It’s not always easy to know how to make the compromise between professional and fashionable, particularly in the colder months. For many of even the most inspired fashion enthusiasts, winter is a time of feeling down and generally less motivated to invest creative energy into your look.
But there are still so many ways of staying chic without sacrificing anything in your air of professionalism. These helpful tips and stylish fits will help keep you warm, fashionable, and confident as you blaze your way through your career.
Black is Always in Style
All black is a great way to go for essentially any work occasion and is a great way to create one of many classy professional winter work outfits. Black looks professional with any type of formal wear – and it’s famous for going well with everything. And thanks to the way darker colors absorb UV rays, donning a black outfit helps you get the most out of any sunshine that happens to come your way – a key consideration for those who tend to shiver their way through the winter months at the office.
You also can’t go wrong with a stylish boot-and-sweater-dress combo. This is an easy outfit to pair up to create any number of classy professional winter work outfits that are as stylish as they are practical. Many different shades work perfectly for this style, from neutral to bold. No matter what works best with your look or skin tone, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a solid ensemble of sweaters and boots at your disposal, ready to mix and match to spice up any workday.
Layering for the Win
Using layers to your advantage is always a great idea when you’re living a busy lifestyle and need to get the most out of your winter professional clothes. Using this time-tested technique makes it incredibly easy to modify your professional winter work outfits as the day progresses and the weather changes.
With a properly layered winter outfit, you are able to easily shed a layer or two if you get too hot – say, once you get into the warmth of your workplace. Then you can just as easily add more layers back on when it comes time for your commute or if you’re working outside.
The Blazer with Leggings Look
Many women are able to pull off this style exceedingly well. All it takes is an oversized jacket and a pair of leggings and you’re ready to go. It’s easy to add some jewelry or other accessories to make this combination your own and truly one of a kind.
Shawls and blazers are just two great winder clothing items to have on hand. They tend to work well with almost any outfit and will often add a surprising amount of warmth to your ensemble when you need it most.
Not All Dresses Are Created Equally
In fact, some of them come with hoods. These are perfect for when you want to preserve as much body warmth as possible while you go about your professional life. People lose a surprising amount of heat from the tops of their heads, and covering yours up with a fashionable hood is a great way to keep yourself ready for whatever task comes your way – all while looking incredibly cute in the process.
Knitted Attire is Back with a Passion
With the avid popularity of knitwear of all kinds, you can diversify your knitted garments more than ever. Whether you’re more into skirts or trousers, nothing goes better with knits than more knits.
FAQs
It’s not always clear what the dress code is once you walk in the door of your professional office space. Here are some general tips that are nice to have in your back pocket when you’re trying to figure out what to wear for your professional winter work outfits when it’s freezing outside.
Coats, scarves, and gloves are your best friends as far as winter professional clothes go. When it comes to scarves and coats, you’ll want to go for the long and cozy ones. Gloves are a matter of taste, but you may want to consider your finger mobility if you work with your hands as the main part of your work.
Having backup shoes stored at the office is always a great idea. You never know when the weather is going to take a turn. If you have found yourself in the middle of a massive snowstorm, you can always use your heavy boots to trudge into work and then have your dressier work shoes stowed and ready to go under your desk.
This fashion life hack may not only enhance your look but even give you an added sense of control: In spite of the cold chaos around you, you’re still able to rise above it – with the help of your favorite footwear and strategic winter planning.
One other general tip for winterizing your professional style is to leave the uggs and hat at the door. These aren’t usually the types of things you’ll want to be wearing once you’re inside and working in a climate-controlled area. If you do work outside or in a facility that doesn’t have the luxury of heating, this rule may not apply to you. But if you’re able to get rid of the gloves, hats, boots, and all the rest of the heavier outdoor wear and change into something a bit more fitting for office life once you get there, that’s always ideal.
Gloves
Scarves
sweaters
Boots
Hats
These cover all your basics – all the essentials to both keep you warm and protected from the elements as well as looking at the top of your career game. As long as you have a good spread of each of these five items, you’ll be prepared to professionally handle whatever the winter world throws at you this year. Once you’ve figured out your favorite set of these essentials, it’s easy to alternate them out for any occasion or outfit.
If you do choose to go with gloves, you might prefer some of the fingerless varieties, serving both practical and fashionable purposes. Those who spend most of their working day typing or doing other office-related tasks with their hands might consider the types of gloves that respond to touch screens – but many prefer or need to directly feel what they’re working with.
It’s hard to keep up with fashion trends and make sure that you’re dressing your very best every day that you go to work. Luckily, there are countless ways to stay updated on the professional winter fashion world if you only know where to look. Reading online definitely helps but may be overwhelming if you’re not sure which sites and publications to trust. The best thing you can do is figure out whose opinions you value and follow their fashion advice and analysis – or disregard it all and go your own way.
It’s also helpful to find out the latest trends in winter clothing by checking in with social media. You can take a look at what the most popular fashion influencers are wearing and find out if their style might look good on you too.
But at the heart of it, your fashion decisions are a reflection of your own personal taste and style. Choosing the best professional outfit for the winter involves taking a look at how your body is shaped, what kind of a vibe you want to give, and what type of a lifestyle you lead.
