When you’re required to wear a suit for work, it can often feel as though expressing yourself is difficult. Since the corporate landscape has long been linked to formality, employees often have no choice but to dress in a professional manner. Despite this, feeling restricted in your ability to express yourself can actually hinder your performance at work. Therefore, incorporating fashion into your office attire might actually have a very positive effect. This is because you’ll feel more like yourself, which will make you come off as more confident and boost your professional appearance. To that end, detailed below are some of the most creative ways you can bring fashion into the office.
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Accessorize Well
First and foremost, whether it’s luxury cufflinks or snazzy tie clips, accessories allow you to inject some personality into your ensemble. While they’re often an afterthought, accessories are actually the lifeblood of fashion. In fact, when they’re integrated thoughtfully, they have the power to elevate even the drabbest of outfits. There are plenty of accessories that are equally stylish and professional, meaning that you have a lot of opportunities to accessorize a suit well. While the vast majority of suit accessories are subtle, they have the capacity to make a big impact as they showcase your attention to detail.
Experiment with Colors
Black, grey, and navy are your standard suit colors; however, you don’t have to stick to these alone. So long as the color isn’t too over the top, you can experiment with various tones, including brown, burgundy, and olive. Colors such as these allow you to stray away from the norm; however, you do so while still maintaining a professional appearance. If you’re not too keen on the idea of wearing a different colored suit completely, you might stick with the standard shades and incorporate colorful socks, pocket squares, and ties instead. This allows for a simultaneously subtle and effective pop of color.
Embrace Tailoring
While a tailored suit will be significantly more expensive than one that’s off the rack, it’s well worth it for what the outcome will be. This is especially true if you’re wearing suits for most days of your life. It’s much better to have three well-fitted suits in rotation than to have five that don’t fit you as nicely. A tailored suit will enhance your body’s contours, resulting in a sleek and polished appearance. This is something that can’t be achieved from a suit that’s been designed to fit just anyone. Even the simplest suits look amazing when they’re custom-made to suit the wearer.
Use Modern Shirt and Tie Combos
Once upon a time, your choices were a white shirt and a black tie; however, this is no longer the case. Today you have plenty of choices when it comes to shirts and ties, not to mention the array of collar styles and knots that can be used. For instance, button-down collars combine class and casualness, while spread collars give off authoritative vibes. Similarly, experimenting with textures allows you to enhance the visual appeal of your ensemble even further, as detailed below.
Use Textures and Patterns
As previously mentioned, textures and patterns can introduce intrigue and depth into office wear. From checks to pinstripes, there are a number of patterns that can be incorporated into your office look that add visual appeal and still maintain professionalism. Meanwhile, wool blends and tweed effectively introduce textures that aren’t as commonly seen. This uniqueness allows you to portray yourself as a fashion-forward individual, even in the instances that you feel your options are restricted.
