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Top 12 Wardrobe Staples for Women in Finance

May 11, 2016

What’s our favorite thing about working at MM.LaFleur? Easy: getting to chat with our amazing customers all day, every day. We’re always fascinated to see which styles work best for women in different industries. We recently explored the pieces beloved by ladies in law, and this week, we’re doing a deep dive to see which MM styles are the top picks for women in finance.

1. The Modern Knit Blazer (The Woolf)

Did you know that our unofficial brand motto used to be “Death to the Pantsuit?” It’s true. Traditional suits are about as fun as a pit full of rattlesnakes. But this stretchy, wrinkle-resistant knit blazer is a whole different story. Perfect for days on the trading floor and nights out with clients, it’s the modern woman’s answer to the outdated power suit.

2. The Versatile Sheath Dress (The Lydia)

women in finance

The Lydia dress in cinder.

This dress is truly up for anything. It’s soft and stretchy enough to handle your morning commute, and chic enough to blend into any business setting. Pair it with a blazer for work, and then show off those shoulders come cocktail hour.

3. The Everyday A-line (The Annie)

women in finance

The Annie dress in deep indigo.

Just because you’re spending the day with your head in a spreadsheet doesn’t mean you can’t look impeccable. Wildly comfortable and wrinkle-resistant, this dress will look sharp even after you’ve spent 10 straight hours at your desk. (Maybe it’s time for a break?)

4. The I’m-the-boss Dress (The Toi)

women in finance

The Toi dress in graphite.

Confident, authoritative, and completely in control. You might not always feel that way, but you can definitely look that way in this ultra-flattering dress.

5. The Fancy Desk Sweater (The Sant Ambroeus)

women in finance

The Sant Ambroeus in deep indigo.

Unexpected client meeting? Arctic blast from the air conditioner? Keep this structured jardigan (jacket meets cardigan) over your desk chair so you can sharpen your look and keep warm in one fell swoop.

6. The Everything Dress (The Etsuko)

women in finance

The belted Etsuko dress in black.

There’s nowhere this machine-washable wonder can’t go. Tense negotiation? Networking drinks that might actually be a date? Presentation in front of your entire group? Yes, yes, and yes. One of our customers even attended her company’s IPO in it.

7. The Day-to-night Power Dress (Akiko 2.0)

women in finance

The Akiko 2.0 in black.

You’ve heard of business casual and business formal—but have you heard of business elegant? Neither have we; we just made it up. But this dress is definitely business elegant. Wear it to close your next deal, and then roll straight into celebratory cocktails.

8. The No-stress Dress (The Emily)

women in finance

The Emily dress in black.

Today’s going to be a doozy: You have back-to-back meetings, then a lease signing (congrats on your new place, by the way), and then you have to run to the airport for an overnight flight. Do yourself a favor by wearing a fuss-free, machine-washable dress that requires minimal styling.

9. The Sneaky-comfy Business Dress (The Rachel)

women in finance

The super-soft Rachel dress in black.

Form-fitting without being too tight, the Rachel looks perfectly streamlined under a blazer for power days. But here’s the surprising part: It feels like pajamas. (That’s the magic of our favorite double-knit Italian jersey.)

10. The Goes-with-everything Skirt (The Noho)

women in finance

The Noho skirt with the Davis top.

Many of the professionals we know practically live in this skirt. Dress it up for major meetings; dress it down with a cozy sweater for the occasional weekend work session.

11. The Laid-back Layer (The Graham Kimono)

Elegance and ease are not mutually exclusive. For days when you don’t have to be in a suit, but you want to look like you’re on top of your game (which you are), opt for this all-season layer. So much more interesting than the average cardigan, if you ask us.

 12. The Business Traveler‘s Secret Weapon (The Nisa)

women in finance

Always pack the Nisa dress in black.

Last-minute business trip? Panic not. The Nisa is a wrinkle-resistant renaissance dress that will still look crisp after a five-hour flight. (You’ll probably want to pack a scarf, too!)

Need a great work wardrobe but no time to shop? Order a Bento and let our stylists do the work for you. 


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