How to Choose Quality Clothes for Work

Working at an office could be stressful due to the intense workload and dressing should be the last thing to worry about. Choosing quality clothes is important to create a confident impression about yourself and give the image of a sophisticated personality. If you follow certain tips, you can surely look classy and formal at the same time in your office. 

Factors Influencing Office Dressing

Office Environment

Perhaps the most important aspect in choosing a suitable outfit for the office is to evaluate the office environment. In certain large-scale corporate companies such as Multinationals, Banks, and other such institutions, a specific dressing code based on fully formal clothes is essential. Both men and women, have to follow the desired dress code. 

However, there are certain organizations where there is a relatively casual office environment with no pressure from the management on the dressing code. People working in these organizations are often wearing T-Shirts and Jeans with no pressure. In retrospect, some firms are a combination of both. Therefore, before you head out to buy clothes for the office, assess the office environment first. In case you have just joined, do inquire from the human resource department. 

Gender

Men and women have to follow a dress code but with different types of dresses. If you are a man, the tie is going to be an important part as well as specifically formal shoes. Coat, dress shirt, and dress pants are going to make you a perfect outfit for all the professional meetings. 

On the other hand, if you are a woman, there is a totally different dressing for you. Unlike men, women have to wear a skirt suit for office, and there is no need to wear a tie or bowtie in any case. In many firms, having a certain hairstyle such as a bob cut is also important for women. Moreover, women need to make sure of the other tiny details such as nails, acne marks, and other aspects. 

Women have different clothing than men

Job Role

Your job will define your clothing – Period. In any workplace, you will certainly see a different outfit for those that are in the higher positions compared to the ones that are in the lower positions in the workplace. 

For example, at many places, there is the same type of uniform for all the operational level workers but the manager will be having a distinctive one. This is often done so that it becomes easy to discriminate between different types of workers within an organization as well as it clears out the differences in designations. 

Different job roles require different kinds of outfits

Choosing Quality Clothes for Work

Shop with Colleagues

Two is better than one when it comes to shopping for office dressing especially if you are new to a workplace. In workplaces where there aren’t any uniform requirements, choosing quality clothes could become difficult. Take a colleague out and shop together because both of you can make a better decision in terms of quality as well as design. 

If you go with a colleague, the chances of making any mistake or error are very low mainly because there are always multiple opinions, approvals, or rejections regarding clothing so making the right choice becomes easier. Your colleague can also guide you regarding some of the places where he got their outfit and you can visit these locations too. This way you will get the desired outfit without any hassle at all. 

Spending Money Wisely

Many might feel that it is difficult to spend a good amount on clothing but we believe that it is necessary to an extent. Even if you are tight on the budget, you can easily get the right outfit. For example, buy two branded and well-designed shirts in a month or so instead of getting multiple cheap shirts that would not even last long or create a good impression about you. 

We understand that anyone can have financial constraints but you can still spend money wisely. Another great tip is to buy the clothes at times when there are sales. You will be getting clothes and other items with almost a 50% slash at price making it way affordable for you. Also, try to maximize purchase during the sales so that you don’t have to shop in the peak season. Pro tip – Most sales are held during the season end or at special events such as Australia Day and this could be a great time to buy clothes.

Spending wisely

Both, overspending and underspending, are not recommended. 

Suitable Fabric Selection

If you aim for a corporate look but don’t find the right fabric to compliment it, then you are wasting your money. Keep it simple but elegant so that it does not ruin your image in any way. Choose from fine yarns which are densely woven as they will provide better performance throughout the day. 

One of the main issues that people face in everyday office situations is that many clothes do not maintain their press and show creases or lines after just a few hours of work at the office. Even if you got a freshly pressed shirt in the morning, it may lose its shape in 3 to 4 hours. Therefore, always select heavy-duty cotton or wash and wear fabric because they maintain the press as well as have a greater crease recovery. 

Choosing the right fabric according to the season is very important
Avoid Smell-Absorbing Clothes

Many people believe that their clothes are in use for a long period of time without any problems but the fact is that you might still not be able to stay active and confident at the office because these clothes may leave a bad odor. If you have ever tried out sporting clothes made of thick cotton and nylon, you would be having an idea that they leave bad odors after physical exercise. 

A better-grade cotton vest and shirt would be the perfect combination to avoid the smell. In addition to that, we also recommend buying perfume and deodorant along with your clothes. The deodorant should be used in the morning while there should always be a perfume at your workplace which you can use after every 3 to 4 hours. This would be a great way to avoid any smell and keep you freshened. 

Try buying clothes that don't absorb sweat smell

Evaluate from Customer Reviews

There is a high chance that you might like a shirt right when you see it but once it undergoes 2 to 3 washes, the fabric loses its elegance and grace making it non-suitable as a work outfit. This happens in many cases as people buy their outfits based on the immediate fabric check without considering the elements of fading or wear/tear as well. 

The solution to this problem is to buy from online stores rather than going out to buy from shops. You can check the customer reviews in detail and evaluate any issues that the existing customers faced. Moreover, this will help you make a better purchase as online stores often have lower prices than physical stores. There are many discounts too while the internet is always full of the latest coupon codes that you can apply on the checkout. 

Make sure that you do not approach any customer directly and ask them personally for a review because this appears very odd (Some people still do it). Search thoroughly from a range of online stores before making a decision to always get quality clothes for work. 

Choose clothes after researching various options

Thick Clothes Work Better

As a rule of thumb, thick clothes are considered better for workplaces. One reason for this is that they retain their press as well as they don’t generally have crease issues. The entire cloth stays in one piece throughout. By thick clothes, we do not mean the winter fabric only. You can also get thick cotton which is generally the best choice of fabric for men. When the entire outfit will stay the same throughout the day, you will ultimately realize that thick clothes work better. 

Cotton and Linen are two of the best fabrics for summers which are in multiple qualities. Try getting A or A- quality as these work the best. The cuffs are thick while the entire shirt is in a dedicated fitting making it look more appealing on you. For winters, most fabrics are already quite thick and you don’t have to worry about the press or crease problems. 

Conclusion

Choosing quality clothes for work isn’t a difficult task unlike many think so. However, it surely is a lengthy process. Once you buy quality clothes, you will be able to make your next purchase in a hassle-free manner. We also recommend that you fix the brands that suit you for office clothes. If you are eager to try out the new brands, we recommend trying them out for your casual or party-wear dresses. This way, you can test the quality before actually putting up with the formal clothing.