Style guide to evolving dress codes in the workplace

Expert tailors, dressers and recruiters discuss interview and workplace dress trends with Rita de Brún

When preparing for a job interview, you may dress to stand out, but there are guidelines as to what your clothing choices communicate to the employer. Picture: iStock

The suit. The dress. The dress code. What we wear sends a message about us. About who we are. About how we want to be seen. This is important in the workplace, where perception is everything, determining who rises, who falls, who stays and who goes.

Dress codes in the workplace are mostly of relevance to those who’ve been hired to work there. To get that far, you’ve got to win at the interview stage, where presenting appropriately is a must.