Essential Wardrobe Items for the Working Mom

I am not your typical fashion blogger but I am a working
mother who needed to update her wardrobe for work!  I found myself in a mom fashion rut when I
would dress for work.  My office is relatively
relaxed as far as our work dress code however we are always to appear
professional and appropriate.  Dressing
for work and also for dressing for kid wrangling after work is one of the
hardest parts of dressing in the mornings! 
Here are some tips and items that I have filled my closet and dressers
full of.  Since doing some wardrobe
upgrades I walk into work feeling comfortable and confident and know that I am
dressing my Mom Body to my profession! 

Shoes 

I love shoes, I have way too many in my closet but you have to have the right pair for every occasion right?  My picks on shoes are; flats and the occasional heel!  

Find a good pair of flats:  Dressing your feet for work isn’t just for the 9-5 work day, think about what you will be doing before work and after work.  Will your feet be able to handle the amazing heels you want to wear?  I know that 8 hours in heels is quite long enough for me so I stick to my flats most days.  I try to have a pair of black and brown flats but also throw in a patterned or bright colored shoe too!  

Rock a pair of heels:  YES!  Every woman needs to walk into the office with heels on.  Appropriate heels of course!  Find a pump that gives you height but not “pole” height!  For winter I also have a couple pairs of dressy boots for the cool weather.  

You can never have too many shoes!!

Pants

Dress Pants: Find different colors but basic colors to bring more outfit options to your closet.  Look for Black, Brown, Khaki, and Grey.  These pants will be the base to your wardrobe.  

Friday Jean Day Jeans:  Don’t you love Friday?  I do because I get to dress up my jeans at work!  Find a dark jean to make your dress down day still appropriate when meeting with customers and clients.  Skinny jeans and boot-cut are more appealing to me and my style.  The darker the better!

Dressin’ It Up

I really like wearing dresses (and even an awesome jumpsuit) in the spring and summer to work, especially when the idea of putting long pants on is unbearable in the heat! A dress or skirt can make you look professional but brings you a ton of comfort for the day as well.

Winter/Spring/Summer Dresses:  Dresses can be your year round friend if you find a great pair of tights and boots.  For summer you can find a simple slip dress and add a shrug and you are good to go!  A great dress gives me confidence any time of the year.  Do keep in mind the length of your dresses.  Appropriate for work? Appropriate for when your toddler is hanging on your legs? 

Knee length Skirt:  Find a flattering knee length skirt.  This skirt can be a starter to many fun outfits. Again, keep in mind the cut and length of the skirt.  

Accessory Time

Accessories are your friend.  Earrings, necklaces, bracelets and my newest obsession Scarves.  These simple yet easy items can dress up your outfit or even dress it down.  Add colors and fun to your work wardrobe!  Be mindful if you are around toddlers and babies, they love to pull on jewelry.  I wait to put on my accessories until after I drop off the kiddos.  

Jewelry:  Find some staples in your jewelry.  Neutral colors to be used in more than one outfit.  Bring in some pops of color with chunky necklaces too.  

Scarves:  Yes scarves year round!  Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter!  Find some great patterns and colors to bring your wardrobe to the highest fashion!  Also, get some great ideas for scarf knots online.  It is art.  

Dressing your Top

Your pants, jeans, shoes and skirts can be pretty neutral.  Add the top of the outfits and you create a great wardrobe with multiple options.  Once you have the base items buy some great pieces to dress your top.  As a mom I think about how covered I am when I am lugging kiddos around.  I do not want to be exposed when picking my children up. 

Cami’s of every color:  I have a lot of cami’s and tanks.  I wear one almost every day.  Get bold with colors and styles.  

Cardigans:  Find a couple cardigans to use to turn a casual outfit into a dressier outfit.  Go with solid colors. Black, White, Cream, and Grey would help extend your wardrobe.  

Wraps:  Shrugs and wraps can add layers to your outfits.  I love my wraps and shrugs on days that I feel bloated.  Honest!  

Dressy Tops:  Find some dressier tops that you do not need cardigans or wraps with.  Wrap tops are flattering and professional.  

What are the staples in your Working Mom Wardrobe?