uber-tall heels, and colors meant to attract attention. In addition to this pair of basic shoes you will need several others to wear on non-meeting days, which can have more flair and spunk.
One professional looking purse. This needs to be large enough to at least hold a folder and a notepad plus all the things you normally carry with you. Still you don't want it so large that it is in the way. Keep this color basic too and make sure it matches or coordinates with each piece in your wardrobe - that way it is easy to grab and go when you are in need and on the run.
Lastly, let's not forget the jewelry to finish off the look. Having at least a couple necklaces, bracelets and pairs of earrings on hand is crucial. Not every outfit will require all three, but earrings and one other accent is usually a safe and good idea. It will polish off your look and prove to those you are around in a business setting that you are interested in and care for your appearance down to the last detail.
Guide how to detoxify, recycle, build and manage your wardrobe
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