The remedy
More than any woman in this book, you have retreated into wearing a uniform and that's what we've got to get rid of. But in order to have the confidence to get into a more individual style you first of all need to rearrange your clothes.
Wardrobe
Look at the number of duplicates you have. How many black trousers, white shirts, beige suits, grey cardigans and black shoes? Unless any of these are beautifully cut and show off your figure to perfection, get rid of them. Be ruthless. It's the only way you'll succeed in changing.
Shopping
You've probably gone to the same shops over and again, where you've bought the same garments over and again. It's time to reassess how you buy your clothes. Head to a shop (Zara, for example) which offers stylish work and casual wear. If you are choosing a suit, go for one that gives you a waist and has a bit of interest in the fabric - a pin stripe, for example.
You also need to learn the concept of separates, so buy a skirt and a jacket which complement each other, rather than match. Choose a patterned jacket, pick a colour in that jacket and then find a skirt in that colour.
If you're pear shaped, choose the darkest colour from the pattern for your skirt; if you're top heavy, choose one of the lighter colours.
Colour
Get out of the black. You think it goes with everything. In fact, it hardly goes with anything at all. Unless it's an exquisite piece it generally looks hard and cheap. What's more, if you look at all the blacks in your wardrobe you'll find that they're not one colour but a variety of shades ranging from purple to brown tints. Worn together they just look a mismatched mess. Once you've established your colour palette (there's great guidance on this in our feature How to Work Out Which Colours Suit You and our Rules for colour) and understood the concept of separates, you can endlessly supplement your outfits with different tops and accessories, all of which will work together.
Pattern and texture
Big blocks of plain colour can soon become wearing on the eye. Try breaking up your look by combining patterns (a pinstripe suit with a floral shirt, for example) and textures (a fitted tweed skirt with a fitted silk shirt always looks great).
Find tailoring to suit your shape. Boxy shapeless suits do not cover up myriad body types, they just make them all look the same - boxy and shapeless.
Trousers are practical,but they don't have to be manly. Flat-fronted trousers flatter most midriffs and wider, longer leg lengths are much more elegant than short, ankle-cropping pegs. Please also try to wear a skirt or dress, even if only once a week.
Allowing a pretty colour or print to peek through will really lift your whole look from conservative to sophisticated.
You don't have to scream into the office dressed from head to toe in vermillion and lime green. Keep a corporate air with a softer grey pinstripe rather than hard black.
A work bag need not look like a portable filing cabinet.
