What to Wear at Work: Formal vs Informal

It is a dial, not a switch

How you dress at work says a lot about you, and most of it lands before you speak.

Here is the main thing. It is a dial, not a switch. Every workplace sits somewhere on a scale.

At the formal end, think banks, lawyers, government. That means suits, collared shirts, polished shoes.

At the other end, trades, warehouses, hospitality. Informal does not mean wear anything. The standard is different, not lower. Ask three things. Is it safe? Is it practical? Is it clean?

It is not just clothes either. Smile, listen, stay positive. Stand tall, look people in the eye, shake hands firmly. People decide fast, often in seconds.

Neither end is better. They are just different standards, and both are still standards.

What happens if you do not wear what is right

The benefits of wearing the right outfit

Check what landed

Three questions on what you just watched. You can go back and watch it again at any time.

3 questions to answer

Question 1

The video says formal and informal are a dial, not a switch. What does that mean?

Question 2

You work in a warehouse. What three questions does the video give you?

Question 3

You are unsure about something you want to wear to work. What test does the video give you?

0 of 3 answered

Where does this sit?

Six workplaces. For each one, where on the dial does it sit? You can get it wrong and try again.

6 questions to answer

Question 1 Two people in dark suits walk together through the reception of a law firm, both carrying folders, with a receptionist at the stone counter behind them.

Two people in dark suits walk together through the reception of a law firm, both carrying folders, with a receptionist at the stone counter behind them.

A law firm in the city.

What does this workplace expect?

Question 2 Six colleagues stand talking over coffee in an open plan council office, all in plain shirts and tops with lanyards round their necks. No ties and no jackets. A whiteboard of community projects behind them and a harbour through the window.

Six colleagues stand talking over coffee in an open plan council office, all in plain shirts and tops with lanyards round their necks. No ties and no jackets. A whiteboard of community projects behind them and a harbour through the window.

A council office.

What does this workplace expect?

Question 3 Four builders stand talking on a house site at frame stage, all in hard hats, hi vis vests, work trousers and steel capped boots, three of them in safety glasses and gloves.

Four builders stand talking on a house site at frame stage, all in hard hats, hi vis vests, work trousers and steel capped boots, three of them in safety glasses and gloves.

A building site.

What does this workplace expect?

Question 4 Three cafe staff behind the counter in matching black tee shirts and aprons, hair tied back. One is making coffee at the machine, one is handing a takeaway cup to a customer, one is at the till.

Three cafe staff behind the counter in matching black tee shirts and aprons, hair tied back. One is making coffee at the machine, one is handing a takeaway cup to a customer, one is at the till.

A cafe.

What does this workplace expect?

Question 5 The same council office as the earlier picture, same banner and same whiteboard. Today two of the staff have put jackets on and one is shaking hands with a visitor in a suit and tie, while everybody else works on in shirts and lanyards.

The same council office as the earlier picture, same banner and same whiteboard. Today two of the staff have put jackets on and one is shaking hands with a visitor in a suit and tie, while everybody else works on in shirts and lanyards.

The same council office. A client is coming in today.

Same council office as before. Today a client is coming in. What now?

Question 6 Two teachers sit on the floor among four children in an early childhood centre, both in plain tee shirts and loose trousers with their hair tied back, playing with wooden blocks. He tangata is written on the wall behind them.

An early childhood centre.

What does this workplace expect?

0 of 6 answered

5 Tips for turning up right

Start with the basicsClean nails, tidy hair, fresh breath, and go easy on the perfume or cologne. These are small and they are the first thing people notice.

On the tools, safe comes firstSteel caps and hi vis where you need them. Hair tied back, no loose jewellery near machinery. Clean gear still matters on a site.

Smart casual is still smartClean jeans or chinos, a collared shirt or a tidy top, closed shoes. The gym gear and the jandals stay home. Casual Friday is a relaxed version of smart, not track pants and slides.

Keep corporate simpleSolid light colours like white, grey and blue. Match your shoes to your belt, and black is always safe. Keep jewellery simple and skip the loud patterns.

Remember it is the whole packageGreet people with a smile, listen, stay positive. Stand tall, good eye contact, firm handshake. That tells people as much as the outfit does.

Reflection

Learning outcome 1

The standard where you are

What is the dress standard mostly in your workplace? Or the workplace you want to work in?

Learning outcome 2

What you would change

What could you do to improve how you dress for work?

Learning outcome 2

How you come across

Besides clothes, what is one thing you could do to come across well? How you greet people, how you stand, how you listen.

What you are promising yourself

Your commitment

What will you do differently on your next day at work, or your next job interview?

Your answers save on this device, so you can come back to them and nobody else can read them. If you use Speak your answer, your browser sends the recording to its own speech service to turn it into words. Type your answer instead if you would rather nothing left the device.

What to Wear at Work: Formal vs Informal

Learning outcomes

It is a dial, not a switch

What happens if you do not wear what is right

The benefits of wearing the right outfit

Watch

Check what landed

Where does this sit?

5 Tips for turning up right

Reflection

The standard where you are

What you would change

How you come across

Your commitment

Finish this topic

Relevant topics