Elevate Your Professional Image with Tailored Clothing

Whether you’ve just landed a new position or you’ve been working for a company for years, you have likely realized that your personal appearance is important. The way you present yourself at work, whether your office has a formal or casual dress code, gives colleagues an impression of your professionalism and self-awareness. Tailored clothing can give you a polished look and ensures that your pants, jackets, skirts, and dresses appropriately flatter your physique.

Here are some practical tips that will help you elevate your work wardrobe pieces.

Decide What You Want to Emphasize or Attract

When you walk into the office each day, one of the first things your coworkers will notice is your outfit. That’s why you want to be mindful of the message you’re sending with your clothing. Even if you work in a business casual environment, make sure your denim or khakis are neither too lose nor too form-fitting. You can also make casual clothing look more refined by matching your belt with your shoes, just as you would when wearing a business suit. Belts and shoes in neutral shades of brown or black paired with boots, loafers, or work-appropriate heels can instantly make your outfit stand out.

Invest in Timeless Pieces

Taking your clothes to a tailor is an additional expense which is why the clothes you have tailored should be high-quality. Invest in clothing that won’t go out of style so you can wear the item well for years to come. Blazers, coats, pants, skirts, and dresses that are designed to fit your body can give you a boost of confidence. This confidence can come in handy when you need to interact with colleagues, handle a challenging situation, or complete a project. Display your fashion sense by added an accent to your tailored piece, such as a brooch on a blazer or a silk scarf attached to a wool coat.

Build Around Your Tailored Clothing

If you’re not able to tailor all of the pieces in your work wardrobe, choose a few items that you’ll wear often and build your professional outfits from there. For instance, if you have a black or brown blazer that can be work with jeans or dress pants, take the blazer to a tailor so you’ll look professional and fashionable whether you’re dressing up or wearing casual attire. Adding accessories like diamond or pearl stud earrings, a high-quality watch in gold or silver, or a leather handbag or briefcase make your work attire more noticeable in the best way.

Once you decide which pieces you want to have tailored and experiment with items in your wardrobe to come up with your signature look for work, you can come up with a “tailoring schedule.” If you shop for new work attire every few months, select one or two pieces to bring to a tailor. Make sure the rest of the pieces you choose are as true to size as possible. Pay attention to how you feel in your work clothing. Make sure you’re completely comfortable with what you’re wearing and verify that your outfit is in line with your company’s dress code so you can exude a self-assured demeanor that will serve you well in the workplace.