Business Professional · From the Tryoom app
How to Build a Five-Day Work Wardrobe
Ten well-chosen pieces give you a different work outfit every day for two weeks straight. The list, the rotation, and what to ignore.
How to Build a Five-Day Work Wardrobe
Ten well-chosen pieces give you a different work outfit every day for two weeks straight. The list itself is short. Spec'ing the pieces well is the part that matters.
The 10 pieces
- Black tailored trousers
- Ecru tailored trousers (or warm beige)
- Dark wash straight-leg jeans
- Knee-length black pencil skirt or wool A-line midi
- Ivory silk blouse
- Pale blue cotton oxford button-down
- Cream cashmere or merino crewneck sweater
- Black or charcoal blazer
- Camel or beige trench coat
- Black leather pointed-toe pumps + clean white leather sneakers + cognac loafers
The five-day rotation
- Monday: ivory silk blouse + black trousers + black pumps + blazer.
- Tuesday: pale blue oxford + ecru trousers + cognac loafers.
- Wednesday: cream cashmere crewneck + black pencil skirt + black pumps + trench.
- Thursday: pale blue oxford (sleeves rolled, untucked) + dark jeans + cognac loafers + blazer.
- Friday: cream cashmere + dark jeans + clean white sneakers + trench.
The second week
Re-mix. Black trousers + cashmere crewneck + sneakers (Friday-casual). Pencil skirt + oxford + pumps. The same 10 pieces give 12-15 distinct combinations before any repeat.
The accessories that double the rotation
- One thin gold necklace, one slightly thicker one. Layer or wear solo.
- One leather belt (black) that fits all the trousers and the dress.
- One scarf in a warm pattern (paisley, abstract) to break up monochrome days.
The maintenance
- Dry-clean the blazer and trench at the end of every season.
- Hand-wash silk blouses; never wring.
- Resole the pumps before the leather goes through. A $40 resole adds two years to a $200 shoe.