I know what you must be thinking: luxury work pieces? In the office? HOW? Well, I am a firm believer that beautiful pieces should not be confined to special occasions or worse… the closet. There is a way to tastefully wear luxury items at the office without being over the top. I actually finds that it helps with confidence, especially during important meetings and events.
Work Luxury Pieces: Jimmy Choo
If you’ve been following me for a bit, you know that I absolutely adore Jimmy Choo (check out my honest review here). They are one of my favorite luxury shoe brands and also the brand I own the most of. What I love about Jimmy Choo is while they are known for their gorgeous bedazzled pieces they actually have quite a lot of corporate girly friendly shoes.
This perfect pair of work luxury pumps was my latest (and only!) luxury purchase of 2024. I got these on sale while in Milan in the summer. I’ve been on the lookout for a comfortable pair of luxury nude heels for a bit now and after Louboutin let me down, I decided to take a peek at JC and they did not disappoint.
These are the Cass 95 pumps in a mix of suede and patent leather. One thing to keep in mind is that I am a lover of tall heels and contrary to popular belief, these can be work appropriate. The key in making sure the heels are a classic color and style and that the rest of the fit is professional. I am actually not sure where the misconception that work appropriate heels should be half that size, but I doubt it came from a corporate queen…
I wear these babies 1-2 times a week and they always come with me on work trips. They are also my go-to pair for any in-person presentations I have. Plus, they can work outside of the office, too.
The toe box has creased a bit, but this is pretty standard on pointed toe heels, especially with suede. I have gotten stuck in the streets of Geneva and I was sure that when the heel would pull out of the crack, the suede would be ruined. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the fabric intact and only slightly discolored and scuffed. Finally, as with any suede, avoid wearing these during rainy days and invest in a suede brush to keep them looking new. I haven’t stained them once, nor have I had to brush them out despite the color. 11/10 would recommend.
Work Luxury Pieces: Alexander McQueen
My only regret with my most gorgeous blazer is not purchasing others… I’ll be honest, I don’t wear this every day. It is quite the investment and I will not put it on days where I am just working behind a screen. However, they have been present for every single interview, work event, and quite a few networking groups.
While luxury, I say that McQueen is on another level compared to the rest. The structure is out of this world and the fit is insanely flattering on most silhouettes. Plus, this blazer can easily be a night-out piece with a bodysuit or cute bralette under.
If you’ve ever watched Queen of the South, most of Teresa’s suits towards the end actually are McQueen, which is what started my love for this brand.
The only negative thing I have to say is that the buttons on the right sleeve have started to fade a bit due to rubbing on my desk. While it isn’t noticable, it does bother me. As previousy mentioned, I avoid wearing this on ‘regular’ days, so I find that it did fade rather quickly. Still highly recommend though.
The video below is not work inspo, but shows three items from this list, including this blazer.
@allurebytess Platforms though. 🖤 #ootd #PasstheGreatness #ootdfashion #outfitinspo ♬ Unholy – Sam Smith & Kim Petras
Luxury Work Pieces: Yves Saint Laurent
Now this is the unexpected member of the luxury work pieces list. I purchased this on a whim during a Kering sale as it was very inexpensive. I didn’t wear it much when I was a stylist, but it is now my go-to professional belt. One thing I avoid doing is wearing big logo belts as I do find that a tad bit inappropriate for work. I have worn a Gucci interlocking belt on Friday, but only when I have zero meetings and I am locked away in my office all day, but it’s rare.
This is where this belt comes in. I like that while it’s luxury, it is literally impossible to tell as there is no obvious logo and the writing is microscopic. The small size looks great on trousers or on dresses and the patent leather gives a nice change of texture. I do wear a similar belt with a small YSL logo and I find that to be fine for work as well. Just please avoid any massive GG’s, Hermes H’s, LV’s, or those MASSIVE Valentino numbers…
Luxury Work Pieces: Cartier
You can’t live and work in Switzerland, create a top work luxury pieces list, and omit a watch. It’s actually a crime. So this baby is vintage, like, 50+ vintage. It was my late grandmother’s and she used to be very into luxury, but outgrew that phase and sold most of her items. However, she could never part with this watch for some reason. She never weared it and it was found after going through her things. I am eternally grateful to have this gorgeous piece as I feel like a part of her is with me. I did luck out with it being luxury, though.
As it is quite old and needs refurbishing, I don’t wear this every day. I am terrified that one day, it will give and I am not ready for that. So she comes out for events and such. I will purchase a new Cartier watch in 2025 so that I can retire this sentimental piece. Truly cannot recommend it enough. I’ve never been a fan of Rolex and I usually advised my female clients against it during my styling days. They are quite bulky and delicate watches such as Cartier are much more flattering on our wrists.
Honorable Mention:
I had to mention these pumps on my luxury work pieces list. I also bought these during the Kering sale on a whim a while back, but I barely wore them. While they were stunning on, but quite uncomfortable. So, these velvet babies sat there catching dust for over a year.
One day, I woke up and decided to test out some of my less-worn heels to work that I previously wrote off as painful. I have my own office and if the heels became too painful, I could just switch back to my flat shoes that I drove to work in without anyone knowing.
While my Versace’s failed the test as they are actual torture chambers for your feet, the YSL’s surprised me. I can wear these all day now, with a few breaks in between. They do tend to turn rather quickly if I have to be standing a long time, but they are not unbearable. I have already worn these to a work-sponsored event for over an hour and had zero problems.
Due to the velvet, these are clearly a winter shoe, which is why they only made the honorable mention and not the official list. They are, however, in my regular winter work shoe rotation. The second I wear any purple or burgundy, they come out. I also quite like these with all black outfits to switch it up a little from the typical black pumps. These are the Anja 105 pumps, the tallest I have worn to work and it may not be for everyone.
Last, But Not Least: Longchamp
Okay, so I know we aren’t in the same type of luxury playing field, but I would be lying if I didn’t add this to my list. Miss Longchamp has been worn to worn every single day since she was purchased in the spring. She has also been to all of my work trips with me, and even my personal holidays as well. Homegirl has already been to six countries and counting!
You can fit SO much including my work laptop, case, random chargers, bento lunchbox, and heels. For the plane, I like to pack my laptop along with a full outfit with heels in case my luggage ever gets delayed and I often have room for more.
It hasn’t had any wear and tear and it still looks brand new. Honestly, it may be witchcraft as this bag has been used and abused. I went for the black version to keep it neutral and I had to have a strap as well in case I need to be hands free. You can check out my full review here.
Final Thoughts On Luxury Work Pieces:
I hope you enjoyed some of my favorite items for the workplace! The best part about all of these is that they can be used outside of the office, too. Luxury is meant to be worn and the lower that cost per wear, the better. Don’t be afraid to extend your love of nice things to the office.
I do work for a conservative Swiss-based company where the average person has been working there for over 25+ years. I attend events around the globe with thousands of other C-level individuals. And yes, I wear all of these pieces, and then some. I promise that if I can do it, you can, too. To be honest, I feel like I do better when I am wearing them because of the confidence that comes with it. Don’t blend in queen, stand out like you were meant to! But, you know, within work appropriate reason. 😉
Details:
Some of these are no longer in stock, so I found the closest possible items for you.
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