The New Era of Office Wear
Over time, styles change, people change, and tastes change, but the corporate uniform has not - until now. How to dress in an office has always been a tricky question, especially as all offices are different in terms of their work dress code.
Over the past few years, there has been a shift in what is appropriate in an office environment. We will look at this and finally answer the age-old question, what do I wear to work?
Changing styles
One of the most significant factors of the shift in office wear is individual preferences and changing styles. With each year that passes, it seems as if there is a ‘new’ office wear style. Here are just a few so you can understand why there is so much confusion.
- Casual
- Business casual
- Smart casual
- Semi Formal
- Business
- Formal
Wrapping your head around the different styles and what they mean almost seems impossible. Luckily for us, it seems the direction that office attire is moving, meaning this may not be a problem for too much longer.
Offices are becoming increasingly casual these days. What can it be attributed to? There isn’t one answer to that question, but the pandemic certainly set the wheels in motion forcing a shift towards hybrid work environments. With so many hybrid work roles in and out of the office over the past few years, people prefer being comfortable at work. There’s no secret that wearing comfortable stretchy pants and sneakers is far more comfortable than 2-inch heels or tight suit pants.
There has also been a shift in work-life priorities, and office wear is just one of these changes. It has taken time - more time for specific industries - to adopt this trend, and there are still going to be some jobs and positions that won’t be changing anytime soon. In saying that, watching a lawyer in a t-shirt and skinny jeans would be very entertaining.
What brands are changing?
Many brands are now seeing this shift into more casual office wear and have started making clothes that fit into this category. Here’s a list of brands for men’s and women’s wear that have started pushing more casual wear along with their traditional styles.
Men
- Asos Design
- Lululemon
- Uniqlo
- Muttonhead
- Wigs + Horns
- Frank & Oak
- Outclass
- Viberg
Women
- Tamga Designs
- Frank & Oak
- Arc
- Frane
- Thief and Bandit
- Encircled
- Kotn
- Lululemon
There’s always been a divide between work and leisure wear as it does help mentally separate work and private time. But what is the point of only having clothes that can be worn at work? When building your work wardrobe, it makes sense to have items of clothing that can be worn all the time. This takes us back to the idea of a capsule wardrobe - having a small collection of clothing that can be used in any situation.
Style suggestions
Stretchy fabrics
Stretchy fabrics are a lifesaver for office clothing. Most of the time, other people in the office won’t even know you’ve got the world’s stretchiest pants on, and you’re sitting at your desk in pure bliss. From stretchy fabrics and hidden elastic waistbands to double-knit fabrics that look very structured - but stretch like activewear. As odd as it sounds, get some stretchy pants and thank us later. A few examples of our stretchy clothing are the Comfort Wool Stretch Slimline and Flat Front Pants for men or the Cool Stretch Multi-Pleat Skirt for women.
Blazers/Overcoats
Blazers are such a versatile item of clothing for everyone in an office space. They are targeting the ‘business casual’ crowd. A blazer can be worn with a shirt, polo, t-shirt, crop top, turtleneck, etc. They can also be used as a stand-alone piece by pairing them with a belt. This helps you create multiple outfits from the same item of clothing. The possibilities are endless! The blazer has never had more power in an office than it does right now.
Polo shirts
Polo shirts are very versatile and are where the introduction to a more casual dress code began. Polo shirts are a universal style for all individuals in the workplace. With the collar, they maintain professionalism while breaking the barrier of a suit or long sleeve shirt. They’re also a great summer alternative! An example of one of our polo shirts is the Crew Polo for women and men.
Work-leisure
Work-leisure is, loosely speaking, bringing activewear into the workplace. Activewear that is stylish enough to wear to a cafe or other low-key social settings. We are now seeing non-activewear brands employing sweat-wicking fabrics that are typically used in active wear for office attire. Activewear brands are also starting to delve into the office wear space too. Look at Lululemon; for example, they have a wide range of versatile clothing options for men and women.
Casual Friday? Casual every day!
Casual Friday is another reason for this new trend of relaxed dress codes in the workplace. A recent study showed that 61% of employees are more productive when the dress code is relaxed.
A relaxed dress code doesn’t mean wearing your Sunday gardening clothes. It means instead of wearing a shirt and jacket; you wear a polo shirt instead. Businesses can keep their office looking professional while keeping their employees' desires at the forefront of their minds.
If something as small as giving employees more freedom with their clothing choices means they will get more work done, be more efficient and be happier, then, surely, it’s a no-brainer?
Clothing is a way for people to express themself and communicate their personality, culture, and preferences. It’s the first thing your new boss, colleagues, and clients will notice about you when you walk into the room.
Having casual Friday every day will give you all those great Friday feels right throughout the week. Doesn’t that sound great?
What does this mean for your wardrobe?
Now you don’t have to go and spend thousands of dollars on clothes you can only wear in the office. The capsule wardrobe is the way to dress and is here to stay. Having work clothes and casual clothes just doesn’t make sense. Combining the two is the way to go, and it saves you money!
The best part about this style of clothing is that you can choose how ‘dressy’ you want to get on any given day. The power is all yours. If you have a meeting on Wednesday and want to dress to impress, you can. If it’s a Friday and you have drinks straight after work, and you want to wear a nice top and jeans, you can.
Hybrid dressing is the way to go, and there is no stopping it!
Check out our latest range on our website.