Where to Buy Editor-Approved Work Clothes

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Not so long ago, office-appropriate meant suit sets and pantyhose. Thanks to the increasing casualness of day-to-day style and the shifting landscape of work, workwear has become not just more laid-back, but also a lot more diverse. As such, there are many work clothes stores that offer a unique point of view, whether that be minimalist, creative, or classic.

Today, work clothes can serve as an extension of personal style, not just a uniform you put on out of obligation. The key is versatility—pieces should be easy to dress up or down. You can wear an oversize blazer with jeans or throw it over a shift dress, lowering the cost-per-wear with every new outfit. The concept of quiet luxury—timeless, well-made pieces championed by labels like Toteme and Max Mara—touches on this idea of functional fashion: Everything can be worn comfortably when you’re working from the couch, while also fitting in at the office. Styled back to more affordable workwear options like Everlane or J.Crew, you can also mix in touches of trendiness. All these designers have the look and feel to be taken seriously in a boardroom; at the same time, their pieces arrive in color palettes and silhouettes that feel refreshingly not corporate.

Ahead, you’ll find a collection of 18 places to shop for workwear that don’t feel constrictive or fussy. Many of these labels can be spotted around the Harper’s Bazaar office, or come highly reviewed from women in a range of work environments. Even as you climb the corporate ladder, you’ll be dressed to impress.

Best store for high-low styling: COS

Asymmetric Cowl-Neck Shirt

Small Chunky Hoop Earring

Sleeveless Midi Dress

Here’s an open secret direct from the Bazaar offices: All my most stylish coworkers get their work clothes from COS. I’ve followed their lead and tested trousers, sweaters, blazers, and a coat from the site. Everything skews minimal, understated, and tailored—ideal to mix and match with splurges from a year-end bonus.

Price range: $–$$

Size range: XXS–L

Best store for suiting: Another Tomorrow

Cashmere Knit Sweater

Single-Button Jacket

Single-Button Jacket

Cashmere Knit Sweater

Wide-Leg Suit Pants

Another Tomorrow first caught my attention with its so-good-it-looks-custom tailoring: the precise angles on the blazers’ shoulders, the crisp pleats on the pants, the draping on the semi-sheer blouses. Then I dug a little deeper, learning that Another Tomorrow is doubly committed to eco-conscious production. On the brand’s site, you can read about exactly which materials it uses and why—along with the materials you’ll never find in its suits. The more time I’ve spent with this brand, the more I’ve come to see it as the epitome of modern power dressing. The pieces have only gotten more refined since Elizabeth Giardina, an alum of Proenza Schouler, became creative director in 2023.

Price range: $$$

Size range: XS–L; 36–50 IT

Best store for enduring classics: J.Crew

Seamed Dress

Leni Sandals

Pleated Skirt

Whether you’ve been in your corporate-girl era for a few months or several years, your work wardrobe almost definitely has J.Crew in it. Now in its 40th year, the brand is still doing what it does best—trim blazers, smart trousers, roll-neck sweaters, excellent office dresses—but with modern updates. Thank womenswear director Olympia Gayot, who’s ushered in a new phase that emphasizes high-quality materials and collaborations with emerging womenswear brands. There’s an underlying sensibility to J.Crew’s workwear that feels like it will last; when I buy a piece, I know it’s not just to wear in my current role.

Price range: $–$$

Size range: XXS–3XL

What reviewers are saying: “Excellent quality and tailoring.”

Best store for luxury workwear: Max Mara

Poplin Shirt

Cotton Trousers

Wool Peacoat

“It isn’t necessary to buy a new coat every season because the design and the fabrication hold up,” Rachel Tashjian wrote in her 2022 Bazaar profile of Max Mara, “[because] the coat will live in your closet for decades.” The same merging of quality and timelessness is evident across the brand’s entire line. Wool suits in glen plaid? Streamlined sheath dresses? Those iconic camel coats? They’re all designed to elegantly carry you through whatever your career journey entails.

Price range: $$$$

Size range: 0–16

Best store for hero items: Net-a-Porter

Andra Silk Shirt

Draped Maxi Dress

Incognito Cabas Large Suede Tote

When I’m filling a hole in my closet that’s shaped like one very specific item—say, pleated trousers with Katharine Hepburn gravitas, or a knitted dress I saw at Fashion Week and daydreamed about for months after—I usually turn to Net-a-Porter. It has the strongest mix of tried-and-true workwear brands and designer pieces that can behave like an office dress or a business suit if you just believe. Filtering by designer, color, and style usually leads me to those highly particular items my coworkers come to know as my favorites. The assortment is broad enough that you’re not confined to a specific office aesthetic when you shop.

