If you don’t have these 13 staples in your closet, you’re not the modern corporate queen you think you are. Follow these tips, curated especially for our tropical weather, to perfect the minimalist smart-casual look.

Low-heeled mules/sandals

Say bye-bye to those plain stuffy court shoes with the ridiculous heels that hurt our ankles after a long day. These low-heeled, no-stress mules or sandals are in. And they come in as many styles and colours as you want.

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Classic ballet flats

You probably remember these from secondary school. Only the cool girls whose parents actually put out wardrobe allowance for them owned these. Now, as a working-class gal, you can finally buy them for yourself. They are still as cool, classy, and most importantly, comfortable as ever.

Neutral-coloured oversized dress shirt

They are your regular office buttoned-down shirts but with a twist. Dress shirts are better tailored, made from finer fabric like silk, linen, or pure cotton, and have intricate details that set them apart from the regular. Get them slightly oversized and in natural tones — white, brown, faded blues and greens — and just like that, you’ve turned your plain old work outfit into a stylish number.

White tank top/cami

A basic item that serves as a clean slate on which to build all your effortlessly elegant looks, this unbothered queen is a must-have. Wear it and then throw on that oversized dress shirt with a couple of buttons undone, or a simple sweater, blazer, light jacket… can you see what I’m saying?

Tailored cigarette pants

Cigarette pants are the sweet in-between where skinny pants and regular straight pants meet. In their…