Real-world workwear: Meet two men and their weekday wardrobes
City style, from the men that live and work in The Big Smoke.
WHAT ARE MEN IN THE CITY WEARING TO WORK?
The world of workwear has changed over the last few years. With the pandemic halting office work for many months, shifting priorities meant many people were forced to work from home for prolonged periods of time. Now, as people start spending more time at the office again, companies have changed their perspectives on dress codes, opting for more casual uniforms over formal attire.
Despite this, the suit is definitely not dead; many men still prefer wearing one to work over the smart-casual alternative. Meet the guys whose suits are staying put in their work wardrobes.
Nick wears the navy merino crew neck jumper, the tailored fit green puppytooth performance suit and the John White Alderney brown double monks
For Nick, a commercial manager working in London, wearing a suit to work improves his confidence. “Suits are not mandatory in the office, but I love wearing them,” he says. “When I look good, I feel good.”
And it makes sense; in our Style Report, we discovered that more than half of men still prefer wearing a suit to work, with over 63% of Londoners indicating that wearing one gets them into work mode. Nick agrees – he found that wearing a suit to work made getting ready in the morning far less stressful, but also changed the way he operated in the office: “A nice suit improves performance. I’m far more likely to get things done if I feel smart, confident and put together.”
Nick wears the sky washed Oxford shirt, tailored fit navy stretch chinos, navy wool cashmere blend overcoat and the Camden chestnut chunky loafersHaving moved from Perth to London in 2018, Nick’s wardrobe had to adapt to the unpredictable and ever-changing UK weather. Living in a warm climate meant he never even owned a coat. “It was definitely an adjustment! I had to re-evaluate all my workwear and come up with new ways to dress for the office.”
Nick is expected to work five days from his office, with work-from-home days only reserved for admin or reporting. Suits are only expected on client facing days or external meetings, so when he’s not wearing one, he prefers a chino and shirt combination. “I like smart-casual dress personally,” he says. “My style influence tends to come from what real people wear around the city.”
Chris, who works in finance, is also in the office 5 days a week. After his company launched post-pandemic, they pushed for colleagues to collaborate in person. “It felt imperative that everyone should be together to problem solve and bounce ideas off one another,” he explains. “We don’t have an official policy, so if you want to work from home you can, but everyone seems to enjoy the collaborative atmosphere we have built.”
As for workwear, suits aren’t compulsory at Chris’ firm either – but he prefers them. “I wear them almost every day, with the exception being Friday if I have plans in the evening,” he says. “Though I enjoy wearing suits, it also comes down to not having to think too much about what I am going to wear for the day, whilst knowing that I will be presentable for any occasion the day could throw at me.”
Chris wears the tailored fit sage flannel suit, the light grey cashmere crew neck jumper and John White Alderney brown double monks
Colour and style-wise, Nick favours dark, traditional suits, as does Chris. “I think they hold up better when wearing every day, he says. “If I like the quality of something, like a jumper, I tend to buy a few of the same thing. I’ve always worn a navy suit, so last year I tried a custom one from Moss and it was worth it. It’s in line with what I like but fits perfectly, the fabric is a lot nicer than my others and I prefer the adjuster details on the trousers.” When it comes to ties, however, they seem to have dropped off the workwear list. “I rarely wear one,” Chris admits, and Nick agrees. Instead, open collars shirts or crew neck jumpers are the preferred choice, with t-shirts as an alternative for warmer weather.
Josie, who styled both men on the shoot, took into consideration their everyday workwear and chose pieces that would offer comfort, versatility and refinement. “As Nick was looking for a wardrobe refresh with classic staples, I opted for items such as the navy performance suit and an Oxford shirt, season-less pieces that offer longevity,” she said. “As for Chris, he was looking for quality product in a tailored fit. I went for our Italian sage flannel and navy trench, pieces he may not have necessarily picked out for himself but are great investment items, particularly the the suit – the green tone is subtle which means it can easily be styled for work.”
It seems that many men still feel a suit just makes sense if you’re in the office on a daily basis. Though some companies have chosen to go down the smart-casual route, suiting is still the number one option for various reasons. For Nick, it’s about consistency – “Uniformity within the workplace makes things less stressful,” he says. “I find it easier when there is a dress code – some guidance always helps.” For Chris, it gets him in the zone, admitting that “having a routine helps me start the day in a more productive way.”
Regardless of the reasoning, it’s clear that suits are here to stay – update your workwear wardrobe with our collection of season-less suit styles.