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Don’t get me wrong, neutral colors like beige, cream, white, and gray are great for a reason, but they’re still a bit “blah.” They’re great because they go well with everything, but they do leave us lacking in the expression department. It’s time to break up with the idea that a professional school wardrobe means a loss of our personal style. This post will contain accent colors to add color to your work or school day.
Whether you’re starting a brand new career or looking for a change in your everyday look, this guide will help you liven up your professional school outfits.
Base Color
Since you need to start somewhere, try to stick to base colors that are either white/black/grey or white/cream/tan. Base colors work great for the basics like pants and shirts. You can then add on accent colors from there.
Outerwear
A colorful coat or jacket will be a pretty statement piece for a professional school wardrobe. To tone down the intensity, combine these pieces with neutral pieces. If you want to go for an even more bold look, pair with brightly colored heels or flats.
A long mustard wool coat ($124) Not only will this brighten up gloomy winter months, but it’ll keep you looking professional and lively at the same time.
Pair with: neutral tones/blue shades.
A red blazer ($18): This will help make any pant-suit combination pop.
Pair with: White/black/striped top, black/gray pants
Tops
Shirts, blouses, and sweaters oh my! To prevent going for fast fashion, avoid looks with prints. They’ll look great for a few uses, but then you’ll tire of them. Stick with colors and styles that fit your body type and skin tone well.
Royal blue top ($15) This will look great on anyone!
Pair with: Black/tan pant
Pants
Red pants ($25): Add a nice pop of color to your professional school wardrobe for a fresh spring and summer look.
Pair with: Neutral tops
Rust pants ($15): Rust or dark red are great colors for late summer and fall outfits!
Pair with: White or neutral top
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Gingham pants ($39): Although the gray and black classic checkered pants look great, the checkered look has gotten an upgrade with colors ranging from blues and greens to reds and orange.
Pair with: White or black solid top
Skirts
Yellow pencil skirt ($13): Throwing yellow into your professional school wardrobe is a nice touch, since many people shy away from such a bold color.
Pair with: White tops for a toned down look, Blues/reds for an even bolder look
Pink pleated skirt ($20): This will help you look polished and sleek without relying on boring grays.
Pair with: Black or white top, nude heels
Dresses
Emerald dress ($20): Emerald is such a pretty color and a great alternative to a black dress.
Pair with: Nude pumps
Red dress ($35): If you’re looking for something more bold than emerald, you can’t go wrong with a nice red dress.
Pair with: Nude pumps
Shoes
Red flats ($26): They say the shoes make an outfit, and I’d have to agree. Adding a pair of red shoes to top off a more neutral professional school wardrobe outfit, is a great way to add color to your office look.
Pair with: Any neutral tones/red top/black
Accessories
The best part of accessories is that you can really choose any color to accentuate a professional school wardrobe provided the colors fit. Tasteful colorful jewelry including bracelets, earrings, rings, watches: The rainbow’s the limit! I suggest buying from a local shop as they often time have unique pieces.
For accessories, start with:
A red tote ($15) This is an easy way to add color to an outfit and very practical, too!
A statement necklace ($33) Statement necklaces are great additions to outfits that need a little something extra.
