Office life is back, baby: at least according to the Government's latest direction for Wellington public servants. No more dialling into meetings from your kitchen table: if you want to get ahead in your career, form collaborative teams, be part of a "cadre of talent" and help boost the economy of the local CBD, you better be dressed to impress at your desk.
Like ‘water cooler conversations’, the fashion of the 90s is also trending, and one book on office wear has stood the test of time. Work Clothes: Casual Dress for Serious Work was published in 1996, the same year that the world’s first flip phone went to market and Java programming software was released. It was a time of rapid change in the workplace, and, according to the author J. Scott Omelianuk, many of the “newer CEOs” knew that employees were “more creative and productive” when their clothing was “relaxed.”
If, under Nicola Willis' new edict, your boss is trying to boost the office turnout, then here are five nostalgic tips for how to look the part.
Adapt to survive
As Omelianuk wrote, “the only constant is change” in a modern working environment. You may be used to firing off a perfectly reasonable business plan in your Covid-era sweatpants, but now you’ll need to up your closet game if you’re gunning for your next pay rise.
Office workers of the 1990s embraced a “more creative, entrepreneurial attire – one that combines the authority of the power suit with the comfort of a causal look.” Try pairing some simple slacks with an “opulent jacket”, or adding a “dose of panache” to your maxi dress with some smart accessories.
Blur those work/life boundaries
People of the 90s knew the meaning of a cost of living crisis. The heydays of the flashy 80s were well and truly over, and households were tightening their lean, proverbial belts. According to Omelianuk, we shouldn’t waste our money on a sweater suited only to domestic activities. Instead, invest in items that you can mix-and-match “from the carpool to the Concorde” – or in our case, the rail replacement bus.
Read the room
No two offices have exactly the same culture, so you’ll need to choose your outfit according to the vibe of your particular team. Omelianuk believed that “one’s choice of threads” speaks volumes about your work ethic. If you want to prove yourself a true teamplayer, you’ve got to be confident with “the statement” your wardrobe is delivering.
Blend in – but be yourself
The 90s was an era of fresh, minimalist fashion, but it took a bit of savvy to get the corporate-casual balance just right. Omelianuk said the key thing was to look, and feel, comfortable. “Don’t ever dress in a way you don’t want to,” he cautioned. “You’ll look more uptight that way than in a three-piece suit.”
Keep it simple, stupid
One thing that will never go out of style is the power of great basics: those items that “go with absolutely anything else in your wardrobe – and look good on their own as well,” wrote Omelianuk.
Think neutral colours and quality fabrics for things like smart pants, comfortable shoes and crisp shirts. As Omelianuk noted, there will be days when you feel more creative, but these cosy classics will have your back on mornings when you find you’re “getting dressed under duress”.
