Hi friends! It’s been a while since I updated the group on my favorite workwear wardrobe staples, so I put together a little video sharing some of my must-have items that I’ve bought and loved for years. These pieces are staples in my closet that I reach for every week, and would definitely recommend if you’re looking for pants, skirts, or even jeans for work that are affordable and stylish. Let’s jump in!
If you’re more of a video gal, check out my TikTok below for more info:
@goforkady Replying to @🅹🆄🆂🆃🅸🅽🅴 a long awaited update to my favorite affordable staple work pants (and skirts)! #workwear #wardrobestaples #closetstaples #affordablefashion #officeoutfits @abercrombie @Gap @target @ZARA @Amazon Fashion @UNIQLO USA ♬ original sound – goforkady
For reference before we get started:
1. I’m 5’3″ and typically a size 6/28/M
2. I work in a fairly laid-back office, where business casual to athletic wear is common. My exact outfits may not work for you if you work in a more business professional setting!
Let’s get on with it!
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Gap 365 High Rise Pleated Trousers
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These pants are a newer addition to my workwear wardrobe and they’ve quickly become my absolute favorite work pants of all time. I get them in my true size, a 6, though I feel like I could probably size down or up one and be totally fine. The fabric and drape of these is what made them dethrone the Sloane pants for me — there’s something about how they move and the weight of the pants that is truly so so good. I have them in black and brown and literally wear them multiple times a week.
I am a high rise stan and linen hater, but if you’re into either of those, these pants do also come in linen, low rise, and also curvy fit!
Abercrombie Sloane Pants
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At the end of the day the Abercrombie Sloane pants are a tried and true favorite for a reason. The cut is great, they come in a ton of colors, and with sales and coupons they’re always fairly affordable. My only gripe with them is how inconsistent sizing can be — I feel like I wear anything from a 27 to a 29, short or regular, curve love or normal in these, and I always have to try them on in store or gamble with an online order for them to be right. Once I get the size though, these pants are staples I’ve hung onto and worn for years.
Target Signature Crepe Essential Trousers
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If you really want to be mindful of budget without sacrificing style, these Sloane pant dupe trousers from Target are absolutely the one. The cut is a little less tailored/straighter in the leg, but they come in a bunch of great classic colors, are always available in stores, come in a ton of sizes and lengths, and best of all are literally $35. The material on these is so nice too, I like it more than my Sloane pants and I think it holds up better over time too!
Zara High Waisted Pants
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Now if we really want to talk a wardrobe staple that I’ve bought again and again and has lasted me for years, the Zara high waisted pants may truly be that. I literally think I bought my first pair of these around the same time I started this blog (many, many years ago), and I still wear them all the time. Full disclosure, I’m carrying a touch more weight than usual lately (I’m in a happy relationship, sue me) so my usual medium is feeling a little tighter around the waist in these than I’d prefer, so if I were to buy some today I’d consider sizing up to a large. That said, sizing even across the same size label can vary a bit in these as well so I always recommend trying on in store if you can.
Amazon Satin Maxi Skirt
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This amazon skirt is a newer acquisition for me and I only have it in one color, but it’s honestly such a solid piece that I reach for again and again that I had to share it. It’s less than $35, comes in a ton of colors, and for an amazon find, the quality and weight of the satin is extremely nice. I get my true size (medium) in this and it hits right at my ankle. It’s suuuuuch a good staple to have in your closet, especially as spring and summer come up and make dressing for the office that much more annoying.
Abercrombie Scarlett Skort
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The Abercrombie Scarlett Skort is my favorite mini skirt of all time and it is not particularly close. Over the last four or five years since they introduced it (initially as the menswear mini skort), I have slowly replaced all of my mini skirts with this one. The cut of it for me is so perfect. The length perfect. Tasteful enough to wear to a casual workplace like mine but cute enough to wear out with your girlfriends. I typically get a medium in this, but after years of cyberbullying Abercrombie they finally released a curve love version, so I can also do a small in that. I tried the CL medium as well but found it to be almost too big on my hips for me, so regular medium or curve love small it is.
This is another one that also comes in linen and low rise, but as I’m a hater of both I’ve never tried either.
Honorable Mention: Uniqlo Barrel Jeans
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Your resident jeans hater has entered the chat and she has news: I found a pair of jeans I actually, genuinely love. I stumbled across these Uniqlo barrel jeans last summer and my life has truly been changed. I don’t know what other pants I’ve ever even worn anymore. I have them in black, light denim, and white, and I’m waiting very impatiently for them to drop my perfect dark denim wash next. I get them in a size up from my usual (29) and take in the waist on them (I have a tutorial for how I do this here) and they fit like the most perfect jeans I could ever imagine. And!! They are literally $50. You must buy them.
Hopefully these recommendations help you build out your dream workwear wardrobe and help make putting together cute outfits on a budget easier! Stay tuned for the next post in this series where I go over my favorite workwear staple tops too!
As always, check out my tiktok for more workwear content. I’m super active there so feel free to reach out there if you have any questions!
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