Your New Work Wardrobe
Coming back to the office after a well-earned holiday is never easy, but a new outfit can certainly help to soften the blow.
You’ve had a week or two living in swimwear and sandals, shuttling lazily from pool to lounger and back again, blissfully unconcerned by the patchy wi-fi coverage affecting whatever idyllic corner of the world you found yourself in. But now it’s time to come back, and despite what you might think, that isn’t an entirely bad thing. Resuming your usual office-going routine has one major upside: the clothes. Shorts and t-shirts are nice for a while, but they’re no substitute for elegantly cut suits and tailored separates, fine knitwear and crisp shirts.
The right clothes can have a transformative effect on our confidence, and while we would stop short of saying that a new suit might actually make you better at your job, it certainly can’t hurt. Now is the perfect time of year to invest in some new pieces to elevate and energise your work wardrobe for the rest of the season. New clothes might seem like a small consolation for leaving behind a life of tranquil relaxation, but think of it as a way to ease that – admittedly, painful – transition back into reality.
More informal again, we have what we call our Modern Working Wardrobe, which consists of items that nod to traditional office dress – tailored jackets, suits – but which are considerably relaxed thanks to the use of soft, unlined constructions and casual fabrics. Most of us work in environments that encourage a more easy-going approach to personal style, and so a suit might feel too dressy. Instead, consider building a capsule wardrobe of soft blazers, chore jackets, versatile knitwear and trousers which are easy to wear and style together, while conveying a sense of refinement and polish that’s perfect for your working week.