They say that you should dress for the job you want, not the job you currently have, which is probably why so many women wear dresses to work. A smart and professional dress should reflect your personality and ensure maximum comfort. While It’s fun to follow trends, ultimately, your work clothes should make you appear competent and qualified. Keep your accessories light, as over-accessorizing can make you look unprofessional.

To make the most of your work-wardrobe, consider adding the following styles to your closet:

1. The sheath dress
A quintessential outfit for corporate events, the sheath dress fits the body and stops just at the knees. The straight-cut, no-nonsense look lets you feel comfortable and yet smart at work. You can wear a sheath dress for a regular workday and pair it with a blazer for a corporate event. Black stockings and high-heeled shoes can add fine finishing touches to the look.

2. The A-line dress
One of the most popular dress types for the workplace, the A-line design has been favored by women through the years. This dress gets its name from its pattern. It fits firmly at the wearer’s hips and then softly flares out towards the knees. This gives the dress its shape. A-shape dresses generally extend slightly below the knees. These look great with a pair of closed high heels and can also be worn with wedges.

3. The pinafore dress
At first, a pinafore might seem like a strange choice of clothing for the boardroom. Yet, this is quite the contrary. Modern pinafores form part of formal wear and can look super smart while keeping you stylish. Wear a long-sleeved top under the pinafore, tie your hair up in a bun, and complete the look with a pair of flat ballet shoes.

4. The qipao dress
This fashion treasure from China has long held its place in the fashion industry in the country. With a high-necked collar and a straight cut skirt, this is one outfit that looks great in the boardroom. The qipao is traditionally made colorful in shades of blue, red, or green. However, if you seek a more formal look, you can simply opt for a darker shade of grey or brown with some embroidery work on it. The qipao dress is best complemented by flat ballet shoes with your hair tied up in a bun.

5. The shirt dress
True to its name, the shirt dress looks like a shirt from the top and runs the length of a knee-length dress. This smart workwear outfit looks good on days when you need to wear your best formals as well as on casual Fridays. Striped shirt dresses can look especially stylish. You can pair a shirt dress with leggings in cold weather, sneakers for a sporty look, or even heeled boots for a smart formal look.