I’m not much of a capsule wardrobe girl (too much of a shopping addict) but I am a big proponent that all you need is a few cute workwear staples and you can make about a million different outfits for work that you’ll actually like to wear, you’ll feel good in, and don’t feel like you borrowed your mom’s clothes for the office.
Here are 5 cute workwear staples I love for an office hot girl vibe.
(if you’re more of a tiktok gal, you can just watch below!)
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 generally a-ok. My exact outfits may not work for you if you work in a more business professional setting! However, I tried to pick these cute workwear staples that should be safe choices no matter where you work.
Let’s get on with it!
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Cute workwear staple #1: Silky Shirt
Click the photos above for outfit details!
A basic silky shirt — doesn’t have to be real silk, satin, or anything of the sort — is a total office staple piece for me. I find that they tend to look a lot nicer and more expensive than a basic white button down in a cotton or poplin. For me white button downs never seem to drape as nicely as a satin shirt does, and I just feel like it’s a way more flattering look!
My favorite silky shirt for work is the Zara satin effect button down — it’s a steal and comes in about a trillion colors (I’m wearing it in white above). H&M has a similar one as well for even cheaper! I’m wearing it in brown above and have linked it in the carousel below.
I’ve also linked a couple other options for nice silky button downs to wear to work that won’t break the bank below!
Cute workwear staple #2: Neutral Trousers
Click the photos above for outfit details!
I don’t know about you but I’m personally incredibly stoked that we’re living in a world where trousers are very much in style. There have never been so many chic, fashionable trouser options accessible to my demographic before and I love it!
Unsurprisingly again, my all-time favorite work trousers are the Zara high waisted pants. I have them in four colors and don’t intend to stop anytime soon — the tan ones in the middle up there are my most worn for sure. With these pants, I find it helpful to try on the specific pair you want in store, as they can vary a little bit from pair to pair and some are tighter on me than others.
If you’re not near a Zara, or have tried the pants and they don’t work on you, I’ve heard both Stradivarius and Dynamite have good dupes for them and I’ve linked them below!
Another favorite of mine is the Princess Polly Archer pants — I have them in slate grey (above) and in a darker brown. At 5’3, they definitely come a little long on me, so I have four inch heels on in the photo above and they just hit the floor. For my other pair, I used iron-on hem tape to flip up the bottom hem and that helped shorten them a little bit without any sewing skills necessary!
I’ve linked a tooooon of other pants options below — Dynamite and H&M are favorites of mine for this staple!
Cute workwear staple #3: Comfortable Close-Toed Shoes
Click the photos above for outfit details!
This is definitely a topic of some hot debate as of late, but I feel like if you want to play it safe in the office you should follow the same rules there as you would with men — no free feet. In my office personally, open-toed shoes aren’t an issue, and I do wear them from time to time in the summer, but more often than not I feel like it’s best and most professional to wear closed-toed shoes in the office.
As far as the shoes themselves, there are so many great options! I love a mule, either flat or with a heel. You can’t go wrong with classic boot or bootie. A chunky loafer or chelsea boot is super on-trend and can definitely be office-appropriate. And if you have a more casual workplace, a clean white sneaker can also be a great option!
I love to get my mules and loafers from Target, as I feel like they’re always super professional, they have a bunch of options, and they’re always affordable. For boots, I tend to invest a little more because I know for sure I’m not just going to wear them in the office, I’ll wear them throughout my life too.
I’ve linked all of my favorite work shoes below, with the exception of these boots from pull & bear, which are my favorite shoes of all time, not even just work shoes, and I’d die for them and you need them. Thanks!
Cute workwear staples #4: Basic Bodysuit or Tank Top
Click the photos above for outfit details!
I am of the personal opinion that I am way too old to undo a button in my crotch to pee at work (that’s more of a drunk in the club endeavor for me) but if you’re not, I’d highly recommend investing in a classic bodysuit to add to your work wardrobe. If you are like me, a simple and sleek tank top will do just fine.
Similar to the above, the notion that men will tell the church if we arrive in the office with our shoulders showing has become a hot topic of discussion lately, so as always, you know your office best — bring a cardigan or blazer if showing some shoulder is too scandy for your workplace. I work in an ice rink so even in the dead of summer I don’t often leave for work without a layer or some kind anyway!
As far as bodysuits go, the main players in this game are going to be Zara (per usual), Abercrombie, and Aritzia. While I think Aritizia’s contour bodysuits are actually pretty fairly priced for what they are, if you can’t stomach the price point I don’t blame you. The Zara halterneck bodysuit is my go-to when I need a simple tank to pair with anything, and Amazon has a near-identical dupe for it as well. Abercrombie has a similar contouring fabric to Aritzia that truly is so nice, and worth the splurge to me as well.
However, if you’re firmly anti-bodysuit, allow me to introduce you to my favorite tank top while I still can. It’s very similar to Aritzia’s shoulder pad top, but without actual shoulder pads. Best, it’s $10 from H&M. As of now they only have a blue available, but I’m hoping they bring other colors back in the future. In the meantime, I’ve linked what looks like a similar top from Gap below!
Last but not least, and I truly hope you know how much it pains me to say this, the Aritzia sculpt knit tops are the most “worth it” piece of clothing I own. I have the high neck version and the square neck version, both cropped, both in black and white, and I wear at least one of them every week to work AND out on the weekend. It physically makes me ill to pay almost $60 for a tank top, but trust me when I say they are life-changing and beyond worth the investment. I ordered three more during clientele and I want to throw up thinking about it but god I love them.
Anyway, long rant but links to many many options below!
Cute workwear staple #5: Oversized Blazer
Click the photos above for outfit details!
This is going to be my shortest bit yet because for me, I’ve found the perfect affordable oversized blazer and I don’t need to look any further. It’s $40 from H&M (it was $35 up until a week ago, rude), it comes and goes in many colors, and for the price the quality is unbeatable. I have it in pink and olive (pictured above) and black and tan as well.
I like my leather blazer from zara, but for me the H&M guy is the only winner. It is, unfortunately, elusive though — you may have to keep an eye on the listing to see when it comes back in stock, and snap it up immediately when it is. In the meantime, H&M has a ton of other options that are worth looking into as well, as do other retailers like Asos, Nasty Gal, and boohoo.
I’ve linked a bunch of options below, including a link to the product page for the H&M blazer that may or may not be available at present. Special callout to that gorgeous green nastygal one — I think I need to snap that up immediately.
Hopefully this post will serve as some inspo on some staple pieces you can add to your work wardrobe!
