Creating a smart and savvy wardrobe for the millennial office-goer

Pay heed to those unwritten rules on what and what not to wear to office while building your work wardrobe

Straight out of college, Aayush Vashist wondered what clothes he must shop for, while building a wardrobe for his first job as a public relations executive. Thinking that his role would involve frequent client interface, he decided to go formal with shirts and trousers. It took him a while to figure out that he didn’t have to go for “pure formals that perhaps a banker would be expected to wear.” So he switched over to smart casuals. Today the 25-year-old wears his confidence on his sleeve, and says that he has "nailed the office attire" over time. "I am wiser with experience," chuckles Vashist, “Like they say, experience is always the best teacher though always late to school.”

Kalpana Yadav's case was quite the opposite. The ITeS (IT-enabled services) professional with Concentrix had a rather adventurous and flamboyant wardrobe during college days, but no sooner than she entered her work environment, she decided to tone it down. Says Yadav, “Some people dress as if they have come to a party, but I believe, when in Rome do as the Romans do. The minute you are part of a company, you must follow the diktat and here we do have a corporate dress policy. A knee-length formal dress is my go-to outfit, though there are days when we do wear pure formals or even pure casuals but the norm is business casual wear. I feel it helps project a professional image and your best foot forward in the business environment.”  

There are two defining features of corporate dressing. According to fashion designer Payal Jain (who has designed the uniforms for Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces in 2017), “It’s all about simplicity and elegance. One could use solid colours such as dark in winter and light in summer. What also works in officewear are pinstripes or thin stripes, small prints, tone-on-tone textures and weaves, simple accessories and finally easy to manage fabrics which don’t crush or crumple."

Accessories are the perfect style partners for finishing any outfit. A classic tote offers a chic finish, while a clutch bag adds a contemporary twist to go from office to bar. A scarf is quite versatile and can add a splash of colour or print to workwear or double duty as a on-trend hairband. Says Jain: “Accessories play a big role in work wear and women as well as men must experiment with these liberally; be it scarves, handbags, laptop bags, footwear, pocket squares, ties, belts or more. Stripes, prints and weaves are constantly seen paired with strong solid colours, making bold and unique style statements.”

"For men, little details like embroidered motifs, button down collars with cuff details have gained traction, says Ashish Gurnani, Co-founder, PostFold, a contemporary clothing brand whose USP is that it helps you “transition from desk to dinner and everything in between”. Gurnani endorses the use of smart 

fabrics like Travel360 wrinkle free or Hydrophobic Shirt or Supima and Tencel which are easy to maintain and remain same from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

If you are nervous about what to choose in your first job, there are always those safe zones and accepted norms with which you could start and then evolve your own style. When in doubt, stick to classics and basics. They never go out of style and buying good quality ones is like an investment for one’s wardrobe. 

The forever win-win pick are classics in greys, blacks, browns and blues.Jeans have made a comeback. However the denims that fit into the corporate workplace are mostly dark or deep indigo, with minimal washing effects, in-fitted and tapered silhouette. Overall a clean, monochrome subdued look is more work appropriate. In a more conservative environment, denims fit into the Friday dressing or dress-down Fridays concept, allowing workers to dress more casually on that day. 

According to Manjula Gandhi, Chief Product Officer, Numero Uno, “Denims, which were taboo at one point in time, are an acceptable norm today in many corporates. Crisp and neatly-ironed shirts are giving way to clean and smart knit polo T-shirts paired with slim-look tailored chinos. For women, Denim is the ultimate casual Friday dressing solution, best worn with a polo knit tee or a button down shirt, trainers or even heels when you really mean business!”

 

Initially, one must gauge and understand the “work culture”. As fashion experts vouch, the youth today knows how to make their own personal statements. Says fashion designer Payal Jain: “The traditional blue and black suits and predictable wardrobes have taken a back seat with the young millennials; the work dress code today is about colour, texture, print and accessorising!” But even with the blues and blacks, you could add “pop additions through minute detailing, hand-embroider initials, quirky socks and shoes”, says Saggar Mehra, Design Master and Creative Director, House of Sunil Mehra. He adds that millennial male is showing keen interest for 'made to measure' specifically for suits and trousers. Custom tailoring or bespoke tailoring has also made a comeback in the workwear industry.

Comfort matters in workwear, but style is paramount. Formal wear also has revamped itself and is no more restricted only to shirts and trousers but has a wide range of other options such as smart jackets, brightly coloured or patterned shirts complemented with loafers. According to Amit Gugnani, Senior Vice-President Technopak, “Business formal wear continues to rule and make up a majority of the workwear in corporate offices, but there is wider acceptance for the “smart casual” category like treggings (hybrid of trousers and leggings), knitted blazers etc. thus providing comfort, design and styling through casual wear and smart appearance for professionals. The inclusion of various new fabrics, colours and patterns in the corporate wear has made it more stylish when compared to business formals worn a decade ago.”

Which are the go to places for millennials? The likes of Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Louis Phillipe, Arrow, Park Avenue, Blackberrys and Peter England (with a separate range for Men and Women) continue to rule formal wear, there are some casualwear brands such as US Polo, Being Human, Spiker, Killer, Tommy Hilfiger which are now widely used worn by office goers as workwear. Private label brands of Shoppers Stop like ‘STOP’ and Lifestyle group like ‘MELANGE’ have are another favourite. But today global chains such as Zara, H&M, Marks and Spencer are very popular among millennials. Global brands are getting adventurous. 

According to Francesca Zedda, Global Head of Trend and Style at Marks & Spencer, “We offer contemporary and versatile pieces and are redefining what workwear means for everyone, allowing customers to push their fashion boundaries. We recently launched our Rethink campaign, encouraging our customers in India to try out new styles and workwear is perfect for this and outfit building. My top picks include the colour block suit, a tailored blazer with jeans through to tailored linen shorts and statement animal print dresses.” 

She adds that they know their customers in India love colour and “we’ve tailored our collection to include vibrant hues and bold pops of colour to elevate traditional workwear.”

Finally, what should your budget be when shopping for workwear? It can cost anywhere from 10,000-20,000 when you initially build your wardrobe to at least spending Rs 5,000 a month on additions and upgrades of apparel and accessories.

A few dos and don'ts

• Keep your body type, skin tone, hair colour and weather in mind while choosing your wardrobe.
• Be aware of the ethos and philosophy of your company and the work environment.
• Make a statement with your dressing, but don’t overdo the season’s trends; keep your profile and the position you represent paramount to your wardrobe selection.
• Distressed clothing, rugged bottoms or neon Ts are a big no-no.
• Steer clear of provocative clothes or T-shirts with messages that incite racist or gender-biased comments.
• Keep some variety in your daily workwear to avoid boredom.
• Use accessories to add colour. If you're a male millennial working professional, go scouting for decent laptop bags, watch, belts, formal shoes and ties, while a millennial working woman must invest in good handbags, belts, heels, watch.
• Browse through e-commerce sites to stay abreast of the latest trends, styles and even price points.