Should you Wear a Suit to a Job Interview | Professional Attire at the Office | Did the Pandemic Kill the Suit

December 5, 2022

From the looks of Tech Giant CEOs and Investment Banking firms, the Covid-19 Pandemic seems to have killed off the suit for good. When it comes to Overnight Billionaire Business Leaders, we see shorts and hoodies, shaggy haircuts and a sense of importance above the dress code. Let's face it, we haven't exactly held up our end of the deal.

SHOULD YOU WEAR A SUIT TO THE OFFICE?

From the looks of Tech Giant CEOs and Investment Banking firms, the Covid-19 Pandemic seems to have killed off the suit for good. When it comes to Overnight Billionaire Business Leaders, we see shorts and hoodies, shaggy haircuts and a sense of importance above the dress code. Let's face it, we haven't exactly held up our end of the deal.

Remote work has been on the rise for quite a while. Oh, the luxury of wearing your pajamas to your 8am Zoom meeting. The pandemic shoved us all into an environment with little to no need for our wardrobes, at least not the bottom halves. So, your comfy clothes became the norm. There is nothing wrong with comfort.

That being said, wearing a suit to a job interview or to the office is a way to show the leadership that you are serious about the position and your appearance. If you are interviewing for an office position, it is important to dress in professional attire.

Casual workwear

Now that we're all comfortable, it is time to get back into the world and start interacting with humans again. With everyone heading back, we're really holding onto our sweats. Many believe we should ditch the dress codes all together.

When it comes to job seeking, nearly 50% of people are happy with smart casual workwear. I would argue that for a good majority of businesses, I tend to agree, there isn't much need to be dressed to the nines. Then you have a good chunk of folks, nearly 25% of job seekers looking to get back into their finely tailored wardrobe and suit up, once again. Some may even take the dress code into their own hands opting for full suits, even for video calls.

Of those who would like to scrap the dress code, only 8% of them would say anything goes when it comes to your professional wardrobe.

Dress for Success

The benefits of wearing a suit, whether it is to the office, a meeting, a conference, or just networking, the truth is that your suit is a contemporary suit of armor. Putting on a finely crafted garment made uniquely for your physique changes the way you present yourself. I'm not talking about your appearance alone but it affects your mental health. You operate with more confidence, suave, and prowess in what you have to offer. Wearing a suit not only allows you to represent your personalized character, but you represent your organization as well, and that alone could turn the right heads when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder.

In the 21st century, a large number of businesses continue to relax the dress code which begs the question, have we gone too far? According to a recent study in The Independent, only one in ten employees regularly wear a suit to work.

When we dial in on why we have gotten away from professional business attire, it isn't that it's too expensive, or out of reach, or exclusive to industry or salary, but in fact, has everything to do with comfort.

Around 20% said casual clothing made them feel they were expressing their personality and therefore they performed better. More than 50% of employees said it was “more affordable” to wear casual work clothes, as suits had to be dry-cleaned, whereas ordinary clothing could be thrown in the washing machine at night.

Has the suit had its day?

Despite the seemingly growing sentiment that suits are out and joggers are in, the number of suits per year has remained steady. That may not sound like much, but considering the population of the planet has skyrocketed by billions in the past 100 years, it is safe to say, the suit isn't going anywhere.

The pandemic did not kill the suit, but it has changed how we wear them. Suits in general have become more casual and they are not just reserved for weddings or other formal events anymore.

The suit has been a wardrobe staple since the 19th Century, even before that their predecessors lived through royalty and nobles. Today, you don't have to own land, or collect taxes to afford a quality garment. In fact, it has actually gotten easier to learn, explore, and find bespoke clothiers all over the world.

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Suits have lived on through World Wars, Economic Collapse, and Dynamic Shifts in Culture. While "Casual Friday" has done its best to reduce the suit to mere days of the week, when it comes to formal wear and dressing your best, the suit is always going to be the "Go-To" when it comes to feeling your absolute best.

Despite the arguments that "casual" is more comfortable, that is simply a matter of finding the perfect fit. Most off-the-rack options are made to fit the masses. Whereas, in the early 19th Century, a Bespoke Garment was exactly that, handcrafted and designed uniquely for the wearer. That same affordable luxury can be had today, without busting open the safety deposit box.

At the end of the day, the suit simply wears best and allows you to perform at your peak confidence. A professional wardrobe endears you to your team, your clients, and in your daily encounters. Smart and Professional will win over flip flops every time.

We at Kalypso Couture are of the mindset that suits should be worn in certain sectors such as the legal profession, or the financial sector. After all, your bank manager is responsible for handling large sums of your hard-earned cash, so how would you feel if you walked into the office and found staff wearing jeans, t-shirts and trainers?

The Science of Suits

The science of suits is an interesting topic. It's not just about the suit, it's about how they make us feel, what they say about us and how they affect our self-confidence and mental health.

It is a scientific fact, wearing a suit can make us feel more “powerful, engaged and likely to succeed”. Dressing smart for work tends to make us more decisive and focused. It puts us in a mindset, that we're able to empower ourselves from.

Adam Glinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, who has carried out much research into the power of clothing in enhancing performance, calls the theory the “enclothed cognition” effect. He has found clothing can influence our performance because when we feel confident that we look the part, we will perform better at a specific task.

A bespoke suit is a custom-made garment that can be tailored to fit your body perfectly. Not only that, Kalypso Couture offers a bespoke wardrobe services for people who want to look and feel their best on their wedding day or for any other occasion where you want to wear a suit.

We offer a range of services from the design of your own unique pattern down to the selection of fabric and buttons. You can also choose from different styles such as classic, slim fit or modern cut.

What Suits You

Questions over Dress Code may never end, only adapt. That is why we try to stay on top of it for you. A set of rules regarding our physical appearance isn't inherently bad. It allows us to congregate as community, appeal to public and our neighbors while expressing the unique qualities of our personalities through our individual choice. Sadly, that simply doesn't happen with off-the-rack garments. Whether it be due to poor fit, or ever changing fashions to appeal to the masses.

While, we always encourage you to allow Kalypso Couture to guide you on your journey, it is one of self discovery. Finding the perfect fit for you, your 21st Century Suit of Armor.