When you hear the words ‘business dress’, it’s pretty likely that images of old fashioned 80s and 90s power suits come to mind, complete with big leather suitcases and bluetooth cell phone earpieces!
This kind of look is very much a thing of the past in the majority of companies and work environments around the world, but the fall in popularity of this style and the modernisation of many workplaces leads into another question: “is business dress still actually relevant in 2019?”
Most offices these days follow the ‘casual Friday’ train of thought, and many don’t even have a dress code at all, but that doesn’t mean that those who want to make an effort in their professional life shouldn’t feel free to. In any business that isn’t necessarily customer facing, there is always going to be a tendency to dress for comfort rather than for show, but isn’t there a happy medium that can be achieved? Here are some ways that you can make business dress still feel relevant in 2019.
Accessories
The types of accessories that you take to work with you can have a big impact on how your overall dress is perceived. A classy handbag or luxury wallets, for example, are something that can hint at a level of professionalism and status without you having to go the full nine yards with an expensive suit. Other accessories that can have the same kind of effect include things like watches and even a great pair of shoes when the rest of your outfit is slightly more on the casual side. It is much more about looking presentable than looking like you are about to go to a business dinner party.
Blazer
A good blazer is the kind of garment that bridges the gap between casual and smart in exactly the right way for a business setting. You can wear something relatively simple underneath, but it is automatically given more style and sophistication points when a blazer is thrown on over the top.
Pants
If you are searching for a simple way to take your business wear from casual to semi serious, then opting for fabric pants in place of denim jeans is a simple and effective tip. There is something unavoidably casual about jeans, regardless of the colour, so switching them out for chinos or capri pants or any other kind of fabric trouser can instantly elevate your daytime outfit look.
Shirts
Buttoned shirts and blouses over t-shirts and sweaters are always a good option for aiming for a more business smart look. If you don’t want to go all the way into looking like a ‘boring professional’, then a great tip is to find some shirts or blouses that have fun and interesting prints and patterns on them. The shirt itself provides you with smarter, more mature silhouette, but the design can go a long way to maintaining some of your fun personality that you like to display both inside and outside of work.
