Summary: Building a Professional Wardrobe with Harry Rosen
Entering the workforce as a young professional can have many struggles and obstacles. This guide to building a professional wardrobe with Harry Rosen will hopefully help you during this process. Building a functional, well-fitting work wardrobe will give you the boost of confidence and help in creating the right image for your career. Starting with a 3 suit minimum rotation will give enough time to let them breath between wears and optimize the lifespan of the garments. It is best to start with harder wearing wool fabrics that will stand up to day-to-day wear, as softer luxury cloth can wear out faster if not rotated properly. The fit will be most important as each suit fits body types differently and is likely to need tailoring.
Harry Rosen Professional Wardrobe Core Basics:
1. Rich Dark Navy Suit
This timeless basic will be your workhorse that carries you from Monday morning to any situation that arises. Try to stick to limited textures to allow it to be worn more often without being noticed. Whether paired with light or dark ties, it will be approachable yet still respected.
2. Dark Charcoal Suit
This is the modern replacement of the black suit. It exudes strength while being versatile in working with black or brown shoes and most tie colours. Some texture or pattern can add some style to charcoal differentiating if from your Navy. This will be your true power suit and should make you feel in control.
3. Personal Choice
This should be something that speaks to your taste level. Whether a subtle check pattern, modern blue, lighter grey or a seasonal fabric. This will allow your two core suits to rest. It will help to brighten up the wardrobe and keep it from feeling stagnate. This may be something reserved for a more important business meeting.
4. Casual Friday/Work from Home
A soft blazer or sport coat is great for casual Friday or after work events. Typically lighter than a suit jacket so you will feel more relaxed and comfortable. They pair best with cotton trousers or clean slim dark denim. Depending on your workplace, a patterned collar sport shirt will make you feel more relaxed and fit in with the casual environment. In a work from home situation, dress polo shirts and sweaters are being worn under these jackets. You will feel more at home while still looking appropriate for work.
5. Shirts
Starting out, it is best to have a minimum of 5-7 dress shirts in good condition. Crisp white and light blue will be easy go-to colours as they will work with all your outfits. It would be best to have 3 white shirts being that they show wear quickly, 2 blue and 2 patterns that may work with a tie or without for casual Friday. This will also depend on how often you want to launder your shirts.
6. Shoes
Well polished classic shoes will make the rest of your attire stand out and show your attention to detail. It is best to start with a black and dark brown plain or cap toe to allow best versatility. Allowing a rest day between wears is ideal to ensure you get the most out of your shoes. A casual loafer is worth considering for the casual Friday outfit however the dark brown dress shoe will work just as well if needed.
It can seem daunting to have to invest in these pieces all at once. Building around your existing wardrobe can help to lower the amount you need to purchase at once. Regular maintenance and updating as needed will help to ensure your wardrobe performs to your needs.
