What to wear to work?

What you wear to work speaks volumes. One of my standard interview questions is “How did you decide what to wear today?” This isn’t a question about fashion, taste or style - it’s about confidence, forward thinking, analysis and mindset.

Many people have a ‘go-to’ look for business and don’t actually think about what they wear. Other than what’s clean and ironed. The weather may play a small part in that decision too. Attire is a very clever way to present oneself in different workplace situations. To me, as an employer, it conveys many personality traits and can give an insight into attitude.

For days in the office when there are no meetings some people dress for comfort and others still dress to impress. I see merit in both of these approaches. I see slightly more value in self-pride though. I have no issue with my team wearing jeans, trainers and hoodies. Comfortable dress means people are more relaxed, happier and they work better. There’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in what you wear and spending the day too hot or too cold. 

People who dress well – even on days when there are no meetings – shows how much pride they have. Colours can also show mood and frame-of-mind. People who live in black might have issues with confidence. Whereas people who are bolder with colour and patterns are likely to be more positive and outgoing. Life in beige is far from inspiring!

Regardless of style the most important thing is to be presentable and well-groomed. It comes down to personal choice. Good presentation speaks volumes. Think about what you wear and how people will interpret your outfit choice. Relaxed styling does not mean grubby, or shabby - relaxed can be positive too.

For client meetings – I do not believe there is a rule. I tell my team to dress how they feel most appropriate based on who they are meeting. We do have a mantra for this here at MANDATE: If in doubt leave it out!


This advice works well when choosing an outfit. As PRs, we need to be creative and push boundaries. We need to think outside the box, we need to know trends and fashion is a huge part of that regardless of the PR sector we work in. looking good is not just the reserve of fashion and beauty PRs. In the PR industry anything goes, if you wear it with confidence and feel it is suitable for the occasion. If you look good on the outside you will feel good on the inside. Abraham Lincoln said, "the only thing to fear is fear itself"!

What are your thoughts on workwear? Any tips for making a great first impression?

#WorkWear #WorkplaceCulture #WorkStyle

#PublicRelations #PR #WeAreMandate