This post provides suggestions what to wear for a new job in the first weeks, and why you should not start shopping for new work attire prior to starting the job.
- When to Start Buying Work Clothes for the New Job
- Wear Variations of Your Interview Outfit
- Identify the Key Items of the Office’s Style
- Wrapping Up What to Wear on a New Job
When to Start Buying Work Clothes for the New Job
You successfully mastered the interview dress challenges for a job in a corporate or conservative, or creative job field. You made the cut and got the job – congratulations. Now you need a working wardrobe for the office. Don’t buy a whole new wardrobe just yet – prior to completing your first two weeks on the new job! You may end up with a closet full of items you’ll never wear.
Also, when the new job is a back to work position after a long break of not being in the work force, don’t rely on your old office wardrobe. Read why to check your old work gear before going back to work.
Wear Variations of Your Interview Outfit
Instead wear your trusted classic items in outfits that are a little down dressed version of what you wore at the interview. That outfit passed their dress code once, i.e. it was a winner. Thus, you cannot be wrong with variations of it.
Identify the Key Items of the Office’s Style
In the first two weeks, watch what your most stylish and most successful colleagues are wearing as well as what your boss wears. Identify their key items by answering these questions.
- When there is a dress code, how close is it followed?
- Is this a dress, pants, pants or skirt suit, or skirt place?
- Does this office have a Casual Friday culture or dress code, and if so, what is it?
- What are the brands and fabrics that are It among colleagues at same rank or one rank up?
- What are the key items of what is worn that will work with your style?
Use the answers to these questions as a guide to start shopping for your new work wardrobe. Start with what is missing in your “interview suitable” wardrobe to transfer into a work wardrobe for the new job and work from there. You may also like to take some hints form this post on how to have non-boring corporate style.
Wrapping Up What to Wear for a New Job
Good luck with your new job and congratulations once more. Dress for Success means also not to threaten you boss. Thus, wear for the job you want may be not the best advice, if you dress for your first day on the job. A down-dressed version of the boss’ look (when she is female) is a safe approach. But don’t be a copycat. Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. Also remember why it’s always better to be over- than underdressed.
When you liked the tips in this post, you may also want to get my style recipe book How to Dress for Success in Midlife with outfit recipes for all kind of dressing situations. It provides outfit suggestions for all kind of dressing situations. Buy it now.
Get the inspirations to dress your best in midlife. Subscribe to High Latitude Style. Deep inside you know when I can do it you can do it too.
Photos: G. Kramm
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