How to Style a Classic Office Dress for Many Occasions

It has been about 1.5 years since I finished school and started my first real-world job. One of the toughest challenges for me along with a good number of people starting out is building up a professional wardrobe. If you have a typical office job where business casual dress or more is expected everyday, it's time to say good-bye to the good old college days of UGGs, Northface sweaters, crop tops, and short shorts (at least Monday through Fridays).
If you're a typical post-graduate like me, the resources for nice clothes will be limited at the start and it will take time to slowly build up the "grown up" wardrobe.

Today I will discuss what to look for in terms of versatile office clothes to really get the best value out of buying office clothes for new professionals. Over time I have stumbled upon timeless pieces that function well through different seasons and work events, whether I'm working a typical day in the office to going out for drinks at night. Versatility and fit are both key to getting the most wear out of your professional wardrobe.

Classic Black Sheath Dress

My all-time favorite and most versatile dress in my professional wardrobe would have to be my Theory Betty Sheath Dress. At first glance it may look like a black dress you can buy anywhere... until you try it on. I was skeptical at blowing a lot of money on a plain black dress until I tried it on at Bloomingdale's and instantly fell in love with it! It draped at the right angles and did not have a boxy look. The cotton fabric is pretty high quality and the timeless design made it a winner. Despite the rather conservative appearance, it still looks good enough to wear going out and has been my best go-to basic dress for date nights or events that require more sophisticated attire. Here are some ways in which I styled this dress for various types weather:

Winter: During winter I tend to throw on a pair of black tights, scarf, and a coat, making it a quick and easy transition from warmer to colder weather. A pair of knee high boots also helps to keep warm!

Spring/Summer: Warmer weather means being able to wear the basic dress alone with heels. The classic fit makes it appropriate for the office as everyday wear or even for more formal presentations when worn with a blazer. For spring, I tend to pair my work dresses with a Burberry trench coat.

Going Out (Dressed Up): Since the dress has such a classic design, adding pearls and a trench coat makes for a great, sophisticated going out outfit. This is appropriate for work events and nice dinner dates.

Going Out (Dressed Down): If going on a vacation get-away, it is still possible to style this dress according to the occasion. Pairing it with a hat and sandals or wedges will work wonders for dressing this down to a more casual level.

Outfit Details:

 | Dress- Theory | Trench Coat- Burberry | Wedges- Johnston & Murphy | Heels- Guess | Hat- random market I stumbled upon in Greece | Necklace- Nordstrom Rack |