Latest lines for office duty

The best thing about updating your office wear this season is the fact you can recycle much of what you’ve already got in your wardrobe and team it with fresh trends. Shoes, shirts and blouses are easily assimilated into the latest looks, especially if you erred on the side of caution and chose conservative colours. Business casual is the way forward, with an emphasis on pale grey tones for men in suits while dusty pinks are still in fashion on both sides of the gender partition. Neutral tones like beige, china-blues and cool tans also complement darker shades of green, brown and classic burgundies.

Narrow single-breasted styles are still in vogue for men, while a baggier vibe can be found in women’s trouser suits with the introduction of palazzo legs and drawstring waistbands. Keep in mind that blazers in staple colours will ground your looks and lend a classic edge to your clothing choices.

Finally, we can leave aside the layering and the cocoon clothes of winter. Here we narrow it down to a few key trends for the executive woman and man.

For women

Flower power

Tropical-looking trouser suits, ruffled frilly blouses and vintage floral dresses – like the latest looks from Orla Kiely’s collection – are hot off the ironing board. Embroidered skirts teamed with feather shoes and sliders always impress the fashion cognoscenti – Simone Rocha’s styles are fresh off the international catwalk and can be found in Havana boutique.

On the high street, many of the colourful styles have Hawaiian roots, with oversized floral patterns blooming in store windows. Team with block colours by day for a muted effect. Office wallflowers may prefer to keep their designs to a minimum, but extroverts will show their true metal with lots of heavy petal. Miss Selfridge has a gorgeous version in regal navy and peach. For those on the designer hunt, Dolce & Gabbana have hot floral styles at Brown Thomas.

Pretty in pink

Palest pink, lilac and baby blue are the colours of the corporate chameleon. The hard, bossy colours of post box red and royal blue are losing impact as a softer approach to office politics emerges. The subtle styles of the office influencer will include dusty pink trouser suits, silky blouses in blush and lilac jackets. River Island has a smart two-piece ensemble for cash-strapped shoppers. Arnotts also has a fantastic, label-conscious collection embracing all these trends.

Dare to flare

Wide-legged trousers in cool linens and baggy jackets bring back the oversized suits of the ’80s. Michael Mortell’s pale-checked linen trouser suits with boxy shoulder jackets would be ideal if still hanging out in a wardrobe. However, check out Wallis and V by Very from Littlewoods’ website for a strong collection of looks. Diffusion also does a pop-up store in Meadows and Byrne for those tracking down catwalk highlights.

For men

Gatsby gear

The iconic wide-leg, pale pastel suit worn with a narrow-tailored jacket brings back visions of Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran as well as strains of Brian Ferry. The dapper dresser will go all white on the night and team off his fab clobber with oversized Nike trainers. Trouser suits from Marks & Spencer or Topman deliver a classy image without compromising style.

Anorak attack

Bertie is back with the practical anorak. This spring, the handy, zip-up, no-nonsense weather beater will take its place alongside the more illustrious Barbour and Crombie.

Stripe hype

Heavy duty striking stripes are being chalked up for the corporate client. The more extrovert pinstripe returns to the market with short arms and long pockets. Best Menswear has the labels to ensure the smart executive is suited and booted in style.