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Work wear: sporty chic or tailored neat?

Sonia

I know we've just reached the weekend, but I thought I'd share this anyway.
I'm currently working at an organisation that doesn't have a work-dress-code which is handy at times but not always.
I tend to mix up what I wear. And not sure if i'm making myself seem and look as undecisive and unconfident?

The reason I made this post is to ask, what would you rather prefer to wear to work?
Something casual with a hint of chic? or something smart and tailored? Ofc, if you have a dresscode to follow, that's a different thing.

---But, what do you feel most confident in?

Feel free to share your thoughts.
Thank you for looking!

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22 replies

Latest reply was from JR

Kristin L

Veteran

I like pic #1. My dress code is closed toe shoes and long pants if I'm working the lab or field that day. I'm trying to start looking a little more professional at school/work, but I still have days where that doesn't happen.

cheryl

Veteran

For me personally i'm much more casual and prefer the relaxed look of the second pic.

bj1111

Veteran

depends on what you do in the organization and what your aspirations are.

Anonymous

I agree that it depends where you work. That said, I like pic #1 better.

Sonia

I'm only a media intern for the time being. Either running around the building filming or sat in the office doing paperwork. It varies. A bit like my fashion I guess.

But never know what the future beholds.

Sara L.

Veteran

My work has no official dress code either. I work in a professional field though so try to dress so I won't be embarrassed if a client stopped by or I got unexpectedly called into a meeting. For me personally, that means no blue jeans except on Fridays (we also don't have a casual Friday policy, but since it's fairly standard in a lot of work places, I decided to incorporate that into my personal dress code).

I would look around and see how others dress. Try to dress equally as nice or better.

rachylou

Veteran

Media intern? #2. I think you'd be somewhat dressed for the wrong job in #1.

What does everyone else wear?

Sonia

Marketing and Communications and Production - Intern. Depends on the day.
And everyone wears different things, own styles.
Trying to still crack what mine is

krishnidoux

Veteran

I would go for pic 1.
I think you can successfully mix some sporty chic elements to a classic style, only do it with much more care than for a casual outfit. Sporty pieces must be impeccable. Pic 2 is cute but too casual. For instance the yellow top is too loose at the collar, doesn't seem to stay put and whatever is worn underneath is peeping: not good for work. However switch for a better fitting yellow sporty top and it changes everything.

krishnidoux

Veteran

I would go for pic 1.
I think you can successfully mix some sporty chic elements to a classic style, only do it with much more care than for a casual outfit. Sporty pieces must be impeccable. Pic 2 is cute but too casual. For instance the yellow top is too loose at the collar, doesn't seem to stay put and whatever is worn underneath is peeping: not good for work. However switch for a better fitting yellow sporty top and it changes everything.

JuneBug

Veteran

For sure pic #1. I think it's important to appear put together at work as it makes the best impression- that you're serious about what you do! There's a lot of time to dress casually after- say at drinks post a work day, weekends or work get togethers, but only so much time to appear in control!

PS: I really like the fit of your jacket!

Day Vies

Veteran

I always feel more pulled together (confident) when I wear something tailored. So my preference is for #1.

rachylou

Veteran

My brother is a camera man and storyboard artist in Hollywood. Documentaries, movies, corporate films. If you are filming, I would really go for #2 - maybe a little less like you're going to go jogging, but the same vein. If you are assisting the producer and selling people, then maybe #1.

Gaylene

Veteran

When I'm teaching or presenting, I don't like it when my clothes become the center of attention, so I'd definitely skew towards #1. Over the years, I've found that what I wear can make it easier, or harder, for others to focus on my ideas instead of my physical appearance. Keeping the focus where I want it gives me more control over the situation and makes it easier for me to achieve my goals.

Rachylou's comment that #2 is a media intern look as opposed to the look in #1 is spot on. Like it or not, others use our clothing to slot us into categories and then use stereotypes associated with those categories to imbue us with qualities and values associated with those stereotypes. The easiest way to cope with that tendency is to choose my clothing with an eye to what categories and stereotypes my outfit might skew towards.

My personal choice might be to dress in a fashionable, casual, trendy-chic way, but that might make it harder to achieve my professional goals. The question comes down to how much effort I want to put into re-educating and opposing the associations that might accompany my personal choice.

Jules

Veteran

I'm in a downtown office with no dress code. There are men in my position (a tech support thing with working class roots) who wear shorts to work. In November, in Canada. So, the standards are LOW. But when I step outside for lunch, I see the whole spectrum including high-end designer.
I enjoy both dressing up and down. I also have incorported a casual Friday mentality (today I have on faded jeans) but sometimes that bleeds into the week. I have basically two "capsules"( wherein most of the clothes work together in different combos): slightly dressy vs. casual,and I wear both to work. The slightly dressy is really for my personal pleasure and the casual is necessary for my weekend MOTG lifestyle. My challenge is keeping the casual styled and interesting. In a way, I think dressier is easier in that the pieces stand alone better (think white dress shirt vs. white t shirt... or even fabulous dark wash jeans vs. boyfriends). But I'm low-maintenance and hate ironing and dry cleaning so am casual at heart.

DonnaF

Veteran

How do the pros, especially the women, dress in this line of work? I would not look to other interns, but to full-time employees. I would dress to meet the practical aspects of the position, i.e. no heels if you do a lot of running around, while still looking polished. You will stand out if you avoid dressing like the typical student, so my vote is for #1.

katiwei

If your job is anything like those of the people who work in the media department where I work, then you'd be filming people in other departments within the company. If they typically dress nicer even with a lax dress code, I would personally dress to them. I would feel more confident and at their peer-level then. (However, we do have a business casual dress code here.)

When I worked at an ad agency with no dress code (seriously, people wore tank tops, flip flops and ripped jeans, sometimes to meet clients), I was always the most dressed-up person. I imposed a dress code on myself that meant I wore something other than jeans at least twice a week and wore "dressed-up denim" outfits the other two days. Fridays I dressed down, but still put together. I felt better doing this and I think my clients took me more seriously then if I didn't, especially because I was young.

JAileen

Veteran

Since I don't work anymore, I'm casual all the time. When I worked, though, I wore tailored clothes. I was in the financial field, so that makes a difference.

Later we moved to the mountains and everyone was more casual. I was too, but in a tailored sort of way. One thing I noticed was that the more casual my work clothes were, the more casual my "play clothes" became.

BTW, I prefer the tailored look.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

My preference is somewhere in between. If you look way more formal than everyone else it can be as distracting & distancing as being too casual. I would start with a jacket but keep the other pieces more relaxed.

Thistle

Veteran

I really think it depneds on what you do and where you do it. At a software company my freind works at, you would be considered dressed up in #2 and way oer the top in #1 (most people wear very casual clothes there). However, fi you worked at a bank or accounting firm, I would vote for #1.

I, personally, would feel more comfortable and confident in #1. But I am an accountant.

Aida

Veteran

No dress code for my work either, and I'm essentially working from home in a technical/creative mixed field. I try my best to always wear dressier smart-casual outfits to work, with business casual outfits also sprinkled in especially on days when there are clients involved (not often). It helps me stay motivated to work when I feel like I am "dressed for work", even though it's still generally casual. Of your examples, I would be far more comfortable in #1 for work

JR

Veteran

I have no idea what the expectations are in your line of work, but I think the advice to dress on the high end of the spectrum you see around you is very good advice. Dressing too much above everybody else could come across as pretentious, unless you have a very warm and open personality to counteract it. But you are more like to be taken seriously, it seems to me, if you aim for the top end rather than the low end.

In a work environment, I would definitely be more comfortable with #1.