Our fashion editor on what to wear to the office

From remote access and hybrid office models to virtual conferences and collaborative flexi-spaces, times are changing - here is how to manage the new work dress code

Mon, 20 Sep, 2021 - 13:30

Annmarie O’Connor

The pivot to ‘phygital’ work solutions in the wake of the pandemic has reimagined how we navigate our careers. From remote access and hybrid office models to virtual conferences and collaborative flexi-spaces, times are changing. So is what we wear to work.

The stay-at-home mandate which promoted Dress Down Friday to a full-time position gave us licence to wear PJs without prejudice.

‘Waist-up’ options replaced ‘suited and booted’ counterparts. We could quite literally have our joggers and wear them too.

Now that real-life interactions are back on the agenda, the burning question abides. What’s the new dress code?

A new code

Here’s a clue. It’s nothing new; just different. Pre-pandemic shifts coupled with our sped-up, blended, lives contributed to less prescriptive professional attire across many industries.

Once the remit of tech start-ups and snazzy media agencies, the ‘business casual’ dress code became a way to increase efficiency and wellbeing in the workplace. Equal parts egalitarian and elusive, it also became a source of stress with over 2 billion Google search results posing the question: “What is it?”.

Apply this conundrum to the prevailing climate of uncertainty and most of us are left quaking in our Zoom-approved house slippers.

The fact is we all know where we stand with formal dressing. The message is conservatively clear. Suits, tailored separates, and dresses convey credibility and authority. They also create cognitive ease in acting as a self-styled uniform. Most importantly, they neither compete nor overshadow what we say and what we do.

Dressing for today’s burgeoning on-off site culture allows for personal interpretation, which in turn makes us vulnerable. The office, be it the kitchen table or company HQ, is the locus for career progression.

With this, it's important to understand how to create a hybrid work wardrobe that makes you feel confident and makes others confident in you.

Easier said than done. A year and a half since the onset of coronavirus, none of us are too keen to rescind the cult of comfort. A survey conducted by serviced office group IWG reveals that 55% of people feel they work more productively when given leverage to dress as they wish, while 40% said not having their clothing choices constrained supported their creativity.

Moreover, the increased interest in health and wellness prompted by life on the outside has seen an uptick in cycling as a mode of transport, according to a Business of Fashion and McKinsey State of Fashion 2021 survey. Suddenly those suits and heels don’t seem fit for purpose.

Versatility

Handcrafted wool sweatshirt with scarf, Massimo Dutti, €169.

Although finding the middle ground between personal taste and professional expectations can prove tricky, the fashion industry is responding in kind with elevated everyday pieces that look the business, whatever your business.

Louise Stuart Trainor, Lecturer in Consumer Insights at London College of Fashion sees ‘modularity and sustainability’ as key components to this transition, especially for those of us who’ve relocated further from our place of work.

“A duvet coat apt for freezing early mornings on a train platform,” she notes, “needs to be able to transform into a more refined jacket or body-warmer suitable for popping out to lunch in the city. As the office wardrobe shrinks, buying quality items that are made to last becomes more important.

"A sustainable approach works best if applied to semi-tailored trousers and fluid dresses that can be layered, accessorised and adapt to day-to-evening dressing.”

Direct-to-consumer brands like ME+EM have been early adopters in this regard offering rigorously edited pieces that are both wearable and versatile. Their signature ‘transformer’ garments do double duty and are designed not to pill, fade or crease.

Expect coat-to-gilet and mac-to-jacket iterations; trousers with adjustable waist tabs and hems that can be worn full-length or crop length. AM-to-PM gúnas in sweatshirt fabrication with adjustable drawstrings, elasticated rib sleeve cuffs and, of course, pockets figure highly. What’s more, most pieces are machine washable at 30 degrees.

While multi-tasking may signal interest from an older demographic, Gen Z and younger millennials are expected to interpret professional dressing in terms of fabric and feel, says Trainor.

“Sets and co-ordinates will remain popular, but in stretch and supple materials rather than starched wovens. Knitted vests, premium leggings and slimline jersey dresses allow the influence of loungewear to seep into the office environment.

A sense of unease about returning to the office remains; cosy clothing will help to ease this transition while signalling that comfort and rest will be ongoing priorities for everyone – regardless of the existing work culture.”

New standards

Ah, comfort: a hard habit to break but not without reason. What was once seen as an off-duty luxury, or a home office perk might well be the key to onboarding hybrid staff. If that’s the case, then these high street players are setting new industry standards.

This season British brand Whistles champions leather as an instant upgrade for unstructured and roomy silhouettes, be they dresses to skirts while knitted co-ordinates and chunky-soled knee boots are commuter-friendly staples without sacrificing style.

COS parlays their Swedish know-how with forever pieces that pay dividends. Swap restrictive jackets for reversible wool knitted capes (€89) and look to square-toe leather loafers (€150) for extra wiggle room.

The money shot? The sleeveless iteration of their longline mac (€150) can be worn as a gilet over a turtleneck with relaxed trousers or as a dress.

Nordic neighbour Arket is known for providing the right tools to do the job: water-repellent bomber jackets, cycling capes (€190), and parkas, while their suiting boasts laidback proportions and crease-free fabric like Italian hopsack.

Wear together or team with more relaxed wardrobe staples to help them stay on message.

For that feelgood factor, Massimo Dutti’s online ‘handmade’ offering showcases handcrafted wool-blend garments that marry flexibility with credibility.

Tunic-style sweatshirts (€169) with combined scarf detail are ideal for toggling between home and HQ. Waistcoats (€129) and hooded button-up vests (€129) make louche layering pals while chic overshirts operate like a big hug on long days.

The real ‘how’ in mastering a wardrobe that works from anywhere boils down to one thing – you.

Ask yourself, ‘what does my life look like now?’ Manage out jaded pieces that offer no pay-off. Anything worn at the start of lockdown warrants immediate dismissal.

Conduct regular closet appraisals to ensure your professional attire remains competitive. If in doubt, replace the word ‘casual’ with ‘flexible’ and always remember business always comes before it.

Contact Annmarie at www.annmarieoconnor.me to learn more about her Working from Anywhere business webinars and virtual styling sessions.

How to look the business, casually

Look Sharp

Don’t underestimate the power of a tailored jacket to smarten casual separates and create a polished visual résumé.

Italian herringbone boyfriend blazer, €380; perfect pocketless tee, €48; super wide-leg sporty track pants, €255; leather slip-on trainer, €270, ME+EM.

Opposites Attract

Upgrade the roomy proportions of loungewear with subtle tailoring, premium fabrics, and saturated hues.

Handcrafted wool sweatshirt with scarf, Massimo Dutti, €169.

Room to Advance

A pair of wide-leg trousers say ‘relaxed’ while still maintaining an air of professionalism. Team with a Zoom-collar sweater and add flats for a look that does over-time.

‘Antigua’ sweater, €195; wide-leg trousers, €195, Essential Antwerp.

Go Gadget

Looking for a tech complaint, work-to-weekend bag? Enter aoife®, an Irish brand that creates convertible málas with multiple carrying modes and zipped compartments including one for a 14” laptop.

‘Gallery’ reclaimed convertible tote-to-backpack, aoife®, €475.

Feelgood fabrics