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Put Your Office Outfit on Auto-Pilot with these Easy-to-Wear Workplace Essentials

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Figuring out what to wear to work can be a real head-scratcher. Do you invest in complete outfits? Wing it with separates? Or just try and mimic everything your boss wears? In my opinion, the best way to stave off imposter syndrome (and streamline your workplace attire in the process) is to fill out your closet with some versatile and stylin’ staples.

Snag a few interchangeable basics and you’ll be shocked by the ease with which you can mix-and-match your way to success by creating dozens of different looks that are as fly as you are. Interested in the idea but have no idea where to start? No worries; I’m going to introduce you to my favorite pants, shirts, and jackets that’ll help put your office outfit routine on auto-pilot.

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Pants

Buy at Amazon
Dockers Alpha Original Khaki
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A close-fitting, lean cut makes the Alpha Khakis from Dockers an obvious workplace go-to. They’re fun yet professional, trendy yet effortlessly classic, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re infused with four-way stretch for extra mobility. Pair with a simple button down for a laid back look or dress the whole thing up with a dark colored jacket.

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Huckberry
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Lightweight, comfortable, and super versatile, the Cool Chinos from Flint and Tinder are a slam dunk for some mix-n-match styling, whether you want to go old school with a turtleneck and suit jacket or casual with a graphic T-shirt. Plus, they feature an open knit that’s incredibly breathable.

Buy at Huckberry

Buy at East Dane
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While the above options are great for most workplace situations, you’ll definitely want to keep a pair of dressier pants around as well, like these from Club Monaco. A herringbone weave makes for an elevated aesthetic that could take any look from 0 to 60 in no time flat, so bring these out for your next one-on-one with the boss.

Buy at East Dane

Shirts

Buy at Tommy John
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Every office outfit rotation needs a streamlined button down, and this one from Tommy John is an absolute winner. Why? Because it’s guaranteed to stay tucked no matter how much you move, resulting in a tailored finish appropriate for any situation.

Buy at Tommy John

Buy at Duer
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Another great button down option is the 9 to 9 shirt from Duer. Though it’s currently sold out (sad face), we highly recommend you jump on this the next time it’s available. Not only is it imbued with special cooling and stretch properties, but also happens to look extremely flattering on most guys.

Buy at Duer

Buy at Faherty
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For something a little more relaxed, consider this stretch oxford from Faherty. While traditional oxfords are notorious for being stiff and boxy, this bad boy has a looser fit that looks just as good tucked as it does untucked, while still maintaining that air of office-appropriateness.

Buy at Faherty

Jackets

Buy at Taylor Stitch
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Looking to boost your workplace look without too much fuss? Then you’ll definitely want to incorporate the Telegraph Jacket from Taylor Stitch into your rotation. An even knit of cotton and wool (plus a lustrous chambray finish) makes this blazer both hip and classic, as appropriate with cuffed jeans and a tee as dress pants and a tie.

Buy at Taylor Stitch

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Though it’s always important to build a wardrobe to your personal tastes, there are still some items you’ve just gotta have, one of which is a crisp, clean blazer. Sure, this item may not seem super exciting hanging in your closet, but it’s guaranteed to look damn impressive at your next client meeting. There are a lot of blazer options on the market, but for our money, there’s no better jacket than this one from Bonobos.

Buy at Indochino
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And of course, no office outfit collection would be complete without a little luxury, so why not throw this houndstooth linen cotton blazer from Indochino into the mix. Here, merino wool and premium silk work in concert to create a sumptuous vibe that’s cozy and classy i.e. ideal for stepping up your style game without sacrificing comfort.

Buy at Indochino

And now that you’ve got your office outfits on auto-pilot and are happy with your fashion-forward, but easy look, why not upgrade your workspace while you’re at it?

Cody Gohl
Cody Gohl
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Cody Gohl is a Brooklyn-based writer who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, including travel, fashion, literature, LGBT…
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(Note: Interview edited for content and clarity)
The Manual: What was the goal when you started out? What were you trying to create?
Nick Garfias: Obviously, this is a sports frame, and I think in this case, this is an interesting one. We don't just attack a program and say we're going to make a frame for cycling, we're going to make a frame for running. 
A lot of what we do is lean into a program or one aspect of a sport, going back and forth between athletes and understanding what their needs are, and taking all that information and putting it into boxes that we find are priorities for this frame.
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TM: Oh, a little more subtle.
NG: A little more subtle, yeah. And so when you look at Sphaera, it has a very simplistic continuity across the top. From one end of the stem through the brow to the other side is just one continuous look. The lens itself provides a lot of field of view.
So it's kind of maximizing the left and right field of view and then the lower field of view, which would be as you put the frame on, it's what you're looking through, right? 
And the objective for that is that you can put something on, and there's so much aperture or so much lens space that you can't read the edges of the lens. So it feels seamless, and it feels lightweight.
TM: What athletes, from what sports, did you use for the design?
NG: We looked at a lot of runners. We looked at a lot of cyclists. We didn't specifically hone in onto one sport. We even looked at soccer players. A lot of the function was about the aesthetic — and not the aesthetic just to look cool, but the aesthetic of giving that athlete confidence to wear something and feel that they were being taken seriously.
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Price: $297
Frame: Lightweight O-Matter
Lens: Prizm Black (11% light transmission)
Size: L (134mm)
According to Oakley, the Sphaera is designed for versatile performance across sports, with features like Prizm™ lens tech, helmet compatibility, front venting, and grippy Unobtainium® components.
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