Formal work wear gets a memo: More casuals, please | Economic Times

In a sea of suits, the sneaker used to stand out. Not anymore. As corporates return to office, a new wave of dressing is here: More casual, on occasion. After a year-and-ahalf of working from home, when collared shirts and joggers were the go-to Zoom look, the formerly formal wearers are now opting for a “if the meeting calls for it” approach to buttoning up.Gautam Hari Singhania, CMD, Raymond Ltd, says he’s been wearing “way more casual clothes” than he used to. “Corporate dressing has undergone a transformation. The need for comfort was felt during WFH, and many people have also changed sizes now, be it larger or smaller,” he explains.When he is not in meetings, Singhania prefers wearing casual clothes, unlike his pre-pandemic work look, which he said included “a chic-looking jacket along with a crisp solid formal shirt and a contrasting accessory, like a pocket square”.Ajinkya Firodia, MD of MotoRoyale, also says his look has evolved and is less formal, more functional today. “Collared T-shirts with formal pants or formal shirts with jeans have become my go-to look as we return to work. It’s all about mixing formal with informal,” he says, adding that this includes sneakers too, like his favourite off-white Nike pair.INDIAN REVIVALPreferences for Indian wear is what Vinati Saraf Mutreja, CEO, Vinati Organics, is leaning towards, saying that the lockdown made her opt for comfort and elegance. “I prefer wearing Indian clothes to work these days as it looks both dignified and fashionable,” she says. She adds that she is seeing less of suit jackets at the workplace these days, although she does miss them at times. Her back to work wardrobe includes a mix of cotton as well as silk tunics, suits and kurtis.Tanvi Malik, co-founder, FabAlley, is also opting for comfort over style, especially with footwear: High heels are replaced by sneakers and sliders. “The joy of being back at work and in society also means I wear natural fabrics — linen and cotton. I also find myself wearing bolder and happier colours,” she says.Even in offices where corporate attire was a must, such as Motilal Oswal Private Wealth, things are looking more relaxed now. CEO Ashish Shanker says, “As offices opened up, I shifted to smart casuals. The good part is that you had the luxury of wearing smart casuals on days when physical interactions hadn’t started.”FORMAL OCCASIONSHowever, not all hope is lost for lovers of well-cut suits, button downs and monk strap shoes. “I have moved back to formals now that things are normalising,” says Shanker, adding that the company is fine with employees wearing smart casuals when they aren’t meeting clients. “If they are client facing, they need to be dressed appropriately and that means formals,” he adds.Another reason why formalwear isn’t out completely is because bosses missed suiting up during the lockdown and the chance to dust off their favourite jackets is something to look forward to, and a call to normalcy. “I love to suit up. You can never undermine the power of a well-crafted suit. During the lockdown, I missed wearing my classic suits along with co-ordinated suits,” Singhania adds.But there are still a few items they don’t mind pushing to the back of their wardrobes for the long haul. For Firodia, it’s belts. “In the lockdown, there was no need to wear belts and I do not miss that at all,” he says. Mutreja is pleased that masking up means she isn’t wearing as much makeup as she used to. “I don’t miss having to spend more time doing that,” she shares.And Shanker is more than happy to ditch the ties, saying, “I have rarely worn one over the last year-and-ahalf and definitely do not miss wearing it.”