Office attire to become more casual as Australians return to work
Working from home during the COVID-19 outbreak has opened office workers’ eyes to the comfort of casual attire – and there is no going back now.
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Casual Friday is set to become the new week-long dress code as Australians return to offices having experienced the comfort of working from home.
Although workplace attire was already increasingly casual, the trend is expected to accelerate in the post-coronavirus era.
A Dynata survey of more than 1000 Australians finds 42 per cent of those who worked from home spent at least one day of their working week in their pyjamas.
Meanwhile, a Twitter poll by job site SEEK reveals 45 per cent of more than 1500 respondents plan to dress more casually than before the pandemic when they return to their workplace.
Just one in 10 say they will go in the opposite direction, taking their workplace fashion “next level”.
Westfield Sydney head stylist and Adristyling founder Adriana Fernandez, who has been styling people for work for 15 years, says she had already noticed people moving away from the “corporate” look and towards a more “casual but smart” look.
“Post-COVID-19, employees will have different expectations and companies will need to reassess priorities, which will include improving work environments and a more relaxed dress code,” she says.
“This relaxed dress code will allow for employees to be more comfortable and at the same time help improve productivity.”
The Iconic fashion director Tom Simpson also expects this change.
He says people can “have some fun with fashion again” as they return to their workplaces but “biz-leisure” will be the trend for the months ahead, with softer fabrics favoured over stiff and structured fabrics.
“Although the more traditional and formal workwear will make a return for certain industries and some will embrace the opportunity to dress up again, our Iconic shopper is gravitating towards denim, knits and casual brushed cotton shirts, embracing a hybrid-function fashion movement,” he says.
“Think ‘casual Fridays’ as the new week-long workwear as Aussies get set to return to work under a new normal.”
For a biz-leisure look, Simpson recommends women opt for knitted and ribbed dresses and skirts that can be styled up or down – and taken straight from the couch to the office.
Meanwhile, men can swap structured suits for chinos, thicker cotton shirts and fitted knits.
“Invest in office-friendly sneakers – think clean and minimal – to offer comfort, while still being appropriate within a professional setting,” he says.
But despite workers moving toward more casual attire, jobseekers are still advised to dress to impress in a job interview.
Fitted for Work virtual services co-ordinator Rebecca Dunn says the average dress code for interviewing has not changed.
“We always encourage our clients to research the company to align their level of presentation, and aim for more of an elevated look, rather than casual,” she says.
“First impressions are powerful and lasting (and) it’s vital that you’re feeling confident and professional when you walk in or dial in, and clothes have an incredible ability to contribute to these feelings.”
She recommends finding a nice harmony between professional and comfortable.
Fitted for Work, a not-for-profit that helps women experiencing disadvantage to get and keep work, runs virtual outfittings for clients via phone and video.
With the help of a stylist, the client creates a wardrobe they can wear in job interviews and at work.
Fitted for Work won the Canon Oceania 2019 Community Grant last year and was able to use their new camera equipment to improve their virtual outfittings service.
Submissions for the Canon Oceania 2020 Grants – in which winners in the small business, community and education categories each receive $5000 worth of cash and Canon products – are open until July 31.
