What to Wear to Work

As I’ve built my business over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed dressing clients for the workplace and helping them elevate their wardrobe in the silicon valley - a location where people love to dress-down. Working at a variety of tech companies across a decade, I learned a lot about workplace norms and also, how to push the limits of those norms to express myself. The time interacting with dozens of clients plus my personal experience of working everyday in tech has helped me develop a deep understanding of how people WANT to dress for their day-to-day. In addition, I am helping them dress for a new hybrid world where people are going into the office only occasionally and working from home otherwise. Regardless of WHERE they are working, people are hungry to feel confident and elevated in their clothing. As they move up the corporate ladder, they are advised to dress for “the role want”. They also want to fit in and be taken seriously at their organizations (meaning they’re not overdressed) AND want to be comfortable for their hybrid world - here is my advice for building a wardrobe that accomplishes it all! 

Can we Elevate Casual?

I am a firm believer that you don’t have to be uncomfortable or overdressed to feel elevated. There are small tweaks you can make to the outfit and additions you can make to your wardrobe to look more pulled-together and professional. For example, using accessories, footwear and outerwear as tools to make an outfit more dimensional and interesting - I’ll dive into each of those shortly. But wearing a comfortable foundational outfit (like a sweater and jeans) as a base and then layering interesting and dynamic pieces over, is a great way to look more pulled together. 

Another great way to look elevated is to ensure that your clothing fits you correctly! This small but important detail is often overlooked. Clothing should fit your body in a way that is tapered close to you without being too tight. Even when items are made to be “oversized”, you should be cautious about how oversized it is on your body. If you aren’t sure of your size or how things should fit, a Stylist is a great resource! Whether you hire one personally or venture into a boutique, the experts can guide you through the fit of each piece.

Being thoughtful and intentional about your outfit is a great first-step. Taking an extra 15 minutes the night before to pull your outfit together will give you more confidence when getting dressed. You’ll be amazed how many people will notice and compliment the effort! When you dress intentionally, you’re subconsciously communicating that you are putting effort into your role and respecting the work-place.

Hoodies and Vests Be Gone?

We all know hoodies are a favorite in the Silicon Valley and many of us who have worked in tech have collected countless branded hoodies over the years. And while these hoodies are often comfortable and easy (some wear them like a uniform) - they really weren’t created for an elevated wardrobe and are often used for function vs. fashion. So does the hoodie still have a place in our wardrobe?

I think there are some ways to make the hoodie cool. Why not try it layered under a bomber, jean or leather jacket? As mentioned above, layering is a great way to look more interesting and dimensional. It also gives the appearance that you put an effort into dressing and that makes all the difference when showing up at the work-place. Additionally, the hoodie should “match” just like any other jacket you would choose. If you’re wearing a pastel sweater and light blue jeans, a black hoodie will be a very harsh juxtaposition. 

If a hoodie is a must, make sure it fits well! While we all know an oversized hoodie is comfortable to wrap yourself in, it will come off as “sloppy”. What I found to work well is keeping the hoodie as a functional piece - using it for walking to the office on a cold day or keeping it at my desk as an extra layer if the AC is cranked. This to be the best of both worlds - looking elevated in your work-wear by putting on a cohesive outfit and getting use out of a fun hoodie when needed.

Footwear

Footwear is a great place to elevate your look and an easy way to make an outfit more interesting! First and foremost, you don’t need to wear heels to uplevel your outfit. While I love a heel and think they are appropriate for the workplace, there are other great shoes that would work just as well. Flats, mules and loafers are all great options for streamlined, clean and professional foot-wear. I personally love a loafer mule as it is more comfortable than something with a closed heel. That said, there are so many cool and fun loafers out there that edge-up an outfit. If you’re feeling extra trendy, try a ballet-flat and lean into the preppy/feminine vibe. 

If you’re more of a sneaker person, that’s a-okay! There are a lot of cool, fun and comfortable sneakers and they are a great option for a tech office. I personally love a white based, flat sneaker like the Adidas sambas, Vejas or Vince Oasis. When styling sneakers for women, there is sometimes a challenge with knowing HOW to wear them. First, I would start easy and select a jean that shows some ankle (like crop straight-leg or cropped demi-flare). Showing ankle with a flat, low-top sneaker, is a sure-fire way to look clean, pulled-together and not sloppy. 

In addition to these year-around shoe options, you can always rotate in a boot for fall and winter or a nice, slide sandal for summer. While I don’t typically recommend an open-toed shoe, in the summer, an open toe can make sense. Keep in mind that if doing an open-toe, you want to make sure the shoe is more “elevated”. Ie: a kitten-heeled mule or a leather slide sandal that is clean and well-kempt.

My absolute NO NO is a flip flop for the office. Save the flip-flops for the beach. But more on that later. 

