Dressed for success

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New employees and office veterans both may find it tricky to find the right thing to wear at the workplace without having to leave their personal style at home.

Rita Zulkaidarati and Ricky S. Haq of local workwear line The Executive give some tips on choosing the right look for the office.

The company dress code

One thing you must do before you buy work clothes is to check the dress code in your office. Some companies have guidelines about what to wear. If you work in a creative industry, you might be able to dress in a more casual way, Ricky says.

Suits and pantsuits

For a business look, your best bet is to wear suits for men or pantsuits or skirt-suits, for women. Suits are everybody’s favorite.

As people today are more conscious about their body contours, office workers are opting to find pants that fit their bodies.

“Non-slim men can opt for something regular, while the skinny or slender ones can go for something slim, tapered at the bottom,” Ricky explains.

While for women, you can go for something boot-cut, straight-cut or even skinny, which is still the hottest trend for Indonesian women. It all depends on your body type.

Boot-cut trousers are suitable for everyone, while skinny pants look good on women with long torsos.

“You can match the pants with fitted blouses or dress shirts, or layer them with jackets for a more formal look,” says Rita, adding that skinny pants should be comfortable and loose enough for you to sit down.

“If you want a clean yet simple look, choose a top with fewer details,” she adds. If your company allows you to dress more casually, you can go for pretty tops with laces, ruffles or frills.

To enliven your look, you can add some not-too-dazzling accessories, such as a matching scarf, tie and belt.

Color counts

Color plays an important role for the well-dressed professional. Basic colors such as black, grey, brown and navy work well with skirts and pantsuits.

“The key is to mix and match. Men tend to be practical and choose those tones as they are easy to combine,” says Ricky. “You can team up your basic colored-pants with lighter tones, such as ice blues, soft pinks and light violets for the tops,” he adds. Keep your shocking colors in your closet if you want a professional look.

Comfy fabrics

Natural materials such as cotton, linen, rayon, silk and viscose are the best fabrics to wear in a tropical country such as Indonesia, as they breathe more than synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, for instance.

Tender and care

Your office wear is an investment in your career, so you need to take a good care of it. “Blazers and jackets should be dry cleaned to maintain their quality, while pants or skirts are usually hand washable,” says Ricky.

—JP/ Triwik Kurniasari