Price range: $$–$$$$

Size range: XXS–3XL, depending on designer

Best store for memorable silhouettes: The Frankie Shop

Maesa Vest

Bea Oversize Cady Blazer

Ines Merino Wool Turtleneck Sweater

I turn to the Frankie Shop when I want workwear with a sense of drama. The label has become a staple among in-the-know editors and general fashion people for its exaggerated, oversize proportions. From fluid suiting trousers to crepe blazers and quilted coats, the Frankie Shop expertly dials up its lengths and silhouettes for shapes that reliably take up space. On days when I want to feel strong in front of a conference room or in an interview, these pieces deliver an extra confidence boost; they’re like a power pose I can wear.

Price range: $$–$$$

Size range: XS–L

Best store for functional workwear: Argent

Single-Button Blazer in Seasonless Wool

Slim Blouse in Silk Twill

Wide-Leg Trousers in Seasonless Wool

This is what I love about Argent’s lineup of jewel-tone suits, silk blouses, and a recent dip into office-friendly denim with Agolde: It’s smart. Not smart in a boring, beige, cubicle way, but smart in the sense that the designers tackled several gripes women have with workwear while keeping things cute. Blazers come with sneaky interior pockets for stashing a phone or a notepad for meetings; suiting pants are made with performance fabrics that keep you cool when you’re under pressure during a big presentation. These are suits that do the hard work, so everyone can do their best work.

Price range: $$–$$$

Size range: 0–20

What reviewers are saying: “The cut, quality, and drape are all on point. They travel beautifully, never have to iron, and are season-less. I have them on a constant rotation, as they make me look like I have legs for days (which I don’t!). These don’t need lining, as another reviewer mentioned. I have also had them dry-cleaned many times, and the fabric is resilient, doesn’t fall apart, and is also amazingly stain-resistant. Seriously, they are perfection.”

Best store for work-from-home apparel: Vince

Silk Bias Long-Sleeved Blouse

Silk Satin Skirt

Silk Satin Skirt

Silk Bias Long-Sleeved Blouse

Ribbed Cardigan

I haven’t completely abandoned the 2020 mindset of prioritizing comfort above all other virtues when getting dressed. At the same time, putting on a “real outfit” makes me feel energized and alert when I’m working from my home office. I found clothes that check both boxes when I tested Vince for the first time. Every piece is infused with the brand’s relaxed vibe (thank its California DNA), from a slightly oversize drop sleeve to a hammered satin skirt with a (miraculously) non-pinching waist. Crucially, each item is more than suitable to wear on a video call from home.

Price range: $$$

Size range: XS–XL; 1X–3X (select items only)

Best store for casual offices: Sézane

Gaspard Cardigan

Oanelle Dress

Musetta Skirt

Sézane is the unicorn of laid-back workwear. Its pieces are unfussy and on the budget-friendlier side, but they possess the je ne sais quoi of a hidden gem from a vintage store in the 10th of Paris. Between the flowy printed dresses and the heaps of colorful knitwear—not to mention the leather bags and dainty jewelry—you have plenty of bright options for offices where dress codes are minimal. I recommend the Gaspard cardigan as a gateway piece to wear with denim you already own, or a pleated trouser if you’re feeling slightly formal. I alternate between wearing the buttons to the front and to the back—and it’s so comfortable, I own it in three colors.

Price range: $–$$

Size range: 0–14; XXS–XXXL (select items only)

Best store for minimalists: Toteme

Quilted Cocoon Coat

Quilted Cocoon Coat

The Sharp Slingback

Embroidered Wool Cashmere Sweater

Embroidered Wool Cashmere Sweater

The Sharp Slingback

I fell in love with Toteme’s fine-tuned basics overnight. One minute, I only knew the brand for its Instagrammable wool coats; the next, I was hitting order on one of its structured T-shirt dresses and adding its embroidered cashmere sweater to my work wardrobe wish list. The label has a knack for refining the nine-to-five fundamentals like T-shirts, trench coats, and small leather accessories, all with the intention of making them last. If your style leans more minimal, or you’re refreshing the foundations of your closet, Toteme’s edit won’t disappoint.

Price range: $$$–$$$$

Size range: XXS–XL

Best store for work travel: M.M.LaFleur

The Priya Dress

The Moreland Jacket

The Foster Pant

The Foster Pant

The Moreland Jacket

After an extended hiatus from the frequent flier lounge, I’m once again traveling for work. A lot. M.M.LaFleur’s dresses, suiting, and miracle office hybrids—like the jardigan, a jacket-cardigan combo—are a lifeline when I don’t know what to pack. First, because the brand is known for simple, streamlined pieces that can translate to formal conferences and laid-back coffee meetings. Second, because most of its pieces are made with machine-washable and wrinkle-resistant materials that make organizing my carry-on a cinch.

