How to Dress for the Office

WHILE A SMART MIND AND STRONG WORK ETHIC ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO CAREER SUCCESS, HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF ALSO PLAYS A HUGE PART IN HOW YOU ARE PERCEIVED AND TREATED. WITH SOCIAL NORMS AROUND ATTIRE BEING MORE RELAXED THAN EVER, I WANTED TO REMIND OUR READERS OF THE STANDARD THAT THEY SHOULD BE MAINTAINING FOR THEIR WORKPLACE APPEARANCE.

- PRIYANKA ACHARYA

Fifteen years ago I came to Chennai on a gap year to teach spoken English at an NGO that gave free vocational training to underprivileged women. One day the administration asked me to dedicate a class to personal grooming and hygiene, and I couldn’t believe the enthusiasm my students had for this topic! Ladies who had heretofore been quiet and apathetic towards my lessons now sat up straight and alert with their pens poised for taking notes.

This experience reminded me that everyone, no matter what their background, shares the desire to look their best and appear polished. That is why I want to share tips on how to groom and style yourself for the workplace. The dress code is obviously something that varies depending on the company, and we live in a time in which people are eschewing rules and formalities as oldfashioned and stuffy. However, it makes me sad to see this steady lowering of standards for how people present themselves. Sarees get replaced by kurtas, which then get replaced by jeans and crop tops. At the risk of sounding like an old fuddy-duddy, I feel that there should be a delineation between work attire and home attire. Dressing well is a sign of respect and good manners, which should be part of the ethos of any office regardless of how cool or casual that industry may be.

But this advice is not only for the Gen Z-er who is just entering the workforce. There are many upwardly mobile people who are the first in their family to receive higher education, who do not have an example to follow for how to dress for a corporate environment. Finally, some families never discussed things like good upkeep and hygiene, and the lack of knowledge can lead to embarrassing situations, like someone from the HR department having to gently explain the importance of using deodorant! So go ahead and share this column with anyone new to the working world, as at least one of these tips will be something they hadn’t considered before.