Alright, maybe “baddie” isn’t the right word, but I am convinced that everyone who even puts a slight effort into their outfits can automatically be a baddie. While I wouldn’t say I’ve perfected the “corporate baddie” style, I have been known for my more business-casual or professional outfits (polos, dress shirts, slacks, and suits) and do believe I have at least a little bit of helpful knowledge that could inspire a few people! Peek my best tips and lessons I’ve learned below:
Where to shop
For the best budget staples, I’ve found H&M to really lean into the business sector of fashion well; their blazers and slacks are great beginner pieces to start a wardrobe. In the middle price range I recommend Uniqlo, as they have incredibly high-quality button-ups (highly recommend the button-ups) and their pants fit really well, especially for wintertime. Uniqlo also has a free hemming service available which is great for nice pants! On the higher-end side, I find J. Crew to have great slacks in a variety of inseams and waist sizes, but try to catch them on sale and in the factory stores for a better price.
Thrift stores also have great options from a lot of the older folks getting rid of pieces they no longer wear—look for brands like Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Ann Taylor for high quality pieces. I’ve found multiple Banana Republic shirts at Goodwill for only $10 (original retail of $90)!
What to look for
With professional wear, the fabric really matters. Look for pieces that have high cotton, wool, or linen contents (keep in mind that linen will be difficult to keep wrinkle-free), but don’t be scared of a bit of polyester—this is normally what helps prevent too many wrinkles in your items so you don’t have to constantly iron. Also pay attention to how versatile an item is; bright patterned shirts are great but difficult to layer with and style. Check for loose threads and buttons (and make sure all the buttons on the cuffs and collar will button around your wrists and neck) when shopping to understand what you’re purchasing before actually buying it. Even the higher-end brands can have snags in fabric sometimes, as unfortunate as it is.
Putting together outfits
This really depends on what type of “corporate” vibe you’re looking for, but having a variety of neutral pants to pair with more colorful tops provides easy matching in the morning. A good medium to dark wash of jeans with a nice polo can be paired easily with sneakers for a more comfortable and casual look, while swapping the jeans for slacks can quickly dress it up. On colder days, wearing a sweatshirt or sweater vest over a button up shirt is an easy layering trick that still gives chic! And of course, on days when you won’t be doing too much laborious work, a suit requires the littlest amount of thought since you only have to pick the shirt!
Accessories!!
Like most girls, I tend to have only a couple necklaces I swap between, and this makes it super easy to accessorize. I mainly go for different earrings depending on the day, but also enjoy pairing my sock color to my shirt. As a collector of long socks specifically to wear under slacks and jeans, I take pride in adding whimsy to otherwise serious outfits with a sneaky sock peeking out from the bottom of my pants. I’ve also become enamored with lapel pins after inheriting some from my grandmother, and I think they’re a great opportunity to show some more fun aside from the typical jewelry.
Some lessons I’ve learned 🙂
While of course it’s fun to dress up super formally, just because that may be my normal style doesn’t mean I can’t also wear other styles too. There’s a large emphasis on being “cohesive” through the outfits people wear, but remember that you’re not constrained to only dressing one way! Some days I’ll show up in a suit; others, a Bayern München or McLaren jersey. It doesn’t mean one style is any “better” than another, but are instead both valid forms of expressing oneself. Have fun with fashion and don’t let others’ views on certain styles stop you from being your baddie self <3.