Melisa Goldie serves as the Executive Vice President & Chief Creative Officer of Calvin Klein, Inc. With her extensive background in advertising and photography, Ms. Goldie is responsible for directing and executing the company’s branded materials for advertising, marketing, packaging, licensing, and promotional initiatives, across all product categories globally. Ms. Goldie, who graduated with honors from Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography, resides in Brooklyn, New York with her family.

Here, she helps us navigate that daily dilemma we all encounter: “What am I going to wear?” —Ed.

It’s an essential question we each face daily and depending on your line of work, you are also likely dressing for multiple scenarios: dropping the kids off at school, going to the office, a client meeting, a dinner date, or a cocktail party—and sometimes these all need to be achieved with the same outfit, so a little bit of planning is key.

Unless your job calls for a business suit, a scrub, or other type of uniform, achieving the right look is more art than science— and strikes a fine balance of confidence, taste and personal style.

Curating your own wear-to-work wardrobe can be looked upon as an exciting personal challenge or a daunting experience. As a working mother, with two decades of experience in the fashion industry, I have found a few key ways to approach my work wardrobe. Here are a few personal pointers—along with my top picks from this fall’s Calvin Klein sportswear line.

1. Keep it simple. This belted long sleeve print dress mixes both modest and feminine elements effortlessly. Paired with black patent leather lizard pumps and a rounded Saffiano leather satchel, it’s a versatile look poised enough for the work day and perfect for an after-work date.
2. Dress smart. Start with black crocodile embossed leather pumps, and pair them with black stretch leggings and a white pleated mandarin collar blouse for a smart combination that’s both practical and polished. Add a blazer if you need to take it up a notch or head to a meeting.
3. Pencil it in. A sleek, black leather pencil skirt is super chic and turns an otherwise simple skirt look into a confident statement. To complete the look, trade the pumps for a pair of over-the-knee leather boots.
4. Go back to black. Try layering a long sleeve shirt dress over skinny stretch leggings for a casual look with a sophisticated appeal. Accessorize with a platform ankle boot, and a dome satchel.  Remember, black will always be the new black.

Shop for these and other great wear-to-work looks at calvinklein.com.

Look 1:

Printed Long Sleeve Black Dress
Winnie Croco Embossed Leather Pump          
Saffiano Leather Rounded Satchel

Look 2:

Pleated Mandarin Collar Blouse    
Power Stretch Black Leggings
Winnie Croco Embossed Leather Pump

Look 3:

Averie Over-the-Knee Leather Boot             

Look 4:

Body Skinny Pants
Britney Suede + Leather Ankle Boot