putting together a great/functinal/good looking work outfit:
1) visualize, visualize, visualize, the night before
2) check the weather! cannot stress the importance of this. a coat, scarf, or gloves can take a good outfit to GREAT.
3) make sure you have a well lit closet. sometimes navy looks like black looks like brown in poor lighting.
4) mix and match fabrics, pattern, color, texture, and print
5) if going all black (which happens often, especially when you'r running late) go for a bright, bold crazy accessory like shoes, scarf, necklace, earrings, or hair piece
6) it's all about the shoes... if you'r wearing hollywood stripper heels to work (which, sometimes i do), make sure you have demure tights on, a skirt that hits at the knee or lower, or your button up is actually buttoned up
7) pick one feature to go crazy with... wanna show work appropriate cleavage? wear lose slacks. wanna show some leg? wear a blazer that falls just a bit higher than that short skirt. wanna wear tight pants? wear a flowy top with conservative neck line.
8) wear earrings that are eazy on the ears. especially if you are going to be on the phone a lot. studs are not conducive. dangly hook ones work better when you gotta tuck that phone between your ear and shoulder while you're typing
a blog emails all day
9) speaking of typing, go easy on the bracelets. your carpel tunnel will thank you later. so will your near-by coworkers who dont want to hear your bangles banging against the desk, key board, and file cabinet all day.
and MOST IMPORTANTLY:
10) on a friday, wear something you can "file".... as in file under: comfy enough to sleep in, formal enough to wear to work with heels and a cardigan, and hot enough to go out in on a friday night. this means you're good to go for all day friday at work, friday when you go out, and saturday when you pass out in friday's clothes but are still comfortable to be functional