How to Look Well Put-Together at Work

Have you ever admired someone that is well put-together but not known how to do this yourself?

If you’re reading this I’m guessing the thought may have crossed your mind at least once.

And the graduates of The Style System are amazing examples of going from lost to leveled-up after learning the ins-and-outs of style.

Keep reading to learn the 5 differences between the Before and After pictures of my lovely client, Elena, and why the changes make her look more put-together.

Bonus points if you apply one or more of these concepts and share a selfie of your intentional outfit in the comments!

Here are 5 Ways Elena Upgraded Her Look:

Upgrade 1: Find Your Personal Style

In the Before picture, Elena was unsure about her style which translated into her outfits through a mix of different styles creating an incohesive look. 

• The structured plaid blazer is conveying a formal yet sporty look 
• The shoes are also sporty but a lot more casual
• The pants are a very classic dress pant
• The design of the top was lost under the blazer

Elena realized that a more simple, elegant and feminine style was most aligned to her relationship-oriented nature and appreciation for aesthetically unique looks.

With this clarity, she was able to streamline her style and began wearing more:

• Simple and unstructured items
• Flowy materials
• Feminine details like subtle ruffles & floral prints 
• Elegant shoes (embellished heels in the photo)

Upgrade 2: Know Your Best Colour Combinations for Clothes

In the Before picture, the colours in Elena’s outfit were all unrelated which also played a part in her outfit looking incohesive.

Elena identified that the subtle elegance of a neutral colour palette was most authentic to her which helped her coordinate the colours in her outfit more intentionally. 

In this case, the white shoes tied perfectly to her white blouse. The light and dark tones in her skirt relate perfectly to the light colour of the blouse and dark colour of the blazer creating a cohesive look altogether.

Upgrade 3: Know How to Style a Blazer

In the Before picture, the sleeve length of the blazer extended over Elena’s hand creating an oversized look and taking away from the polish of the outfit.

Elena cuffed the sleeve of the blazer in the After picture which creates a much more polished and intentional look while exposing her narrow wrists which has a flattering slimming effect.

Upgrade 4: Know How to Choose the Right Shoes for an Outfit

In the Before picture, the white shoes don’t relate to any other part of the outfit in terms of style or colour.

Elena’s shoes in the After picture align much better to her elegant style, they align to the femininity of the skirt and to the white colour of the blouse contributing to an overall cohesive look.

Upgrade 5: Style Your Hair Intentionally

Elena was already very good at styling her hair but she had never thought about how her hairstyle contributes to the overall look.

In the After picture, Elena intentionally tied her hair back in an elegant bun to relate to the simple elegance of the outfit. 

This also opened up the neckline which already had a lot going on with the high neckline of the blouse, lapel of the blazer and high contrast colours of the white blouse and black blazer.

Key Takeaways

The key concept for you to take away from this example is cohesion.

Create a cohesive look by making sure the pieces you are combining relate to each other in terms of style and colour.

What nugget of wisdom can you take away from Elena’s transformation and apply to your own style?

Julie Murrell

Image Strategist & Career Growth Catalyst for Professional Women

> Your Canadian style teacher that spells colour with a ‘u’

>> Lover of cohesive outfits

P.S. If you’d like to speak with me 1-on-1 for personalized guidance on how to create a confident professional image,

Book a Style Strategy Session and I’ll share the exact system I’ve used for myself and my private image clients to master their image & style.