How I cracked the office dress code

Even people who claim they don’t care about clothes know that what you wear to work matters. That’s why the service industry insists on uniforms for its front-of-house staff.

We could spend hours discussing how ropey those uniforms tend to be and how they often send the opposite message from the one intended, but that’s for another day.

But the next time you gaze upon a flight-deck attendant in her poorly fitting skirt and dodgy Color-Me-Ugly palette, tread gently. Because it’s entirely possible that we’ve all had little lapses in our work attire.

Decoding the semiotics of any office takes time. Some never quite crack it. Or they crack it and wish they hadn’t because, sartorially speaking, the status quo in some places turns out to be a status woe.

Fitting in doesn’t mean blending in until everyone looks identical. Who wants to work in a company of automata? On the other hand, the team member who is hell bent on standing out via their clothes is not a team member at all, but an insecure exhibitionist who needs to get a grip.

If that sounds harsh, it’s nothing compared with what your colleagues say when you’re not in the room. Judgements at work are extra severe because they often come cloaked in ‘professional concern’.

The good news is that rules of work dressing are infinitely more flexible than in the past. I’ve interviewed City high-flyers and leading oncologists who regularly wear Mary Katrantzou or Jonathan Saunders to work. Admittedly, it’s easier to shake things up from the top of the tree.

Sleeveless tunics.

Image: lemon yellow bridesmaid dresses

What’s left unspoken is sometimes more important than what’s explicitly stated. So look and learn. Do your colleagues consider expensive labels flashy or de rigueur? Is it a work team that views a mass outbreak of the same Zara shoes as a sign of solidarity, or is a strict first-dibs policy in operation?

If denim is tolerated – what kind? There’s a vast perception gap between a pair of tailored, dark denim jeans and ripped-to-shreds drainpipes, between a dolphin tattoo you can cover up and a socking great tribute to Thor that sprawls over your neck and jawline. If you’re tone-deaf to these nuances, maybe that’s a sign you’re in the wrong career.

I’m not suggesting you abandon your principles, or start wearing animal-print shirt dresses two sizes too small and implausibly padded bras because that’s how your boss dresses. But sometimes it’s necessary to compromise.

Usually, though, there’s a way around every dress rule – even if you have that boss in the Wonderbra. Without showing her up by coming in dressed like Mother Too Superior, you can wear buttoned-up shirt dresses that fit, or classic shirts and trousers. Good-quality fabric and great cuts will always trump flashier trimmings.

Talking of trousers – even a year ago, I might not have suggested wearing leather culottes to the office. But now? They’re an excellent way to mix up a predictable penchant for black trousers.

Moral of the story: stay tuned to the fashion static. It will keep you looking current. Because fashion – hallelujah! – has finally got its head around the workplace. There are at least a dozen, more, key items that work in exemplary style:

1. The tailored coat-dress: This can be layered over jumpers and blouses, or worn on its own in the summer.

2. The ‘statement’ sweater: Not featuring rhinestones or a Moschino Big Mac, but with understated details that lift it above the humdrum. That could mean a neckline that reveals the collarbones, but not the shoulders; or a cut that reveals wrists but not your navel.

3. The knitted coat: Wear it over skirts or trousers for comfortable tailoring.

4. The block heel: A perfect shoe for work: it’s elevated, but practical and flattering, too.

5. Wide-leg trousers: Skinnies are starting to look dated and that fashion obsession with knitting-needle legs now seems a bit freakish.

6. Matchy-matchy prints: Any coordinating separates that make up an outfit but can also be worn on their own are useful. Patterns ‘disrupt’(to use some modish jargon) a conventional suit and make it more playful and idiosyncratic. They can also get stale quite quickly. Use sparingly.

7. The over-the-knee boot: In suede rather than leather, this is a chic way to wear higher hemlines and slit skirts. You should never reveal more than you intend in an office – it comes across as sloppy and unsophisticated.

8. Dark tailored denim: Smart but relaxed-looking, this is fine for all but the most formal office – but it should be good quality. Contrast stitching always makes denim look more expensive.

9. Lightweight capes: A great way to bring interesting shapes to otherwise banal trousers and skirts.

10. Knitted tabards: Another layering piece to add a modern edge to shirts and trousers.

11. A-line, below-the-knee skirts: Nothing too exaggerated, otherwise they’ll make you look like an isosceles triangle.

12. The flat shoe: An essential part of the relaxed-but-smart armoury.

13. Shirt dresses: Especially the silky variety, are sleek and much more relevant than the tight-fitted office dress.

14. Tunics: With or without sleeves, are another strong-but-feminine option with skirts or trousers.

Whatever you wear to the office, make it good, make it subtle. Details should be slyly eye-catching rather than conversation stoppers. Raw edges are one of those fashion finishes that make otherwise conventionally formal pieces look more intriguing – but as the designer Anna Valentine, cautions, ‘ensure everything else about your outfit is very polished’.

Don’t turn the dial up too much. Dark, raw-hemmed trousers = good; crimson raw hems = shouty, needy. Talking of colour, for the sake of longevity, muted ‘in-between’ shades that register positively without screaming are the intelligent choice.

Think navy and greys (obviously), but also teal, burgundy, khaki, bottle green, chocolate and cream. Save the orange and yellow for accent pieces. Details, details: notched necklines, contrasting cuffs, a discreet flash of colour all help create an identity that impresses for the right reasons.

Invest in a flattering, low-maintenance haircut that doesn’t yell ‘HAIR-DO’. Never look like someone who spends more time on their appearance than on their brief. Keep an eye on trends, especially where jewellery and accessories are concerned, as they’re the easiest outfit-updaters. There’s no excuse for wearing hippy tat when everyone else has beautiful, sculptural-looking bracelets or elegant pendant necklaces.

See More: http://www.sheinbridaldress.co.uk/purple-bridesmaid-dresses

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