11 Cute & Professional Work Outfits You Can Create With Basic Items

1. Smart pants

A pair of fitted and structured pants is a workwear essential. You can easily dress them up with a pair of heels, although if you are on your feet for a lot of the day, you may want to opt for flats or wedges instead.

I styled the pants with a nice feminine top with some sheer polka dot detail. 

2. Sleeveless blazer

We all know that blazers are an essential workwear piece, but for me, sleeveless blazers are equally indispensable.

Sleeveless blazers can be a great option for when the weather is slightly warmer and you want to stay comfortable but without compromising your professional look. 

3. Blouse

When you have your smart pair of structured pants, of course, you’re going to need a selection of tops to style it with. A chic blouse like this looks formal yet feminine at the same time.

I love the high neckline and the cut-out section in the center. Look for blouses with little unique touches like that, and you’ll have a stylish and interesting outfit.

4. Blazer

Layer up either by adding a sleeveless blazer or a regular one. I recommend having a few blazers of different sizes - some fitted, some oversized, as well as different colors and materials.

A blazer in a solid color is definitely a good option, but you could also try one with a checkered print as well.

5. Belt 

Here is another example of a gorgeous blouse. This one is in a beautiful orange color, has a nice wide neckline and balloon sleeves.

This is a great example of how you can expose your neckline yet keep your chest covered as well.

A great accessory to wear with your blouses is a belt. A belt will cinch in your waist and give you a nice flattering, feminine figure.

6. Colored pants

Creating workwear outfits doesn’t mean that you just have to stick to dark and neutral colors. You can definitely add some fun with a bright pop of color like I’ve done here with these red pants.

The trick to keep your outfit looking high-end is again to go for a pair of pants that are fitted and of good quality. The pair I’m wearing have their own belt, which is always a plus for me.

7. Heels

If your office environment is a bit more laidback and the dress code lets you wear jeans, then why not? Go for it.

To keep your jeans looking work-appropriate and not too slouchy or casual, pair them with some high heels, and you’re good to go.

A pair of black heels will go with anything and is a wardrobe staple, but when it comes to heels, you can really have fun and wear whatever is true to your personal style.

8. Checkered blazer

Here we have a checkered blazer that I mentioned before. I love printed blazers like this because the rest of your outfit can be solid, neutral colors, and then the blazer over the top brings all the character and personality.

A blazer like this is easy to just throw on over a simple base and immediately have a beautiful workwear outfit.

9. Monochrome

Dressing in monochrome, especially black monochrome, is a really easy way to look sophisticated without having to try too hard.

Here, I’ve paired a pair of tight pants with a loose and flowy shirt. To add in a playful splash of color, I’m wearing some red heels.

10. Shirt

Gone are the days when a shirt always referred to a plain white button-up.

I love how this pink shirt here is designed so that it has sort of like three flowy tiers. The tiers are a nice bit of detail which stops the outfit from looking plain and boring. 

11. Fitted dress

Last up we have a fitted dress. You want to find a dress that is tight enough that it shows off your figure but not too tight that it isn’t workwear appropriate. This dress here strikes the perfect balance.

I went for one in a neutral tone so that I have lots of options of the different pieces I can pair it with.

Here, I’ve thrown a blazer over the top in a different shade of beige. The two tones are very complementary. 

How to style work outfits

There we have our professional work outfits lookbook and all of the key pieces that you need in your workwear wardrobe.

I hope that I’ve been able to give you some new ideas. Let me know what your one workwear essential piece is in the comments below!