As much as I wish I could spend all day every day blogging and taking beautiful photos for IG; most days I stumble out of bed and go to my desk job, after picking out an awesome outfit of course! Dressing for work can be difficult for any women, and there are so many influencing factors that may deem your outfit appropriate or not, and a skirt that might be nice for one work place will not be tolerated in another. For us curvy gals, that pressure is then topped with trying to find brands who cater to our size, style and fitting preference.

We spend most of our lives at work, well I seem to; so the idea that we aren’t dressing to show our personality or in something that oozes confidence is distressing! My biggest, number 1 recommendation for finding work clothes is to invest in some key staple, standout items (and maybe pay a tiny bit more for them), to mix and match with simpler, less expensive pieces. Another quick tip is to add statement jewellery or shoe, a big necklace, some fun earrings, or a sparkly pair of ballet flats is a quick and easy way to to jazz up a simple black dress or otherwise boring work attire.

Finding those few staple pieces really depends on your own style. For me, those staple pieces include a blazer, a patterned skirt and a plain coloured dress. My personal style, can be any where from feminine to grungy but in the work place I like to keep it a little girly professional. So for me, spending a little extra cash on these items pays off in my wardrobe, and then I can fill it with less expensive pieces to swap in and out. To try and help find YOUR professional style, and spotlight some great brands (for all budgets), I’ve put together a list of my favourite (wishlist) work pieces to help inspire you – with a few tips on styling too!

Skirts. I love both floaty and straight skits, and I like to keep at least 1 of each in my wardrobe. Finding a patterned skirt that you love also makes it so easy to match with simpler, different coloured tops to change the look. My favorite of these is probably the Crawford Asymmetric Skirt; I love the flirty cut, and would style it quite simply with a plain coloured black top and simple studs. (The colors in it make it easy to match with different colored tops!

Crawford Asymmetric Skirt – Cooper Street SALE $64.98 (normally $129.95)

Belle Skirt – Studio 8 $196.00

ASOS Curve Longline High Waist Pencil Skirt – ASOS $40.00

Pencil Skirt – Lost Ink Plus $59.95

Dresses. If you follow me on IG you will know I LOVE a dress! I don’t have to think about matching a top and bottom and they’re super easy to dress up with a pair of heels! If you’ve got cash to splash this Leina Broughton dress is my absolute favourite with it’s cute little cut out sleeves, and easy to accessories with a different colour belt or chunky necklace to change the look entirely!

 

Valerie Dress – Leina Broughton $239.00

Kylee Midi Dress – Atmos & Here $79.95

Raven Pencil Dress – Atmos & Here SALE $53.97 (normally $89.95)

Vintage Veronica Dress – City Chic $99.95

Pants. When it comes to pants my number 1 requirement is that they’re comfy! For a professional look I also prefer to tuck my tops into my pants, which means I need a nice waistband that flatters my curvy (sometimes particularly round) shape. I find pants with a high waist and noticeable waistband or tie are best for this. I’ve also found ASOS one of the BEST places to shop for work pants. This Asos Peg Pant with Obi Tie is my absolute favorite as I can pair it with any thing from a company branded, to high neck, to no sleeve, to button up, to frilly top!

ASOS Curve Woven Peg Pant (Obi Tie) – ASOS $50.00

Bengaline Pull On Trousers – DP Curve $59.95

Cross Front Woven Pants – 17 Sundays SALE $35.00 (normally $99.95)

ASOS Curve High Waist Tapered Pant – ASOS $50.00

Tops. Go Simple! If your pants or skirt is patterned, pair is with a plain colured top. Add a big statement necklace or earrings. Put a blazer over the top for a corporate vibe. I find tops are the easiest thing to purchase on sale, or are more inexpensive then other items, which means you can mix and match them really easily. While I adore this Bohemian Traders Blazer as a statement piece; stores like Crossroads, Katies and Target are my go too for tops on sale.

White Blazer – Bohemian Traders $189.00

Double Frill Top – Target $30.00

Flutter Sleeve Top – Katies $39.95

Cold Shoulder Wrap Blouse – Crossroads SALE $30.00 (normally $39.95)

If you have found these styles aren’t for you, never fear! I have tried to include a range of brands in my listings and perhaps you will find something else you love! My styling is based on my own body shape and styling interests, but I hope you can take a little inspiration from the pieces I’ve put together. The main thing is to dress in a way that makes you feel confident in the workplace and create a positive vibe for yourself to get through the work day!

Love love,