office outfits, vol. i
twelve ensembles I've worn to work this year
My office is relatively informal, as far as dress codes go (publishing is a creative—or at least, creative-adjacent—industry, after all). But I still like to make a little bit of an effort on the days that I’m not working from home.
There are, of course, certain practicalities that I have to take into account when dressing for the office: the first being my commute (I either walk or take the bus), which, especially when coupled with the weather, can dictate shoes, hemlines, and outerwear. The second consideration is the office temperature. Like so many North American buildings, we are hectically over-air conditioned, so sleeves are a non-negotiable, even when summer is at its peak. And then there’s the fact that I spend the majority of the day on my laptop, so ultimately I want whatever I wear to be comfortable and relatively fuss-free.
There are exceptions, of course, but if I had to sum up my formula for office dressing, it would consist of a base shirt (typically a white tee, or a turtleneck when it’s cold enough to warrant one), an overlayer of some kind, and a semi-structured pair of trousers or jeans. Listen, I never said it was groundbreaking!
My daily office jewelry consists of Sophie Buhai hoop earrings, a Mondo Mondo Odalisque ring (which is probably my most-complimented accessory) and Cafe ring set (they no longer manufacture the latter, but combining these two would approximate the look), as well as my engagement ring.
Shall we get into the outfits?
I’ve been obsessed with this Giorgio Armani jacket—though it’s almost too lightweight to really qualify as a jacket—since I first spotted it on The RealReal in 2022, but it’s tougher to style than I initially anticipated. It would probably suit my proportions better and get more wear if it were a couple inches shorter or slightly cinched at the waist, but I’ve found that I can make it work layered over a fitted tee and loose jeans, and with the first of the three sets of ties fastened in a bow (so, exactly how I’m wearing it here). Something about me is I really love a bit of dangling fabric, so these ties really do it for me.
It’s tough to see in the photo, but this black silk Sonia Rykiel blouse has a really delicate (slightly clown-esque) pleated collar that completely encircles the neck. I love it so much, but unfortunately, it’s just a touch too small for me under the arms and across the chest (and therefore prone to gaping, which isn’t ever ideal, but is particularly unwelcome in an office setting). If you’re intrigued and your bust is smaller than a C cup, it’s listed on my Poshmark here.
In any case, I wore the blouse with my white pleated cotton Dries van Noten shorts and a perfect, (new-in!) belt from Nili Lotan. The shorts were a purchase very much inspired by these costumes that the child actors wear in Lasse Hallström’s My Life as a Dog (1985), and are nearly knee-length, so definitely office-appropriate, though they can skew a little bit frumpy. Outside of work, I try to balance out that frumpiness with a top that shows a bit of skin. While I’m on the clock, though, I just push up my sleeves to reveal some wrist and choose a leg-elongating shoe (in this case, heeled tabi ballerinas).
This is a lot more casual than I would typically dress at work, but I was flying solo in the office (and, admittedly, trying to squeeze out an extra day between hair washes). The navy cardigan—which I love paired with the army green colour of the pants—is quite possibly my workwear MVP. It makes three appearances in this newsletter alone! It’s durable, well-priced, and somehow the perfect weight no matter the season. It also has a slimmer silhouette than a lot of my other knits, which can help balance out all the voluminous bottoms to which I’ve been gravitating in recent years. When the sweater first entered my closet (via a Secret Santa gift exchange in 2024), I played around with different ways of styling it, but now I almost exclusively wear it exactly this way: with two buttons undone at both the top and bottom, which I find nicely elongates my (short) torso.
On their own, light wash jeans, a white tee, and a checked shirt are probably better suited to a barn than an office. Somehow, though, tying a thin knit around the shoulders, and—though not visible here—pairing the look with red, suede, pointed-toe shoes (the ones I have are similar to these)—imbues enough preppiness that I don't feel completely out of place wearing this to work at my laptop all day. It's also an outfit that really benefits from the polish of a blow out (or any other equally effortful hairstyle).
Another western-leaning ensemble! And a cozy one at that. The jacket definitely brings the personality to the outfit, but the jeans feel tailored and refined enough to keep things looking semi-professional.
This double-breasted Acne Studios blazer has a matching pair of trousers, but I would feel really overdressed wearing the full suit at my office. That’s the beauty of a matching set, though! I can separate out and dress down the jacket or the pants for more casual day-to-day outfits, or wear them together on more formal occasions (conferences, weddings, etc.). I know Acne also produced a pair of tailored shorts in the same fabric, so I’m always keeping on eye out for those in my size (FR 38) on resale sites (in the meantime, here they are in size FR 34 and FR 36). The blazer is a cotton-wool blend, so on hot summer days, I’ll carry (as opposed to wear) it to work.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: RIP Saks Potts. The brand shuttered last year, and I’m so glad I bought a pair of their Salma carpenter jeans—in the SSENSE sale a few years ago—while I still had the chance. They’re made from a soft and lightweight denim that drapes really nicely and I love the pale yellow colour, especially when paired with the deep red of this coral necklace.
I wore this on one of the last chilly days of the season. In warmer weather, I’d just switch out the turtleneck for a t-shirt.
My witchiest office outfit of the bunch, especially when you consider that the skirt reaches about halfway down my calves and I usually pair it with heeled knee-length black leather boots. I really only wear the skirt in cooler months, but it’s lightweight enough that I could hypothetically transition it into warm weather, so I’ll have to play around with the styling and report back!
Skirt-aside, I find a monochrome base and a contrasting outer layer to be a pretty failsafe outfit formula (even though, as a self-diagnosed Light Summer, I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be avoiding black altogether…).
I love these vintage pleated wool YSL Rive Gauche trousers and regularly wear them to work (at least, September through April when it’s cool enough to do so), but they take a little bit of finessing to get right on my body. They're super wide-legged, so I like to highlight my waist for some balance, but they're so high-waisted that simply tucking in whatever top I happen to be wearing makes my torso look comically short. And that's where my trusty cardigan—once again unbuttoned at the top and bottom—comes in handy. I can’t say for sure what shoes I was wearing here, but I can guarantee that they had a pointed-toe for elongation purposes.
One of the rare recent instances in which I wore capital-C Colour to the office. And looking back at this photo makes me think I should do it more often! The shirt is oversized on me (it’s a men’s size M), which can make it feel a bit more casual. To smarten things up a little, I tucked it in and, though they’re out of frame here, paired the look with shiny black loafers.
This last look is really nothing to write home about, and I've actually since consigned these Soeur trousers (I rarely reached for them). It is, however, another example of how much use I get out of the humble cardigan. It's also an argument for not relegating what could be classified as vacation-y accessories (in this case, the bangles) to the beach!
Thank you, as always, for reading and being here. And if you enjoyed this newsletter, keep in mind that a like or a comment—hell, even a share!—goes a long way in helping others discover collaging.
Carolyn x