Women's Outfit Ideas for Work

A shirt dress is always a good idea. They can be dressed for more casual occasions with trainers or chunky sandals, or more formal occasions with heels. They are readily available on the high street, like this one from Shein, but I'd recommend investing in a higher-quality piece for the office. It doesn't have to be expensive, but look for one that is lined so you don't have to worry about your underwear showing, as well as one that has some cotton content rather than being 100% polyester as this will be more temperature-regulating when you're going from blustery weather to a heated office.

If you think of the word 'uniform' and shudder, remembering your schooldays, you may be surprised to learn that many stylish women find themselves an unofficial uniform later in life. For me it is definitely a midi skirt and knitwear. I love this look in winter as it's so cosy, and in the transitional seasons it's great too because you can layer up underneath and take the jumper off if you get too hot. It's also an entirely office-appropriate outfit as it covers everything up and you look elegant, but relaxed.

If you want to have a bit of fun with your workwear, add a fun accessory such as this hair bow from She's Parisian.

If you find yourself in a bit of a funk and you're wearing the same outfit to work all the time and not feeling very stylish, look to your style icons for inspiration. For the above photo, I took part in a collaboration with some other fashion Instagrammers - we all recreated outfits from our favourite films and I chose this one from The Devil Wears Prada:

You could of course run out and buy the exact items from your chosen style inspiration to recreate the outfit, but I would always recommend trying to come up with something similar from your own wardrobe first. Not only is this less expensive and more sustainable, it also means you end up with an outfit that has your personal take on it and is inspired by the original outfit, rather than a straight copy.

I had actually previously bought the black blazer because it reminded me of the Chanel one in the film and I already knew I wanted to recreate that look one day! I obviously didn't have a pair of thigh-high Chanel boots either, so I used black over-the-knee boots and opaque black tights to get a similar look. I already owned a grey tweed mini skirt too. It helps that the outfits Anne Hathaway wears in The Devil Wears Prada are very much my style, so I had a lot of pieces that would work. Try and find celebrities or movie characters whose style shares similarities with your own and see how they (or their personal stylists) put outfits together.

Finally, if you want to wear mini skirts or dresses to work, you can definitely do so. Pairing them with opaque tights in the colder seasons makes them perfectly appropriate for the office. If it's warmer, have a think about your own workplace and whether it feels appropriate to have bare legs. If not, you could wear lacy tights so your legs are a bit more covered up, or you could go for a knee-length skirt rather than a mini. I still like to wear flesh-coloured tights in the summer as well, because it helps with chafing.