Womens Business Clothes; from dressing business casual to ultra professional

Womens business clothes are a staple of every professional woman's wardrobe.

I am giving them more thought these days as it's time for me to start thinking about going back out into the workforce.

And as daunting as going from stay at home mom to working mom sounds, I am not getting any confidence from my wardrobe.

Out of style jackets plus a mix of ill fitting suits and dress pants aren't really interview worthy.

So if you are transitioning from home to work or just looking to update your womens business clothes this is the torontoshopoholic guide to professional dressing.

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Spend money on a great suit

A great suit will take you from your first interview through business meetings and just another work day.

There are three things you should pay attention to when you are buying a suit to add to your womens business clothes.

The first is fit. Do not compromise on fit as you want to make a great first impression plus continue to make great impressions every time you put it on.

The second is the stance of the jacket. The larger the bust the higher the stance of the jacket should be in order to keep your chest inside the jacket where it belongs.

Finally pick a colour that is flattering to your skin tone. Beige can wash some people out and black can be harsh. Navy, richer browns and deep grays are more universally flattering.

Because you can use the pieces of a suit separately it can be a good idea to buy the skirt and pants that go with the blazer. Assuming everything fits like a glove!

Great places to find a suit in Toronto? Try places like Banana Republic or Club Monaco. Toronto designers like Envelop, Bergstrom Originals, Mirabelli and David Findlay all carry suits as well. You can also order online from JCREW.

Suit options above clockwise from the top: Favourite fit Super 120s pinstripe Durham pant JCREW, Super 120s three button jacket JCREW, City fit Super 150s Birds Eye trouser JCREW, stretch wool pencil skirt JCREW.

Mix and Match

Yes it is true one suit won't get you through the week. But you can mix and match your suit pieces with the other work appropriate items in your closet. Here is a list of other womens business clothes you are going to need.

• At least 5 blouses or tops that can easily be worn alone or under a jacket. 

Blouses and accessories are a great way to express your personality when stuck in a suit. 

• Dress pants; Assuming you have 1 pair with your suit three additional pairs of trousers including a black pair should make you through the week. 

Pants are perhaps the most versitle item in your work wardrobe.

• A couple skirts and day dresses are essential to a well rounded wardrobe. 

A pencil skirt and a wrap dress are excellent work appropriate items. 

• Shoes don't have to be your grandmothers black pumps in order to be work appropriate.

Fun colour, sky hi-heels and laser cut booties are all great for the office. Consider a shoe drawer to save your heels from the walk into the office!

Work options above clockwise from the top: Elizabeth and James Parachute Peplum Sleeveless Top Piperlime, Pant Banana Republic, House of Harlow Wedge in Black revolveclothing.com,Green pencil skirt Anthropologie, Tucker The Blouse Piperlime.

Dressing Business Casual

Its unlikely that you need to wear a power suit every day, but business casual clothes aren't simply your favourite distressed jeans and tees.

Business casual dress guidelines differ from office to office. A quick rule of thumb? Break a suit in half and pair the suit item with a more casual piece.

For example pair the suit pants with a sweater or the suit jacket with dark denim.

Another great work casual item? The pseudo suit. Make your own suit with khakis and a fine wale cord jacket for example.

Learn more about dressing business casual with the torontoshopoholic business casual dress guidelines.

You might also like:

JCREW

Want to find your womens business clothes locally? Click here for some Toronto shopping neighbourhoods!

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