How To: Be Elegant at Work
This post contains ads and affiliate links. These affiliate links support my work at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your ongoing support!It may be hard to imagine, but I spent nearly a decade in a sea of sweatpants, hoodies while working in the tech industry. I may have been surrounded by some of the most intelligent and interesting people there could be, but when it came to elegance and poise? Well, there’s a reason the etiquette classes I offered to colleagues were so popular!
The corporate world continues to trend toward CASUAL. Casual, open seating. Casual dress codes (if there even is one). Casual relationships that blur the lines between personal and professional.
While one can find benefits in a more casual professional environment, it can also be terribly difficult to navigate. I can’t help but wonder at times if we’re simply too casual. Could we all benefit from embracing a degree of elegance in the office?
If you’ve ever wondered how you can be more elegant in the workplace, today I’m sharing 4 tried and true secrets. These secrets are simple, yet ingenious in the way they can make a difference not only in your mindset and performance, but also in the way you are regarded in the workplace.
How to Be: Elegant in the Workplace
4 Secrets You Can Embrace Today
Uphold your personal standards when it comes to style and beauty.
Remember, it takes less than 7 seconds for someone to register their first impression of you. Is making a bad impression on the visiting CEO something to risk in the name of comfort?
The “No Dress Code” dress code is nothing to embrace. Even in a workplace that encourages a casual dress code, maintain your personal standards and present yourself elegantly in the office. Choose well fitted and tailored basics in solid colors and luxurious, natural fabrics like wool and leather. In a casual office, this can still mean smart jeans and a blazer with kept hair and light makeup.
Sneakers can be a popular choice and can even pair well with tailored slacks and casual suits. The key here is to make sure they are clean and tidy. Opt for leather over canvas and stick to neutral colors over flashy designs.
Avoid athleisure wear (or worse) and make an effort to bring your best, most professional self to the workplace.
Maintain an air of mystery
In a world that often encourages oversharing, do your best to maintain an air of mystery. Yes - you may spend more time with your team than with your own family, but that doesn’t mean they are entitled to the private details of your life.
Keep conversations light, positive and ALWAYS keep small talk professional. It can be tempting to divulge personal details, daily stressors or even err into treacherous territory like politics. No matter how close you think you are to a colleague, it is never worth risking your professional relationship over personal matters and opinions.
This pertains to social media as well! Keep personal profiles set on private and think twice before accepting colleagues as friends. Defer to keeping connections on professional platforms like LinkedIn instead.
Elevate your everyday essentials
From your work bag down to your pen, elevate your everyday essentials. Your daily accessories are an extension of yourself, so make sure those details like your phone case, notebooks, pens and business cards are elegant, professional and always in pristine condition.
When choosing office accessories, opt for items that are well structured and smartly designed. These items can reflect your personality, but keep large logos at home.
Remember to keep your workspace clean and organized as well. A smart utensil holder, a beautiful desk calendar and fresh flowers will add a touch of elegance to your space and make it a joy to be at everyday. Keep personal photos to a minimum - those that are on display should be tasteful!
Be kind to everyone.
From the interns to the support staff, junior employees and C-Suite, always be kind and helpful to everyone you encounter throughout the day.
Make eye contact, inquire how their day is going, hold the door, smile and nod… remember that simple acts of kindness and recognition go a long way.
An elegant woman is always kind and respectful to herself and others. Simple good manners and business etiquette will elevate you above your peers and give you an edge over the competition.
Are you ready to embrace elegance in the workplace?
You can embrace elegance in the workplace TODAY! These secrets are simply yet effective and I challenge you to practice each one this week. After a week of dressing up, elevating the conversation at the water cooler, updating your everyday essentials and sprinkling a little extra kindness around the office, I can guarantee you will not only FEEL more elegant, but others will take notice, too!
Not sure where to start with it comes to Secret #3: Elevate Your Everyday Essentials? It’s no secret that I have been a longtime fan of the Simplified Planner and all of the Simplified products created by Emily Ley!
It just so happens that right now, the Spring Cleaning Sale is LIVE with many of the products highlighted below at up to 60% off… and new products will be launching soon - on April 3!
Shop my favorites below and you will be one click away from elevating your everyday essentials.
Elevate Your Everyday Essentials with Simplified by Emily Ley
Navy Folio ($44 now $30): Designed to be perfectly polished and ready for any meeting or presentation you have on your calendar this week!
Twist Pen Set ($28 now $12): This gorgeous set of pens features two pretty designs and classic gold detailing. No need to bring out that old plastic blue pen with the chewed up cap…
Weekly Planning Tall Notepad ($18 now $12): Keep track of your big goals and major tasks with this weekly planning notepad. You’ll end the week feeling elegant and accomplished!
Happy Stripe Patterned Pen Cup ($16 now $8): Keep your pens, pencils, highlighters and more neatly organized in this cheerful pen cup guaranteed to brighten up any desk space!
Magnetic Cord Organizer ($24): Organization is key to elegance! There is nothing LESS elegant than trying to untangle a knot of cords prior to your big presentation! Keep cords for your laptop, phone and accessories neatly organized and easy to grab with these beautiful leather cord organizers.
Ivory Antelope Notebook ($18 now $8): Jot down meeting notes, record your wins and keep track of your big, bright ideas in this beautiful notebook. The weight and durability will ensure it stays looking polished as it moves with you from the office to client meetings and back home.
Carolina Linen Desk Jotter ($28 now $14): This beautiful set is perfect for leaving notes of thanks and recognition on your colleagues desk, a last minute greeting added to a client gift, or simply jotting down a quick note while on a client call.
Scissors in Navy Hydrangea ($26 now $12): Never underestimate the power of a handy pair of scissors! Keep a pair nearby in a pinch - from a wayward thread on your favorite blouse to being able to snip and curl a ribbon for a gift, it’s always helpful to have a pair of scissors nearby.
How do you embrace elegance in the workplace? Will you try one of these secrets?
Leave your thoughts in a comment below!