Price range: $$

Size range: XS–XXL

What reviewers are saying: “Great fit, comfy outfits, and doesn’t wrinkle—traveling internationally with it as we speak and love the versatility.”

Best store for affordable work clothes: Mango

Linen-Blend Bermuda Shorts

Linen Blazer

Linen Blazer

Linen-Blend Bermuda Shorts

Crop Top

There’s no questioning that Mango’s lineup of wool coats, button-down shirts, and miniskirt-and-blazer sets are appropriate for all sorts of offices. It’s also undeniable that Mango has the best quality for its price range—even before its pieces go on sale. No wonder everyone from Gigi Hadid to Katie Holmes is a fan.

Price range: $

Size range: XXS–XXL

Best store for reinvented classics: Tibi

Crispy Sweater Shrunken Cardigan

Nylon Asymmetrical Balloon Skirt

Tropical Wool Vest

Tropical Wool Vest

Nylon Asymmetrical Balloon Skirt

There’s a special phrase that encapsulates Tibi’s approach to workwear: creative pragmatism. Tibi cofounder Amy Smilovic coined the term for women like her, whose style expresses their essence without losing its everyday functionality. The catch? None of these clothes look or feel like typical everyday fare—they’re truly special, from suits made up of an oversize blazer and asymmetric pleated skirt, to a lineup of “tropical wool” separates that have an enduring fan base. The foundations may look like other workwear brands on the surface, but the woman who owns them can appreciate details like clever cutouts and self-layering sleeves up close.

Tibi pieces are a little bit of an investment, but I’ve found my growing collection pays itself back tenfold in the range of ways I can wear each item to work. (Pro tip: Tibi’s website also hosts an outlet section with past-season pieces marked down in limited sizes.)

Price range: $$–$$$$

Size range: XXS–XXL

Best store for unexpected workwear: Tory Burch

Embroidered Cotton Dress

Denim Blazer

Denim Blazer

Embroidered Cotton Dress

Violet T-Strap

Historically considered a decidedly preppy brand, Tory Burch takes a modern approach to workwear that fits in just as easily in a creative studio as at the country club. The brand’s outerwear and accessories are where it especially thrives, offering tailored staples and bold statement shoes and jewelry to take your work look above and beyond.

Price range: $$$–$$$$$

Size range: 0–14

Best store for creative workwear: Rachel Comey

Tousey Dress

Don Pants

Thyme Shirt

For artsy offices where you can let your personality shine, look to Rachel Comey for playful prints, comfortable silhouettes, and bold colors. You can mix and match the brand’s more tailored items and quirky pieces to pull together a work look that’s outside the box, but still HR-compliant.

Price range: $$–$$$

Size range: 0–14

Best store for simple basics: Everlane

Shift Dress

Gathered Midi Dress

Wide-Leg Pants

For affordable but well-made work staples, look to the OG direct-to-consumer brand: Everlane. The brand’s mix of cotton basics like tees, skirts, and jeans, alongside more tailored pieces for formal office settings, means you’ll be covered for casual office days and formal meetings.

Price range: $–$$

Size range: XXS–XXL

Best store for modern workwear: Proenza Schouler

Vanessa Dress

Valerie Top

Park Shoulder Bag

NYC label Proenza Schouler has been a staple in the closets of stylish women uptown and downtown for years. The brand’s lineup is tailored with a minimalist bent, ideal for conservative office settings when you still want to feel fashion-forward. While it’s possible to build up a collection of PS basics, the bags and shoes are especially notable.

Price range: $$$–$$$$

Size range: 0–14

Best store for budget-friendly staples: Uniqlo

AIRism Sleeveless Dress

Striped Long-Sleeved Shirt

Ribbed Mock-Neck Sweater

Japanese retailer Uniqlo is a secret-weapon option for affordable staples that are functional and simple. Investment in modern fabric technology means you can find styles that are wrinkle- or stain-resistant, great for when you’re traveling and need your clothes to hold up no matter what happens. With many options under $50, you’ll be able to stock up on staples in multiple colors.

Price range: $

Size range: XXS–XXL

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For more than 150 years, Harper’s Bazaar has been the preeminent fashion, beauty, and lifestyle resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in fashion by working with the world’s leading authorities in ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and more. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of editors and industry experts.

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