Publications
Partners
Whether you like it or not, your clothes and appearance send a strong signal about who you are, and your attitude towards your job.
Dress codes vary across different companies and industries, but even if you can go to work in casual attire, you should always aim to look smart and tidy, says Phephile Simelane-Modiselle, business strategist and director at True North Consulting. “Remember that your personal ‘brand’ is reflected in your clothing.”
Steer clear of the following:
- Untidy clothes and sloppy dressing. Make sure your clothing is ironed, that your buttons are fastened properly and that your clothes fit you well, says Simelane-Modiselle.
- Too much skin. A recent US study shows that a third of all senior managers think their employees’ clothing are too revealing. Belly buttons in particular should not be visible under any circumstances, she adds.
- ‘Peekaboo’ underwear. Underwear on display is unprofessional, says Simelane-Modiselle.
- Being bland. Even if you are wearing a suit, make sure you add details that reflect your personality, she says.
- Going too casual. Studies show that wearing casual clothing in a traditionally formal workplace has a markedly negative impact on productivity, and even on higher-level abstract thinking. (But in workplaces where people usually wear casual clothing, like the creative industries, it doesn’t have any impact.) As they say – dress for the job you want, not the one you have.
- Wearing the same outfit two days in a row – often a problem among men.
Suits: 10 deadly sins
Office wear has certainly grown more informal in recent years, but for many men, a suit remains a wardrobe staple.
“A suit is still the simplest way to look professional and make a good impression,” says Walter Buchholz, a stylist, designer and fashion lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He worked as a tailor in London’s Savile Row for many years.
There are, however, a number of ways to look stupid in a suit. Avoid the following:
1. A suit jacket that is too large
A tailored jacket should be comfortable but not frumpy. It is not sportswear or leisure wear. Ensure your jacket is as fitted as possible without feeling uncomfortable, is Buchholz’s advice. A well-fitted jacket creates a flattering silhouette. “It is like a corset in a sense. It keeps everything together.” Still, be careful not to go too tight. Jackets straining to cover excess baggage are as unflattering as oversized ones.
2. Wearing your trousers too long
A classic way to avoid unnecessary crease lines on the front of your trouser hem is to create a slanted hem. The front of the hem is 1cm shorter than the back. So it slants down to the back leaving less fabric to gather at the front, while still leaving enough length at the back of the shoe.
3. Fastening the lowest button of your jacket
Always only button up the top one. Also, the hallmark of a good quality suit is cuff buttons that you can unfasten, but always only unbutton the one closest to your hand – not all of the cuff buttons.
4. Cufflinks without a tie
Traditionally, this is bad etiquette.
5. Using a belt to keep your trousers up
Your belt is only an accessory, says Buchholz. If you need a belt to keep your trousers from falling down, your trousers are too big and will look inelegant.
6. Dry cleaning your suit more than twice a year
Every time you dry clean your suit, you are exposing the natural fibre to chemicals, which is especially a concern when it comes to wool. This will damage your suit in the long run. Instead, take it to be thoroughly steam pressed on a regular basis. This will remove all the creases from your suit, and give it a professional look.
7. Winter shirt with a summer jacket – and vice versa
Avoid wearing a heavy-weight shirt with a lighter-weight suit, or a thinner, light summer shirt with a dark, heavy jacket.
8. Wearing your suit jacket with jeans or chinos
According to Buchholz, this is a big faux pas. Never break up a suit to wear the jacket with other trousers. In truth, only jackets with patched pockets (a pocket made of a separate piece of cloth sewn on to the outside of a jacket) – as opposed to so-called jetted pockets (which are slit pockets, typically on suit jackets) – can be worn with jeans or chinos.
9. Keeping it too neutral
Make some effort, for goodness’ sake. Accessorise: wear interesting socks, an interesting belt or even pocket squares. Bow ties are back in fashion, and is the one accessory all age groups can pull off, says Buchholz. There are very interesting trends in suits, with the African influence manifesting in bolder colours and interesting prints in South African workplaces.
10. Going too funky
There’s nothing worse than someone who looks self-conscious in a suit, he says. Often their partners convinced them to get something more fashionable than what they are comfortable with. Make sure you feel confident in what you wear.
This article originally appeared in the 11 August 2016 edition of finweek. Buy and download the magazine here.
