The only workwear guide you'll ever need

 

Apparently, we spend a third of our lives at work, which sounds like a scary amount of time. If we’re going to spend that long at our desk, we might as well look good doing it, right? This is where our handy guide comes in. With the days of white-collar dressing long gone, modern-day workwear gives you the freedom to dress up, dress down and embrace your personal style. Follow our guide to the new ways to do 9-5 dressing and those hours at work will fly by. 

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The new smart 

Despite the dramatic casualization of workwear generally, some professions still dictate that you look, well, smart. Just when you thought, especially with fashion’s obsession with streetwear of late, that you could throw out the suit, think again. The spring/summer catwalks were a love letter to tailoring.

When it comes to suits, a wardrobe of four great ones is a good shout: a classic navy and black two-piece, a three piece in a heritage check and a charcoal suit in a slimmer, slightly more modern fit. Don’t scrimp on quality, these are going to last you. It’s best to rest your suit for a day or two in between each wear as well.

Shoes are of the utmost importance here (judging a man by his shoes and all that). With your navy suit, black, rich brown or cognac Oxfords or Derbies look great. With your black suit, stick to black shoes. With a grey, heritage suit, opt for dark brown, maroon or black shoes and with your charcoal number, black or burgundy will set it off.

Ties, watch, cufflinks… again go for quality and modern. Smart no longer means stuffy. 

 

 

 

The new smart-casual

Smart-casual used to be a minefield and often the kerfuffle led us to regrettably the same dark jeans and shirt awkwardly tucked in or the suit sans tie that you’d rather forget. Today smart-casual is an invitation to options aplenty.

Our hero pieces? Number one, the tapered trousers. Suit style trousers, cropped, with a great fitting tee tucked in and smart sneakers is a sartorial winner.

Number two, the shacket (shirt-jacket) or utility jacket paired with great knitwear. On that subject, knitwear is the smart-casual dream. A luxurious roll neck, or a fine crew neck under a suit jacket, is one of those not-so-secret style secrets.

Number three, a trench. This coat is the genius springtime stalwart for all weathers.

Number four, deconstructed suits. Oversized, loose jackets in light fabrics a la the spring/summer catwalks say not too smart, not too casual.

 

 

The new casual


The prospect of a casual or ‘dress code free’ workplace may induce a sigh of relief. But before you pull out your seen-better-days sweatshirt, remember, casual workwear also means class. Generally speaking, keep cuts tailored and quality high. Think a denim jacket, chunky knitwear, heavy cord trousers and great sneakers. Alternatively, go for mid wash, straight jeans, a retro tee, trainers and chunky socks, or a clean-line tee, chinos and loafers.

The great news is you can show your personality, the bad news is don’t go overboard. Intro trends – such as neon or bulbous sneakers – while keeping the rest of your outfit crisp and on-point. The coolest guy in the office? We’re now looking at you.

 

 
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