Dressing is an art. Your sense of fashion and personal style is a measurement of how much interest you take in your well-being as well as your attitude towards life and those around you. What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially in today’s world when people are quick to judge you solely on how you appear. This especially holds true when you are dressing for work.

Work attire can be a bit tricky. Many women deem it perfectly alright to wear sparkly, embroidered kurtas to work, but little do they realise such dresses are way too flashy and quite over-the-top for the workplace. Men, on the other hand, switch to flip flops in the second half for comfort, subtly sending a message of unprofessionalism to the spectators.

Professional attire should be a semblance of decency and elegance. Here are some points to ponder over while you’re dressing for work next time.

How you dress up tells a lot about your professionalism

Choosing a dress

For women

This is a daunting task for every female literally each morning. From deciding what shirt to wear to what trouser to pair it with, countless thoughts cross a woman’s mind while dressing for work. Facts like ‘I wore this suit day before yesterday’ to ‘I don’t have a matching chappal’ play a pertinent part when we choose an outfit. Interestingly, some of us have a natural inclination towards sparkly, shiny dresses; while some have their wardrobes loaded with tight-fitting kameez shalwar / leggings. Ladies, we hate to break it you, but neither of these styles is at all appropriate for any workplace.

Workplace attire for women needs to be reasonably sober yet subtly classy. Dump those heavily embroidered kurtas for simpler ones with one or maximum two motifs. Too much glitter takes the audiences’ attention away from what you’re saying and in return gives you a non-serious, unprofessional look. Similarly, tight-fitting dresses (those with high slits displaying thighs or low-cut kurtas showing cleavages) are considered vulgar. Instead, select moderately but beautifully fitted pastel coloured kurtas, as they’re the latest fad and look very graceful.

Alternatively, you can pick slim, ankle-length dress pants with a starched shirt and a well-fitted formal blazer for a sophisticated and professional look. Neutral colours like black, beige, brown and grey can be chosen for pants and the blazer but go ahead and experiment with bolder colours like red, pink, blue, green etc. when selecting the shirt.

For casual days, choose clean denims with a nicely fitted t-shirt or polo shirt.

Those into three-piece shalwar kameez can consider keeping it simple rather than heavily embroidered and embellished; slippery chiffon dupattas may look elegant but are often a hassle — consider options in non slippery material.

For men

Men don’t usually face a lot of problems when dressing for work because dress pants and starched shirts are standard business wear around the world. Nonetheless, boardroom meetings / high-profile conventions require some extra effort.

Never underestimate the power of a crisp white shirt, dark charcoal grey or navy blue suit, paired with high-quality black shoes. This look will definitely impress many. However, for business as usual, dress according to your office dress code.

Nice corduroy / denim pants, a bright polo shirt coupled with a sports coat will pull a great business casual look. Otherwise, play safe with patterned shirts, dark suits and brightly coloured ties.

Accessories

For women

Accessories highlight any outfit you’re wearing. Statement earrings, bracelets and rings give you the trendiness you need to rock any dress you’ve draped. However, accessories worn at work are a bit different than those worn at parties or for a night out with friends. For the workplace, a delicate and feminine watch is a must — it keeps your wrist looking full without going overboard. Secondly, adorn one statement piece of jewellery — decide amongst pearl or silver studs, a decent ring or a simple necklace, but none should sparkle too much or make a lot of noise. Apply neutral makeup, spray minimal perfume and carry a stylish handbag to give you a beauty-with-brains look. Last but not least, you should always use ample amount of moisturiser before leaving home to keep your skin radiant and glowing all day long.

For men

Men need to look groomed at all times, especially when they’re at work. But a ‘well-groomed’ man always wears cufflinks, a classy watch and owns a fine pair of shades. A leather briefcase, polished shoes and neatly trimmed nails and hair show that a man cares about himself and respects others enough to be a pleasant sight to look at.

Selecting the right shoes: For women

Shoes speak louder than words, so be careful with what you put on your feet! Choose shoes that complement your dress and are comfortable to spend the whole day in. If you’re dressing for a casual day, pair jeans and a top with flat pumps or stringy sandals for a relaxed look. However, if you’re dressing for a board meeting, let the stilettos or scarpins, ideally in black, do the magic. Contrary to the popular belief and practice, peep toes, open toes, wedges and angle straps are strictly not to be worn at work as such shoes tend to enhance a woman’s sex appeal instead of professionalism.

For men

Men have a rather limited variety of shoes as compared to ladies. Popular choices are black oxfords and monk straps for formal gatherings and meetings. But loafers and boats are ideal to give you a casual chic look. Derbys are gradually becoming fashionable in our country too, since young managers prefer business casuals than formals.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you’re dressing for work and you’ll surely impress a few seniors and bosses. Who knows, you just might get a raise or even get promoted!

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 17th, 2016