So you’ve cleaned out the closet and gotten rid of everything that doesn’t fit or won’t work or just should never ever be worn in public by anyone ever again, amen. And you’ve made a list, sort of, except that you’re still not sure what exactly you should be putting on every morning when you leave the house because it’s been a long time since you worked in a casual office and you’re still not sure you can pull together a look that is casual and work appropriate at the same time?

How about some suggestions? As you sort through your closet, consider how many of the following you have, and what you might need. Keep your own personal style in mind as you make up your list, but don’t be afraid to try new things on. And don’t ever buy ANYTHING that doesn’t fit your body, your budget, and your lifestyle. Please.
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Remember going back-to-school shopping? So many options! So few things your mom really thought you needed! SO much angst!

Or was that just me?

Shopping for new ventures — new school year, new job — can be overwhelming, because how do you know what you will REALLY need before you start the new thing? What if all the OTHER girls are wearing skinny jeans and you are wearing boot cut jeans? HOW WILL YOU EVER SURVIVE?

You laugh, but you know it’s true, and it is still true when we talk about shopping for a new job. You don’t want to be the only one in the office who wears a dress (or maybe you do, in which case more power to you! wear that dress! seriously) but you also don’t want to dumb down your style just to fit in. Instead, you want to find pieces that are appropriate for the specific environment of your office AND reflective of your personal style.

Yeah, it’s not any easier now than it was in high school.

No matter what your style or the office culture, there are five things you really ought to have before you head back to work.

Kate Spade Tarrytown - Quinn handheld tote, Nordstrom, $395.00
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I love jewelry; I love how easy it is to take a basic jeans-and-tee outfit and dress it up with the right pieces. But it is also easy to fall into a rut with your jewelry. Ever notice how every time you get dressed up, you put on the same earrings and necklace?

Next time you go somewhere, try something different. Try adding a pin. You heard me! PIN. Brooch. Something sparkly and shiny and exotic.

It’s easy.
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The jeans-and-tee wardrobe is a staple of moms who spend a majority of their time at home, and with good reason: tees are comfy and machine washable and inexpensive. But tees are also super casual, so much so that it can be hard to feel really professional and smart when you’re sporting one.

Dressing up your jeans and a tee uniform can be as simple as adding a jacket. Putting something with some structure over your tee gives your whole outfit some shape. Go as formal or casual as you like — a suit jacket can do double-duty with a pair of jeans and a tee, while a jean jacket gives your chinos a little edge. The easiest way to up the wow factor of your basic tee and jeans is a trench coat, which is the perfect spring outerwear, but think also about structured sweater jackets, which are a little more flexible than a traditional blazer but can look equally professional and polished.

A jacket is a terrific way to bridge being at home with your kids and being out and about during the work day; take the jacket off to load the dishwasher or make lunches, then toss it on for the school run or a client meeting. Having one piece that has some structure and shape to it gives your outfit a pulled-together look that bridges work and home, but without leaving you feeling like you need two different wardrobes just to get through your day.

Outfits pictured here are all available at Ann Taylor Loft.

At the beginning of this series, I asked what you all wear to work at home. Selene had this to say:

I’ve been thinking I need a change. I want to step my going out wardrobe up a notch… I’m feeling the need to feel “prettier” than just my standard same-ole jeans and t-shirt type of thing. I actually had my first hair cut in months yesterday (YIKES!) and am feeling good! I’ve been putting myself second for so long (probably since I had my daughter 2 years ago and she became #1, LOL)

I get up so early in the morning though (4am) that I can’t see getting up even earlier (3:30am) to shower and look nice just to pad on over to the office 20 feet away.

BUT, it would be nice to maybe use my current “out” wardrobe (jeans) at home, and get something nicer for when we go out.

I think we all know what Selene is talking about; at some point, we’ve been so focused on our kids that we have lost sight of ourselves; we stop getting haircuts (I once went almost an ENTIRE YEAR without a cut), we stop buying clothes, we stop getting dressed for anything that’s not a special occasion. It’s inevitable, I think, but it’s not necessarily desirable. And it’s easy to change.

Jeans are a fine wardrobing piece for a day at home, whether you’re working for pay or working for love. What you put on TOP of the jeans, though, can make a huge difference in both your look and your attitude. The key is to find tops that are more stylish than a basic tee but are ALSO machine washable AND affordable.

