Far too many aspects of work are already routine — the Starbucks in the morning, your schedule, meetings on Thursdays and that one co-worker who talks too much.

The clothes you wear should not be one of them.

Ladies, forget about purchasing a new wardrobe for your job. Forget the archaic suit and forget the painful heels. You can dress perfectly fine with the clothes you bought to please yourself. Just adjust modern pieces a little to match your job’s atmosphere and you will be comfortable and ready for work.

Following is a list of suggestions on what to wear to different types of jobs using contemporary trends.

h2. Office

A pair of black Steve Madden wedges will nicely complement your black blazer. Wedges add the pumps’ skyscraper height while providing the support and comfort a pair of flats do. Tie your hair up in a ballerina bun to keep your hair out of your face and you’re ready to go!

Working in a cubicle is no excuse for a sad suit or the worn out, charcoal blazer…that is, unless you spice up your outfit a little. Under that poor little blazer, throw on a white collar shirt, like those seen on the Marc Jacobs Ready-to-Wear Fall 2011 collection. Feel free to wear a gold choker necklace and tuck it beneath the collar to add a pop of color to your outfit.

As opposed to wearing the traditional pencil skirt, wear purple pants. Not only will they draw attention to your legs, but color blocking is also making a comeback. Brightly colored pants made their way back into the fashion scene after appearing at Karen Walker Fall 2011 show among many collections.

h2. School

In the case that you work at a school, remember that while you are allowed to express your style, you are also expected to be discreet in your choice of clothes. A decent option is a camel colored knee-length, A-line skirt, for ‘60s mod trends are making a return. Even Prada featured an assortment of mod-style color blocked skirts in its Autumn/Winter ad campaign. Add a sheer pattern shirt, dark brown belt and Oxfords for a professional appeal.

h2. Retail

Clothing and department stores, especially chains like Charlotte Russe and Forever 21, are some of the few work environments that will not censor your sense of style but rather applaud it. However, retail will also take a toll on your feet with traveling across the store and consistently checking of inventory. What’s my point?

Although you may be really excited about your shoes, refrain from wearing those cute 3” heels to work. As an alternative, a pair of combat boots will add a modest amount of grunge to your apparel.

For the ensemble, you can reuse your black maxi skirt from the summer. Maxi skirts continued to appear on fall runways and were also featured in the Valentino Spring 2012 collection. To dress up the outfit, simply tuck in a white or bright colored lacy shirt for a feminine touch.­

h2. Eatery

Although most restaurants have a strict dress code, that does not mean you can’t channel your inner Chanel. As a matter of fact, most designers encouraged the use of barista-like and formal apparel with the tuxedo dressing trend. Fashion designers like Jason Wu and Ralph Lauren featured tuxedo tops for women in their Fall 2011 runway shows. While wearing that simple white tuxedo blouse, throw on a silver cuff or short necklace to dress up the look.

You may not have much control over what you wear when you work as a waitress, but what you can change is your hair. Use it to your advantage! Try a slicked hair look or a Dolce and Gabbana French twist for a change of pace. A simple pair of black pants and loafers should complete the masculine ensemble.

_Lyanne is a freshman in Media._