'It's my coat of armour': Four women on what they wear to work – and why
When Rachel Harris first became an accountant, everything was very ‘stale’, ‘pale’ and ‘male’ when it came to the corporate dress code.
‘At the top 75 finance company that I trained at, anything less than a three-piece suit for men and a dress and heels for woman was way too casual,’ the 29-year-old tells Metro.
‘For me, being a young woman in finance, I was so passionate, so full of enthusiasm and lots of other people were too. They didn’t want corporate suits. They wanted personality – they wanted to feel heard and listened to.’
Her expected attire was also a stark contrast to the vibrant pink and eye-catching outfits Rachel wore outside of working hours.
So when Rachel decided to start her own practice in 2020, she scrapped the old-hat idea of corporate dressing in favour of a more relaxed and personable dress code – in line with her stereotype-crushing approach to business.
Rachel also worked with a stylist to curate her very own capsule work wardrobe – filled with tickled pink trouser suits, shift dresses and silk shirts – as her way of adding some personality into what many consider a slightly beige profession.
‘For a lot of young people, they have one persona inside of work, and then one persona outside of work,’ Rachel explains. ‘Whereas actually, if you just encouraged people to be themselves all the time, it creates such a better working environment.’
However, these bubblegum pink ensembles don’t make an appearance every day. The 29-year-old actually saves her flared pink power suits and other vibrant dresses for networking and events.
Day-to-day you’ll find her attending client meetings in a hoodie and jeans – and she encourages her employees to do the same. This is to not only to help from a decision fatigue point of view for workers, but also to help make clients feel more comfortable.
She continues: ‘For a really long time, in a corporate capacity, the way you dress has been about not being yourself, but blending in, and almost making yourself as unnoticeable as possible. And actually, people do business with people – so this doesn’t make sense. How can you expect someone to really get a vibe and an understanding of who you are, what your values are and what you stand for?
‘We’ve found clients – even some of our top fee-paying ones – feel much more comfortable this way. They buy into us because of the brand. If I‘m on a conference call wearing hoodie and jeans and my client is wearing a hoodie and jeans but then I rock up to meeting in a suit, they would be like “Oh no, the vibe has changed.”
‘Also, in 2023, self-employed people aren’t wearing suits – especially when they work from home.’
Bright colours are also writer, journalist and editor Jessica Morgan’s workwear uniform of choice, but she stresses the formality of her industry varies depending on the company.
‘I’ve seen people wear suits and others wear jeans and trainers. It really varies and it depends on the type of organisation you work for,’ the 30-year-old tells Metro. ‘I tend to wear whatever I’m comfortable in but mostly something that represents who I am. I tend to go for bright colours and flattering cuts.’
Since moving from the UK to Abu Dhabi last year, her workwear wardrobe has changed, too.
‘Since I work in the Middle East, I do have to adhere to a dress code which is modest (no strappy tops, shoulders showing), which I think is pretty standard for most corporate organisations globally anyway,’ Jessica adds.
‘However, I mostly dress for the hot climate. It can reach up to 50 degrees here, which makes it difficult to plan out a wardrobe as a British expat because I mostly work in an office with freezing cold air con. It can take some getting used to.
‘In the UK, I used to wear sweaters, turtlenecks, jeans (which I never wear here in the Middle East), mini skirts, heeled boots, my North Face jacket, Burberry trench coat. I don’t need to wear any of those things anymore. I do miss them though.’
Jessica also says her off-duty wardrobe isn’t too far removed from her work outfits either, with mostly bold, colourful, flamboyant and feminine choices.
‘Although outside of work I can wear shorter skirts, strappy tops and dress up a little more comfortable for outdoor wear in the heat,’ she adds.
‘I tend to lead my outfits with shoes and bags. But mostly, I’ll have one key item that’ll pop.
‘I do have a bright pink feathered suit that makes me feel so bad ass – and I have a few really feminine dresses that make me feel really cute and confident.’
But Jessica says that sometimes her colourful outfits haven’t been well-received.
The 30-year-old explains: ‘Once as a trainee in London, I came to work wearing my mum’s vintage Celine suit. It was bright orange. I loved it and felt so confident walking into the office and felt ready for business. But the managing editor at the time raised his eyebrows at me and said: “Oh, you look like an Oompa Loompa”, which I found incredibly rude. I don’t think he would’ve reacted that way had I been a man – he clearly had no sense of style or appreciation for it.’
Nevertheless, the experience hasn’t dulled her love of colour.
She continues: ‘I just love colour. I often think that when someone sees someone in a bright outfit, it instantly lifts their mood.
‘I use my wardrobe to fill me with confidence, it’s what gives me a spring in my step.’
But Jessica’s not alone in using the power of clothes to express herself when it comes to business.
Despite working in the industry since early 2010, Jen Parker launched her own publishing business, called Fuzzy Flamingo, in 2017. Now, she very much lives up to her business’ moniker, with a workwear wardrobe consisting entirely of flamingo-themed garments and accessories.
‘I’ve got a lot of flamingo dresses and a couple of flamingo jumpsuits,’ says the 37-year-old from Leicestershire.
