What to wear at the office
All about What to wear at the Office, Office Wardrobes, Clothes and What to
wear at the Office and more on AfricaPay Kenya.
Good advice on what to wear and what not to wear at the office from a business professional.
Formal Business Attire
For women this means suits (matching trousers and a jacket).
Closed-toe shoes (no sandals), shirts and well-tied or maintained hair, jewellery
(minimum) and makeup are expected.
Avoid jewellery that jangles (chandelier, earrings, stacks of bangles), as this is
distracting. Instead, wear stud earrings or single bracelets.
Avoid handbags that look sloppy. Choose structured styles that project an organised
image.
Maintain manicured nails/clear polish, avoid brighter colours, neat hair etc.
Trousers should be fitted and free of visible panty lines.
Skirts (pencil skirts), should be loose enough to sit down in comfortably.
Jackets and shirts should be able to be buttoned easily.
Colour - Keep it traditional. Colour plays a big part in a professional image. Traditional
career colours include red (aggressive), navy (trustworthy), gray (conservative) and black
(chic). Most of these colours work well in trouser suits, skirts and shoes and mix back
with softer feminine colours that are appropriate like ice blue, lilac, soft pink and ivory.
Avoid loud colours like hot pink and wild prints, which are much riskier in the office.
Do Not Wear
In case you work in an office where others do not have very good judgment about work-
appropriate clothes, do not imitate them. Simply stick to wearing clothing that’s suitable for an
office. No matter what, never show up for work in any of these:
Too sexy: see-through lace, miniskirts, spaghetti straps, sheer sundresses, strappy stiletto
sandals.
Too casual: Jeans, shorts, T-shirts, hats, sneakers.
Too sloppy: wrinkled clothing, too many layers, baggy-fitting clothing.
The Basics
Keep focused on the job at hand. You want to be known for your great work, not for your body.
So no matter whether you are working in a very casual or very formal office, go to work covered.
Below-the-knee skirts, no visible cleavage, covered arms, tights, and even covered toes are
appropriate for ultra-conservative offices.
A suit or a dress with a jacket is a good choice to wear in formal office. If the atmosphere is
more casual, coordinated outfits work well. Short sleeves are okay in a casual work setting. For
the casual office, you can skip the tights and wear sandals in warm weather.
In casual offices, T-shirts and jeans may be acceptable. Just remember to reflect the office
culture. If the boss is wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon on it and nobody thinks it is out of place, it
is okay for you to do the same.
The same goes for wearing jeans. Do not wear ripped or slashed jeans though, even if others do.
And go for the dark denim, rather than the lighter or washed denim. As a bonus, dark denim
gives you a leaner appearance.
Business professional attire is the most conservative type of business wear. It’s what you’ll be
expected to wear in the office if you work in accounting, finance, or other conservative
industries. For women, this means a business suit or pant suit, or dress and jacket. For men,
professional dress means a business suit or a blazer, dress pants and a tie. Remember: it’s always
better to be over dressed than under dressed.
Suits:
Suits are always a safe bet when dressing for a business professional environment. Pant suits or
skirt suits are both acceptable. Well-tailored suits in conservative colors/prints are best (black,
navy blue, and brown).
Pants / skirts:
Women can wear casual pants or skirts. Neither should be tight. Fabrics should be crisp; colors
should generally be solid; navy, black, gray, brown and khaki are always safe bets. For the most
business-like appearance, pants should be creased and tailored; neither extreme of tight or
flowing. If you are pursuing a conservative industry and are in doubt, observe well-dressed women
in your industry on the job, at career fairs, at information sessions, or consult your career coach.
Skirt length and slits:
Your skirt should come at least to your knees while you are standing. While you are seated, your
thighs should be covered. If your skirt comes to just below the knee, a slit to just above the knee
might be acceptable. A very long skirt should not be slit to above the knee. Generally slits in the
center back of a skirt — to facilitate walking a stair climbing — are acceptable. Slits to facilitate a
view of your legs are not appropriate for business purposes. Slips should not be visible.
Jackets:
A jacket should always be a part of your business professional wardrobe. Be sure it has a tailored
fit in a conservative color/print. If you are wearing a long sleeved shirt underneath, the jacket
sleeve should hit the wrist just above the long sleeve so you can see the shirt sleeve peek out just
a bit.
Shirts:
Wear tailored shirts or blouses in cotton, silk for a blend. Fit should not be tight. Cleavage is not
appropriate to business and job search occasions. No sweaters should be worn for business
professional occasions.
Jewelry / accessories:
Keep your watch and jewelry choices simple and leaning toward conservative. Avoid extremes of
style and color. If your industry is creative, you may have more flexibility than someone pursuing a
conservative industry.
Cosmetics:
Keep makeup conservative and natural looking. A little is usually better than none for a polished
look. Nails should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremes of nail length and polish color,
especially in conservative industries.
Shoes:
Should be leather or fabric / microfiber. Appropriate colors are black, navy, brown, tan, taupe (to
coordinate with your other attire and accessories). For the most conservative look, toes should be
covered. Excessive straps and spike heels are not appropriate. Chunky heels and platforms are not
appropriate. Your choices reflect your judgment. Make certain you can walk comfortably in your
shoes.
Hose:
Not essential for business casual, but are recommended if your skirt is knee length (rather than
calf length) and in more formal environments such as hotels. Climate and weather can be a factor.
Hose may not be expected in hot climates/weather and in less conservative industries. Hose may
be expected in more conservative industries.
Purse / bag:
If you carry a purse, keep it simple, or carry a small briefcase or business-like tote bag in place of
a purse. A structured bag tends to look more professional than something soft or floppy.
Purse/bag color should coordinate with your shoes if possible. Backpacks should not be a part of
your wardrobe in any situation. Please leave then in your locker, home or in the car.
