Stacy London's 7 Rules for Awesome Office Style
The Love, Lust or Run host lays down the law.

Looking good on the job is priority one for many of us, and yet office dressing can feel like the Wild West of fashion—what can we get away with? What are we being too conservative about? Where are the official rules?!
Enter Stacy London, style expert and host of new show Love, Lust or Run (which premieres tonight at 9/8c on TLC). Here, she arms us with her tips to live by, lest your work wardrobe become an occupational hazard.
1. Cultivate an image.
"I'm tired of seeing women who put no effort into their outfit BECAUSE they are going to work. As if work doesn't require a deliberate style or image! No matter where you work, the way you dress makes a difference in the way you are perceived. Make no effort in your outfit and you risk the consequences of being perceived as lazy or disrespectful. Every day, at work or not, is a chance for you to craft the image of yourself exactly as you want to be treated. Remember that and take the time to really shine."
2. Dress based on your career, not on trends.
"The rules for office dressing don't necessarily change from year to year—they change from occupation to occupation. More conservative lines of work, like finance or law, really do demand a stricter dress code. Whereas a graphic design or architecture firm may allow, or even encourage, a creative style in the work place."
3. Nail down some confidence-boosting pieces.
"There are many factors that make clothes confidence-builders, such as a fit and colors that flatter—these pieces make you FEEL happier and are conversation starters. For some women, it may be a suit, well-fitted blazer, pencil or A-line skirt, and a silk blouse. I can't tell you what the one thing is for all women, but all women can find at least one that makes them feel most happy and confident."
4. Remember: This is 2015.
"I feel as if the term 'professional' dressing has certainly broadened over the years. One 'professional' style does not fit all. Matching hat, bag, and gloves are certainly not a must—or even a thought!—any more. Gone are the days of pantyhose as a uniform requirement. And gone are the days where woman felt they had to obliterate their femininity in an unflattering suit to work in a predominantly male environment."
5. Never show too much skin.
"I think crop tops, skin-baring V-necks, and micro-mini skirts/dresses are just inappropriate unless you work at a tanning salon or strip club."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
6. Tailor your office clothes as much as possible.
"The one thing ALL work wear should have in common is great tailoring."
7. Incorporate touches of menswear into your look.
"The new menswear style for women is something I am particularly fond of. It's a softer mix between feminine and masculine silhouettes. Think a silk blouse paired with a mens style cropped or slouchy trouser and a flat shoe. Women aren't required to wear heels to feel powerful and stylish anymore. This said, a fitted masculine blazer with a pencil skirt and strong stiletto isn't any less of a wonderful option."
You should also check out:
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
Katie Holmes Confirms the Cargo Pant Trend Is Back
The director and actress completed her outfit with patent pointed-toe heels.
-
The Business of Beauty: How Science-Driven Innovation Drives Growth and Success
Panelists dished on everything AI, TikTok, Clinique's groundbreaking formulas, and what ingredients are *actually* benefiting the skin.
-
Bella Hadid Wears a Piece of Cannes History—Just Not in Cannes
She can take her vintage trove wherever she wants.
-
Every Fashion Editor I Know Is Shopping Zara's Supermodel-Backed 50th Anniversary Collection
It's a one-stop shop for elevated wardrobe basics.
-
Gigi Hadid’s Post-Met Gala Recovery Outfit Includes $485 Sweatpants and Comfy Ballet Flats
The model swapped her Miu Miu gown for comfort instead.
-
Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber Style the Same Summer Shoe Trend in Polar-Opposite Outfits
But both pairs were over $1,000, of course.
-
The Summer 2025 Shoe Trends Stylish Women Will All Wear in Two Months
Get a head start.
-
I’m Choosing These Retro Sneakers Over Every Other Shoe Trend
Footwear designers are on a vintage kick, and I'm all for it.
-
Florence Pugh Is the Lingerie Dressing Trend's Poster Girl in a See-Through Stella McCartney Mini Dress
She loves a see-through look.
-
Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber Match in Little Black Dresses With Individual Twists
The two looked nearly identical while attending the Broadway premiere of ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.’
-
Marie Claire Editors Are Obsessed With This Cult-Favorite Sale
SSENSE has everything a fashion enthusiast could ever want.