‘I’ve got a flamingo cardigan, jumper and jewellery. So basically, even on my non-workdays I am never without flamingos somewhere about my person.
‘If I go to a networking meeting, it will generally be a dress or jumpsuit, and then earrings and the necklace, too. But the bare minimum is flamingo earrings.
‘That wasn’t my intention when I started the business. But it does actually work in my favour as people do remember it.’
Now not only do people remember Jen’s business, but her flamingo ensembles also provide the perfect ice breakers at networking events.
What’s more, these flamingo dresses and jumpsuits also help her feel empowered and more confident in the world of work.
Jen explains: ‘I’m not the most extroverted person, so I sometimes I use what I wear is like a coat of armour because it’s a conversation starter. It’s a bit like to wear a fancy dress at times, it’s pretending to be someone else. The “fake it until you make it” really works for me in terms of projecting confidence that makes me feel more competent.
‘I have people pointing at me, coming over, and actually talking to me because of my outfit – it’s a great way for introductions because I struggle going up to people and initiating conversation.’
Jen also lives with arthritis and says this can impact some of her work fashion choices too – although mainly just footwear.
‘I need to judge how long an event will be and whether I’ll be sitting or standing (or a combo) to judge what to wear,’ she explained.
Earlier this year, Jen won a small business award from Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis and attended the ceremony in one of her favorite pink and green flamingo dresses alongside vibrant pink Dr Martens and a light-up walking stick.
But Jen isn’t the only one who has created an unexpected playful work ‘uniform’ for herself.
After pursuing hat-making as a hobby for the past 10 years, 54-year-old Susan Widlake, from Saffron Walde, Essex, has been working full-time milliner since 2019 – after leaving a corporate career in IT auditing behind her.
When it came to picking a colour scheme and logo for her business, Susan wanted to go for something a little different – eventually settling on purple and green.
‘I knew I didn’t want to go for pinks and pastels – like lots of other people do – I wanted something bold. I’ve always loved purple, or green. Then it suddenly came to me that they are Suffragette colours.
‘Then I thought more about it and realised it’s the story of a woman who used to work in IT, in a man’s-orientated world (and didn’t think that I couldn’t do what they do), and it just sort of stuck. It seemed right.’
Now, this has even filtered through into her workwear – not only at professional events but in her home studio as well.
Susan explains: ‘I’ve developed a sort of uniform in my brand colours. So if anyone takes a little photo of me when I’m doing things, I can then use it and it’s consistent. I didn’t realise it at the time, but it’s been really useful.’
In fact, Susan’s power outfit of choice is a vintage purple dress, which she pairs with halo headband with custom-made purple leather flowers.
She adds: ‘This is my advertising outfit. It’s great. People have stopped me on the train and said “Oh, you look lovely.” I just feel great in it. So it’s good advertisement for what I do and how I dress.’
It’s also a welcome change for Susan.
‘Before, I was very restricted applying to corporate standards in my old job,’ the 54-year-old continues.
‘But now people know me as the hat lady who wears purple and green. It’s great.’
Stuck with what to wear for work?
Fashion editor and stylist Lynne Mckenna says: ‘No matter how old you are or what your profession is, many of us still get that September “Back to School” feeling when it comes to what to wear to work and with a new season ahead it’s natural to want a workwear refresh.
‘No matter which profession you work in, feeling good about how you present yourself at work can often start with what you wear.
‘Whether you work in an office, education or a creative environment I’ve found 11 workwear fashion fixes that can be mixed and matched to create the perfect working wardrobe suitable for you and your job.’
Classic white shirt
This core wardrobe classic is a must in every wardrobe. Whether you’re working from home or heading into the office the white shirt will always be the hero base layer to your look.
Multi wear trouser suit
Worn together or separately the trouser suit is a great go-to combo when getting dressed for work every day. Keep it professional with a classic white shirt and formal footwear or go smart casual with a more relaxed shirt and white trainers.
The bold bag
Update workwear with minimal effort by adding a bold yet stylish bag that can be worn to the office and beyond.
Stylish backpack
If you’re on the move for work opt for a stylish backpack that adds a professional finish rather than wearing the original relaxed weekend version.
An investment boot
Invest in a good quality boot that will look good now and in years to come saving you money in the long run.
Midi dress
Formal yet feminine the midi dress is an elegant way to wear office wear and can be easily adapted into an evening look when a day-to-night transformation is necessary.
Timeless trench
This throw-on-and-go classic is the perfect outerwear piece that will stand the test of time adding a chic layer to your workwear.
Formal flat
Ditch commuter flats for workwear-ready formal flats that add the perfect finishing touch to a head-to-toe outfit without the extra baggage.
Tank top
This outfit-enhancing layer has been a catwalk sensation for quite some time, becoming less of a trend-led piece and more of a wardrobe staple for the autumn-winter months.
Accent scarf
Add a touch of personality to your workwear with clever accessories. Printed, colourful or graphic scarves are a great way to bring workwear to life while still feeling professional.
Striped shirt
In addition to the classic white shirt, every working wardrobe needs a sophisticated stripe shirt that will lift a workwear look in an instant.
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