With the great return-to-the-office migration in full swing, employees may need a refresher on more than just workplace etiquette.
Liz Teich, founder of The New York Stylist, said that people “almost seem to forget how to dress for the office” after spending years working remotely which has caused the office to become “much more casual.”
“It seems like anything goes these days,” Teich told The Post, adding that workplaces are “losing that professionalism when it comes to wardrobe.”
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“I had one client who told me that she normally wears leggings to the office and getting dressed up is wearing jeans because, since the pandemic, even her boss got more casual.”
Now, employees who haven’t seen their bosses face-to-face in a while want to “look more polished,” especially those who desire a promotion, but may not be sure where to start after years of lounging in leggings on their couch.
Not to mention, there’s a generational style divide —as more Gen Zers enter the workforce, shoe choice, she noted, is the “biggest difference” between Zoomers and Millennials.
“I had a Gen Z client who was wearing [Nike] Air Force Ones, a fitted bodysuit and wide-leg pants to the office. And I said, ‘Maybe that’s better suited for going out, and let’s step it up for the office instead and look for, a more polished alternative,'” she explained.
Instead of the polyester blouses and revealing tops — defined as “going out clothes” by Teich —the client already owned, Teich suggested pieces that are “more tailored” and higher quality, and to reserve the clunky white Nikes for social occasions.
“Whereas Gen Z wears a lot of sneakers and not really heels, and millennials tend to gravitate towards heels,” she said, adding that footwear might be the biggest “update” to an outfit to make it “office-friendly,” whether it be a kitten heel or flat.
White sneakers especially get dirty, Teich said, highlighting how “beaten up” the light colored shoes become over time with scuffs and soiled laces. Taking care of footwear, she added, is “the number one thing to instantly look polished” without spending a dime.
“The biggest thing I’m seeing with my Gen Z clients is that they’re not taking care of their clothes and their shoes,” continued Teich, who also would avoid denim with rips or frayed hems. “Taking care of your footwear is going to really reflect how you take care of yourself and how you take care of your work.”
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That long, cozy cardigan you keep in your desk drawer or draped over your chair — likely for when the frigid office air conditioning blasts — needs to be retired.
Almost every one of Teich’s clients that works in-office has “the oversized, long, cozy cardigan,” which is “great for working at home,” but in the workplace can appear “sloppy.”
Instead, save the cardigan for lounging on the couch at home and instead opt for a chic jacket that is more fitted, say, for example, a classic blazer.
“No matter what area of business you’re in, even if you’re in a creative field or if you’re working on Wall Street, having a great blazer can…be like a workhorse in your wardrobe,” she said, adding that it’s “something that everybody could use” in their closet.
Whether it’s slouchy or structured, oversized or fitted, a “it doesn’t matter as long as you feel like you are put together,” she added —and so long as it isn’t fast fashion.
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Teich said her clients will often hunt for work-friendly garments at fast fashion retailers, but it leaves them looking “sloppy”: unraveling stitching, poor tailoring, cheap polyester fabric. Choosing just one, high-quality piece, then, “can make a huge difference.”
“It sounds so frivolous, but our appearance and our wardrobe is really a reflection of who we are,” Teich explained.
“And if you show up to the office looking too casual or too sloppy, then your coworkers and superiors can look at you and say that you’re probably not working as hard as somebody else who might be fitting the bill of being a little bit more put together.”
