We are living in the century of fashion and trends. No day goes by without a new trend. Being in style both on and off duty has become a thing now. And the heaviest of this wait is felt by the celebrities. No celebrity dares to come out of the house without getting styled, even at coffee shops and airports. No one wants to get papped in a dull moment. And this responsibility of being in style has shifted to the general public as well, thanks to social media. But why not? Everyone has the right to look chic and flawless. Especially the ones who are working and are on the public radar need to keep their style game on all the time. The dress code or way of styling is different on and off duty, but certain principles resonate in both situations. By keeping a few things in mind, you all can look dapper without much effort.
So, here are the basic principles every one of you, no matter which profession you belong to, needs to follow to nail your on and off-duty style.
- Update Your Wardrobe
Are you also one of those thousands of people who are still wearing the clothes they used to wear five years ago? Here I’m not talking about wearing the same old dresses but the style of dresses. There is a huge chunk of people who find a comfortable dressing style and stick to it for the rest of their lives. The same shades of color and the same dressing style. And this monotony simply kills their styling capabilities. To avoid this monotony and bring some freshness to your life, the first thing to do is update your wardrobe.
Wearing dresses according to the latest fashion is the key to looking classy both on and off duty. Keep an eye on the latest trends, and whatever suits your genera, just get it. While on duty (regardless of your profession), a neat look is the best. Choose neutral shades and avoid very bright colors. Straight-fit pants with cool-colored dress shirts will look super classy during office hours. Avoid messy hairdos or a lot of makeup in the office to look more professional. On the other hand, off-duty looks are much easier to achieve.
You can lay with a lot of things, ripped jeans, denim jackets, simple white tees, bright floral dresses, jumpsuits, and whatnot. Get some inspiration from your favorite celebrities and create your own off-duty look. So what are you waiting for? Go get some latest and trendy dresses now!
- Put Your “Best Foot” Forward
Probably the first thing people will notice in you is your shoes. Your shoes need to be exactly in sync with your outfit of the day. We all have might come across somebody in life who is already from the head but not to the toes. I mean, the boots are just not complementing the dress. Now, why does this happen? Firstly, most of you are so much drenched in getting the right dress that the shoes are completely neglected. Secondly, many of you might not be familiar with the less is more concept.
Whenever choosing your footwear, always know that your shoes neither should be exactly your dress’s color nor completely in contrast. You need to find the middle way when deciding on footwear. While on duty, you are supposed to be wearing formal boots, but an off-duty look can be experimented with. Your show collection must have a pair of sneakers to save you in many difficult times. Along with that, a pair of black boots and nude heels would get the job done. You can keep the list going according to your style and budget.
Another important principle to remember is that there is only one star in the show. If opting for a dazzling dress, pair it with simple shoes. And statement shoes can be worn with a simple dress. Always mix and match, and never overdo the shoes.
- Self-Care Tops It All
Your body is the canvass to paint on. You can dress up in whatever way you like until your body compliments it. Both internal and external health is very much involved in making us feel confident in ourselves, that ultimately strengthens your style game. Firstly, start focusing on your diet. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can eat with a hint of meat as well. Always carry a sipper with you to stay hydrated. Never compromise on water. Avoid fatty and sugary foods to stay away from obesity and related health issues.
Healthy eating will not only strengthen your immune system and keep you protected against diseases but also make your skin glow. Moving towards your external beauty, skincare is also a part of self-care. In today’s polluted environment, where not even the air we breathe is clean, we need to take serious care of our skin and hair. Prioritize time for yourself by making your weekends self-care weekends.
Get some good quality skincare and haircare products, including serums, moisturizers, sunblock, face and hair masks, and a good shampoo with conditioner. These are must-haves when it comes to skin and hair care. Always remember that health comes first. Your on and off-duty style will only be on point if your body is healthy enough to support it. Take some extra care of yourself by incorporating multivitamins and probiotics into your life. And never go for any diet or medical procedure at the cost of your health. Always use trusted medicines and products to keep yourself hale and hearty.
- Accessories Are A Must
No look (both on and off duty) can be complete without a set of accessories. These little accessories not just add a definition to your look but enhance your dress even. Accessorize your OOTD (outfit of the day) according to the day. If you are deciding on your daily office look, then a nice watch collection is a must.
You need to invest in modish watches to augment your on-duty look with one simple piece of accessories. When talking about watches, the best and most recommended ones have to be Swiss-made watches, credit goes to their high quality and durability. Another accessory that goes very well is an added bracelet to be worn alongside the watch. A Swiss-made watch would be the best accessory choice for an on-duty elegant look. Coming to off-duty fun, you have a huge margin to play with accessories here. From pendants and multi-chain necklaces to rings and earrings, you can do whatever suits you best.
But here also, the principle is to mix and match to balance the whole look. A simple dress can be paired up with extra accessories to embellish the complete look. While a shimmery dress must not be styled with too many accessories, a simple pair of studs would get the job done. You can also go for some hair accessories, especially during the summertime. Cute hairdos with delicate hair accessories look very attractive, especially off-duty.
- Don’t Forget To Wear A Confident Smile
The simplest answer to how to nail on and off-duty looks would be to be confident in whatever you wear. As the dessert concludes the meal well, similarly, this pointer has to be the most important one. Even if you have taken all the above suggestions into notice and created a balanced look for the day, still your look would be incomplete without a smile. Why am I focusing on smiling here? Because smiling depicts confidence and self-acceptance.
The acceptance and ownership you will show towards your body and fashion choices are going to radiate outwards. Knowing one’s self-worth and capabilities is very much important for putting up a great style game both on and off duty. For better understanding, let’s take an example. I don’t know if you would have noticed, but the reality is that we tend to find a confident person more attractive than somebody with beautiful features. Some people might not fit into the definition of beauty but are more imperfectly attractive than most.
The secret here lies in their confidence and a smile full of life. You all can incorporate the same hidden ingredient into your lives to nail not only on and off-duty looks but to excel in every professional and private meeting. Remember, you are the best and only version of yourself in this world and can nail every fashion look with utter perfection. Pro-tip: For added confidence, use an attractive perfume to make your style game stronger.
Carrying a perfect on and off-duty look is not as difficult as it looks. With five simple steps, you can achieve a perfect on and off-duty look. Starting with an updated wardrobe, shoes, and accessories complementing the dress and ending with taking care of your health with a smile. Top it all with an attractive cologne, and you are ready to put on a great show. Hope you find this reading helpful.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
