Returning to the office has been a distinct possibility for many employees in the United States for a few months now, and it’s a prospect that seems to rattle many people. If your company is calling staff members back to the workplace and you’re also willing to let go of your home office for one that you can share with your colleagues, then there are plenty of things that you need to do to ensure that you’re ready for the big day. One of the things you might need to work on is updating your daily outfits to ones suited for the office.

This can be a big task, especially if your body has changed considerably after you started working from home.

Preparing Yourself for Your First Fitting

Seeing that your old clothes no longer fit you as well as they did before can be quite a shock, especially if you’ve previously put a lot of effort into building your professional wardrobe and your personal image. Trying your work clothes on once again will require you to confront the changes that your body has gone through in the past year or so, and it’s something that you will want to be emotionally and mentally ready for. Before anything else, it’s important to remember that you’re a living being and that your body is bound to undergo changes as time passes by. It’s a good idea to evaluate the expectations you’ve set and keep an open mind about the discrepancies between reality and the image that you have of yourself. This way, you can focus on accommodating your current version instead of mourning your past self.

In case your work clothes no longer fit you as well as before or their style is no longer reflective of your personal aesthetic, don’t panic. Instead, look at this as an opportunity to update to a better wardrobe, one that celebrates you better. Here are some of the things that you need to do to make the task of putting together a professional wardrobe much easier and quicker.

Eliminate Clothes that You Can No Longer Wear

To determine whether or not your clothes still fit, you need to try them on first. Clothes that don’t fit or no longer reflect your personal style should go to one pile, while serviceable pieces can go into another. You can sort them out later for donations or upcycling. You should also check closet staples like underwear and hosiery for damages or loss of elasticity. If your old control top tights are no longer making the cut, then it’s time to find out where to look for the best control top tights on the market today. The same can be said for your pants, shirts, dresses, and even shoes. If you’re no longer able to wear these pieces comfortably, then it’s best to take them out of your closet and send them to a place where they can be better appreciated. Meanwhile, decluttering your closet means that you’ll have space for new purchases. 

List the Pieces You Need to Immediately Replace

After eliminating the clothes that you can no longer wear from your list of options, you might notice that you’re missing pieces that you deem essential to your everyday look. You might have fewer pants and shirts than you’d like, for example, or you don’t have enough blazers for when you have to attend meetings and other office events. Make an inventory of the clothes that you have and the pieces that you find to be lacking. This will help you determine the items you need to prioritize when you go shopping. The list will become a handy guide for when you only have a short time to prepare your new wardrobe or if building your wardrobe is a project that you want to do little by little. By having a priority list on hand, you can immediately be reminded of the pieces that need to be replaced as soon as possible, all without needing to stretch your shopping time or budget. 

Determine the Key Components of Your New Wardrobe

Rebuilding your wardrobe is also a perfect opportunity to steer it in the direction that you want to take. Perhaps you’ve wanted to incorporate more suits or athleisure attire into your daily ensembles in the past but you didn’t have room for more clothes then. Now that you’ve gotten rid of the clothes that no longer fit you, you can opt to add more pieces that will help you power the dress daily. 

Start this process by determining the key pieces that will dictate the direction of your wardrobe. Is there a particular range of colors that you want for your wardrobe? Are there pieces that you want to serve as the foundation of the look that you are going for? These items or qualities can guide you in building a well-curated wardrobe. Next, think of the clothes that will complement these keystone pieces of your wardrobe. Going this route will help you put together a collection of clothes that are easy to mix and match, which can make dressing up a lot easier. 

Measure Yourself So You Can Shop More Efficiently

Shopping for new clothes online can be a tricky affair, especially if you’re aiming to put your money on investment pieces that will last you a long time. To ensure that the clothes that you purchase from online stores will fit you well, get your own measurements and compare them with the sizing guide used in your favorite online boutique. Before you purchase a new piece that will go toward building your wardrobe, you can check your current measurements and the store’s sizing guide. This will help you collect clothes that flatter your body shape and save you from the hassle of having to deal with return orders. 

Your body deserves to be celebrated as it goes through a variety of changes, and one way of doing this is by choosing and using clothes that fit you well. This is an idea that many people are picking up as they prepare to return to their respective offices. On the other hand, you can also set specific goals for your body and work on these objectives consistently. Doing so will help you take charge of your body changes and empower you to preserve and improve your physical health and well-being. This, in turn, can give you a level of confidence that will benefit the work that you do.