At my office, I am big proponent of the occasional wardrobe boost – it shows others that you are creative, flexible and interesting. Believe it or not, simply looking presentable in the same suit, trousers and shirts day to day begin to give off a stale impression. A few changes from time to time, keep people noticing you and interested in talking to you. If you look like you are stuck in a fashion rut, you also look like you are stuck in a rut and that could be doing damage to your career.
Here are a few items that you should add to your wardrobe this year to show your colleagues that you are not interested in blending into the masses and want to be noticed. In my opinion, 2007 is one of the best fashion seasons in a long time to inject the latest trends into an otherwise bland wardrobe because the dominate styles this season are genteel, English, refined and overall professional looking.
V-Neck Sweater
This classic preppy piece is now a wardrobe staple. In either a bright or subdued jewel tone, wear it over a crisp white tee-shirt with dark jeans or beige corduroys on a casual Friday or under a nice tweed sports jacket and over a white collared shirt on a Monday and you not only get extra warmth this winter, but look streamlined and orderly. It is a little known fact that sweaters make people look warm and approachable so this little diddy might just prompt your boss to give you an exciting new assignment or invite you to participate on a project for which you might have otherwise been overlooked.
Check out the luxurious cashmere options by Burberry, Salty and Harrison.
Military Style Coat
Put away the traditional trench coat this year and opt for a double breasted wool military style coat. The full length formal look of this coat looks serious, just like you. Right? A belt in the winter adds to the formality but remove the belt in the late fall and early spring to wear it open and show off the rest of your outfit. Hugo Boss, Costume National Homme and Burberry have excellent examples.
Light Gray Suit
Try stepping out of your traditional navies, blacks and dark grays in the blah winter months and into a light to medium gray suit. It is surprisingly cheerful set amongst the dark, dreary colours of your co-works during these bleak months and, set against the right shirt and tie combination, can easily take you into the spring and summer months. Calvin Klein, Prada and Zegna all are demonstrating that their fine tailored suits in light gray are stylish, inspiring and flattering.
Hats
I love the way a man in a hat looks. They look intelligent, sophisticated and refined. Sadly, very few men have the confidence to wear hats and even fewer actually wear them. However, very high end designers are trying hard to bring back this classic item and its definitely worth a shot! Gucci, Prada, Burberry have stylish twists to this outfit topper.
Tweed Sports Jacket
A great example of the hot British inspired fashion this season. Dress is down with jeans or up with a pair of dressy trousers, this piece is an incredibly versatile addition to your wardrobe. It will make you look and feel like a true gentleman and show people that you are a dependable, hardworking guy. In a nice version from John Varvatos, you will look anything but stuffy.