Thank god for Old Navy.
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Charlene wants to know about what to wear on a business trip:

I do at least one business trip a year and I always struggle with what to take and how not to take too much stuff. The company I work for is very casual so I like to look professional but maintain the casual feel. Also, keep in mind with what I do I have to wear a closed toe shoe at all times.

There are three simple strategies for packing, no matter where you are going.

Pack only things that you REALLY wear. A business trip is not the time to test out a new skirt or jacket; you want clothes that you will be comfortable and confident in.

Pack basic pieces. Think both in terms of shape and color; neutral pieces in classic shapes are your best bet (black pencil skirt, brown wool trousers).

Pack pieces that work together. Choose one color palette for your trip, to guarantee that the things you pack will do multiple duty. Neutral basics plus a pop of color, in a blouse or sweater, keep your look fresh and flexible.

MICHAEL Michael Kors trench coat, Nordstrom, $128.00

So what actually goes in the suitcase?
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Not all bodies are created equal — some girls, for example, get the curves, while some girls don’t. And of course, as with all things about our bodies, we typically pine for what we don’t have (curly haired girls want straight hair, and vice versa) instead of working with — and appreciating — what we have.

Fashion media focuses on skinny girls — the models, even for plus-sized clothing, are wee little things without hips or breasts. But most women are not twee stick figures; real women come fully equipped with breasts and hips and thighs, and translating fashion trends from one extreme to the other can be tricky. The secret is not to start with the trends, but with your own shape. Rather than trying to smash your curvy self into skinny jeans and a tank top, learn to make fashion choices that make the most of what you have.

Today: Five basic tips for dressing your curvy best.

Photo courtesy of Lane Bryant
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Hello, and welcome to Part Three of what may very well be a never ending series on suits! Which will be useful come fall when the Casual Friday look is replaced by the sheath dress and her cousin, the suit.

I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.

Stara started this whole thing with a question about what kind of suit to buy for a job interview, specifically an interview for a fairly conservative office; she also asked what she might wear UNDER the suit. She specifically wanted options that were NOT a button front shirt, and I have to agree that the button up shirt, while always appropriate, isn’t very exciting.

So let’s talk about what the other options are!
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Stara has a question about suiting:

As you may have noticed (not at all due to my incessant mentioning of this fact), I am an attorney. And I have been informed by an inside contact that I will likely soon be contacted by an ultra conservative employer regarding an interview. For which I honestly need a new suit. The last “interview” suit I bought was nearly 6 years ago, and it is showing it’s age.

My query is this- I am 27. How do I buy an interview suit that is both job appropriate and does not betray my age? I don’t particularly want to plop down $400 on a suit I will never want to wear again. I’m willing to spend a fair amount of cash so long as it is on something I actually like, and not something I feel forced into buying.

I think Stara has exactly the right attitude here: she wants a suit that will make her look professional and competent, but she doesn’t want to go into the interview pretending to be someone she’s not. And she absolutely wants to come out of this with a new job AND a suit that she can actually WEAR to the new job, something that will work with her current closet.

That sounds like a big request, but it’s actually fairly simple, as long as she keeps a few things in mind as she shops.
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I love e-mail. This week, I had a great e-mail from Amy:

I recently found out I’m pregnant with my second child and upon hauling out all my maternity clothes, I realized how long it’s been - stylewise - since I had my daughter three years ago.

I also realized how cheap most maternity clothes are. Many of the items were pilled and/or have shrunk to the point of not fitting, even now when I am at about 10.5 weeks.

Another issue is that I am showing already a little, with my regular clothes being tight already. I have invested in some great belly bands from Blush, but often you can see the button on my jeans through the band.

I stay home now, working as a writer, but I still want to look put together. Dressing well, if casually, helps me feel professional when I am writing or conducting interviews.

Might you be willing to advise on these issues? Such as where to get good quality maternity staples, etc? Also, might you be willing to ask your readers at Friday Style if they would participate in The Maternity Closet? I would be thrilled to kick it off!

Congratulations, Amy! Babies are the best.

Because Amy is not going to work in an office, she doesn’t need to worry about finding suits, but she DOES want to invest in a few basic pieces that will both get her through her pregnancy and keep her looking great as she — and the baby — grow.
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