Zoom Friendly

The need to implement hybrid-friendly clothing is extremely common amongst clients. People are so eager to have comfortable, easy and attractive pieces that they can throw on for their Zoom meetings. Here are some of my easy tips:

I have talked about polo shirts before (as a spring trend) but I can’t overstate how much I love them for Zoom calls - and this goes for men OR women. A collar automatically elevates a top (perhaps it’s because it’s a classic wardrobe staple or because it creates a nice neckline) and the cap-sleeve is comfortable like a t-shirt. I especially love a polo made from a knit fabric because it has a little bit more visual interest and feels more comfortable, like wearing sweater. Stick to the rules from above - make sure they fit well! Polos look best when fitted.

In addition to polo shirts, sweater tees are another clothing staple that work great for Zoom calls. A sweater tee has the cut of a t-shirt but is made of cashmere or wool blend and has a weightiness that gives a great impression and feels comfortable. What I especially love about a sweater tee is that it is a blank canvas to layer with accessories.

Print and color on your blouse or top is a wonderful way to create visual interest! Instead of reaching for black or white, why not opt for a beautiful red, pink or blue top? Color can bring a lot of happiness and again, makes you stand out as someone who is thoughtful about your wardrobe.

And finally, embellishment is a wonderful tool for making your top pop! Whether through layered necklaces or embroidery on a sweater - a pop of an unexpected element gives people something to look at. It will make you look fun and playful and bring joy to a call.

The Must-Haves

I’ve given you some general rules and advice, now let’s talk about some “must-haves” in your wardrobe.

Dark-wash jeans - Dark washed, no distressed jeans are a must-have in the office for men or women. A darker wash automatically looks a little bit more formal, pairs well with anything, and elevates a look. Leave your ripped and faded denim at home for the weekends. 

Well-fitting, crew neck sweater - Again, this is an item necessary for all people in the workplace! The higher neckline of a crewneck is conservative and clean and avoids the need to fuss with under-shirts. A sweater is a great piece for layering - using it over a button-up, thrown over your shoulders or under a jacket. When a sweater is more fitted, it looks polished and intentional so keep that in mind when purchasing. 

Button-up blouse - I caveat this by saying some body types have a harder time with button-ups but if they fit you well, they are a great piece for the wardrobe. A collar is really helpful in appearing polished and put-together and so button-ups automatically elevate any outfit. Additionally, they are very classic - meaning they will never go out of style and can get continuous use. 

Closed toed shoes - As mentioned above, a closed-toed shoe is really the preferred type shoe for the workplace. While there are exceptions (if it’s summer and if the shoe is well-kempt), having a couple of great closed-toe shoe options (like a sneaker and loafer) will work wonders for your office wardrobe. For men, boots are a really great shoe option that appear clean and elevated. 

A structured jacket - Having jackets for work is a must! They provide function and create great layering opportunities. Instead of a hoodie, why not opt for a print or fun-color blazer? I understand that a black or navy blazer can read very corporate or too conservative for tech. But there are lots of blazers out there with a relaxed fit and a fun color or print - bringing a less stuffy vibe to the outfit. Additionally, a lightweight outerwear option like a cropped, collared jacket or bomber jacket are great for layering.

The No-Gos

To reiterate, there are some clothing items that I would never want to see in a workplace and styling fundamentals that should not be forgotten about. It’s not a big list, but it’s an important one:

Distressed, ripped jeans - Please have respect for yourself and your coworkers and leave the lax, ripped jeans at home! While a cool, distressed jeans is fun for a weekend party, it will be hard to be taken seriously at the office.

Shorts - Please do not wear shorts to work. I repeat, please do not wear shorts to work! I don’t like to give too many hard and fast rules in styling but this feels like a no-brainer. No one wants to feel like they’re at a summer bbq when they’re taking meetings.

Flip Flops - For the same reason I don’t like distressed jeans, flip-flops give an overly casual, relaxed vibe and that doesn’t feel appropriate for the workplace. Take the extra effort to put on a real shoe and your coworkers will thank you for it.

Mid-drift - I think this goes without saying, but mid-drifts have no place in the office. When at work, we want to earn the respect of our colleagues and remember, we want to dress for the role we want!

Hats - This may be controversial, but I think hats are best left at home or for outdoor events. I definitely experimented with a hat or two when I was younger but upon reflection, I think it’s too bold of an accessory for the workplace. No matter how nice the hat, they are ultimately a distraction and we really want our outfits to help us command respect and not distract from our work.

Care about your work-wear

So many people in our region are looking to feel more confident, comfortable and elevated in the workplace and at home on Zoom. I love helping clients to dress for work by helping them take more fashion risks and elevate their outfits so they appear more like a “leader”. I hope these tips have helped you think about your work-wardrobe and identify simple wins you can implement.

One more thing to note: you may dress differently depending on your role! If you are on a creative team like graphic design, you may be more comfortable pushing the boundaries of color and print. If you are on the engineering team where everyone is wearing a hoodie, it may be harder for you to wear a blazer and heels. Only you know what will fit-in with your team. That said, you can still take the wisdom and general rules of this blog so that you can elevate or refine whatever you are most comfortable in.

If you are a little bit more thoughtful about the fit of your clothing, the coordination of your outfit, the way you use layers and the accessories, you will be surprised how many people take note and how much more confident you feel.