Young professionals show us what they wear to work
WORDS BY RUBY STALEY
Making corporate cool.
Though fashion-adjacent folk usually have the strongest influence on how we dress, consciously or not, there are certainly opportunities for finding inspiration elsewhere – even in the office.
From finance to PR, young professionals often have dress codes to adhere to at work. But even so, there are many workers out there showing up day-in, day-out looking incredible, show-stopping and stunning.
For more fashion news, shoots and features, head to our Fashion section.
With working from home arrangements increasingly becoming the norm, the way we dress for work has changed dramatically over the past couple of years. So, it can be difficult to know what to wear going into a new job, or even how to mix up your workday outfits for your long-time position now that we’re returning to the office.
We’ve hand-picked some of our favourite young professionals from a variety of industries to see their favourite office-appropriate outfits.
Emma Hakansson, Founder Director of Collective Fashion Justice
A lot of the time, my personal work uniform is my matching forest green tracksuit set from Ailéisure. I’m at my WFH desk and no one sees me! But when I have meetings (whether over Zoom or in-person) it’s important I look slick.
I work at the intersection of fashion, ethics and sustainability as Founding Director of Collective Fashion Justice. That means it’s important for CSR managers, designers, policymakers and other people I speak with to not only see me as ‘professional’ but understand that while I want to see the fashion industry change drastically, I also value the creativity of it immensely.
Ella Krause, Commercial Banking Analyst at Commonwealth Bank
Although I’m only currently in the office half of the week, when I am, I like to look a little classier than what I may wear working from home while still feeling relatively comfortable. A pair of comfy-ish heels are always my go-to for a workday, and these classic black mules are a tried-and-true wardrobe favourite.
I love a staple suit pant, and this pair from Country Road which have a touch of stretch and a slight flare are another favourite that gets a tonne of wear. For the top, I like to add a pop of colour most days as my outfits are mostly neutral-toned otherwise. Here I paired my bright blue Zara blouse under my staple Kookai camel blazer that’s so versatile you’ll often see me wearing it on the weekends, too. Finishing off, I love carrying a large sturdy bag and this Michael Kors shoulder bag is the perfect size to fit my work essentials.
Yianna Velos, Co-Founder of Golden Groves
Dressing well has always been important to me as you are your brand. I see my wardrobe as an investment. I’m wearing a pair of woollen tailored pinstripe trousers and a forest green woollen turtleneck from Scanlan Theodore. I always try to support local brands that invest in quality tailoring and natural fibres.
For me, Scanlan has the best basics and incorporates a lot of colour, too. I love wearing colour because it makes you stand out from Melbourne’s black uniform. I wear the same jewellery almost every day. I’m quite sentimental and all my favourite pieces have been gifted to me. My friend Olivia, behind Cleopatra’s Bling, gave me the most ornate gold hoops that have not left my ears. Another brand that is a local treasure!
Finally, I’ve paired my outfit with a black nylon Prada bag and black leather Balenciaga boots, both of which I purchased whilst living in Milan. I love mixing Australian and European designers because it’s a reflection of my own origins – Australian-born with strong Greek roots.
Tara-Lee Mitchell, Owner of Mitch Studio
I’m currently in Italy for a huge work event with Davines Haircare and it’s hot! I’m living in my Marni sandals and this Loewe hat I recently splurged on. I bought this vintage dress for nine euros. It’s a beautiful cotton and super comfortable.
The vintage shopping here is amazing. I’ll be living in loose comfy clothing for the whole conference.
Sean Galway, Social and Content Coordinator
I’d describe my overall vibe as curated chaos. When I’m getting dressed in the morning I ask myself, ‘Who do I want to be today?’ and see where that takes me. I’ve always worked in the creative industry so I’m lucky to have been able to explore my personal style at the office, without having to have a separate work wardrobe. I could never work a job in a penguin suit.
I currently work at a queer organisation, so we don’t have a dress code, in-fact we’re encouraged to wear whatever makes us feel the most confident and comfortable.
Caroline Moreau-Hammond, Host of The Philosophy of Sex podcast and Founder of Becuming
What I wear to work has to be simple and make me feel good. One great thing about working for yourself is that there’s no dress code. That said, I work in a co-working space, so sadly I can’t always wear pyjamas.
When I get dressed for work, I don’t want to spend hours deciding what to wear. I like having fewer pieces that I love. Well-tailored jackets have a special place in my heart, and I feel most confident in black, so it’s something I wear a lot for work, particularly if I’m interviewing a podcast guest. I also have a set of rings with a lot of sentimental value that I never leave the house without.
Erin Fitzgerald, Friends with Frank Marketing and PR manager
Working at Friends with Frank for over four years now, it’s safe to say my wardrobe is made up of about 99 per cent FWF pieces! Today’s work attire is our coordinating wide-leg linen trousers and blazer, with my wool-cashmere Camilla Coat (in the dreamiest new chocolate hue) layered over the top.
A pants girl at heart, these trousers are super comfortable to sit at my desk in all day and are therefore on high rotation for me during the work week. I like how the linen still makes this suiting moment feel quite relaxed, and I’ve paired it with a big chunky boot to give it a little edge.
Nish Mohil, Rollie Nation Digital and eCommerce Manager
After two years of working from home, comfort is key when it comes to my office outfits. I often pair an oversized shirt with straight-leg pants and elevate with a blazer – I thrifted this one, actually.
No matter what outfit I choose, I always wear sneakers. Unmatched comfort for my morning & evening commute. The girls in the office say I am ‘Chessy’ from The Parent Trap vibes.
Madeline Wallman, Project Hutton Account Manager
The slow return to in-person meetings and office days has meant I’ve traded my trackies for tailored trousers. As much as I’d like to say I experiment with my style and dabble in dopamine dressing, 90 per cent of the time I stick to the same fool-proof formula — wide-leg pants (like these Friends with Franks); a fitted top, tank, or tee; sneakers for the walk to work and Montes for when I get to the office.
I’ll take things up a notch if AWDs are on the cards or a tone it down if we don’t have any meetings, but the above combo usually finds the balance between dressing for comfort and dressing for success. Throw a trench over the top and you’re ready to write a media release.
Ashlee Trout, Workday Platform Strategy Lead and Editor of Her Economy
I’ve always tried to dress sustainably in the sense that I’ve always kept a capsule wardrobe where I have a lot of blazers, slip dresses and slip skirts on high rotation. I love blazers so much because they go with everything! So, I always invest in pieces I can wear outside of work, also. This is my third year of working from home, however, if I’m going to the office, I do like to wear a blazer (of course) and either a slip dress or skirt or high-waisted pants. I love a good blazer set and always believed in enclothed cognition, being that I feel I perform better when I’m pulled together and polished.
On a Friday, my work uniform doesn’t really change too much, just becomes a bit more fun for the end of the week with items like a blazer, slip dress, fine gold jewellery, a vintage YSL brooch, my iWatch with a gold strap and my beloved Sophie Hulme Albion leather document holder. My go-to day fragrance is Le Labo Another13, and in terms of makeup, I like to keep it fresh.
Find more work outfit inspiration here.
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