The cool new way to do women's workwear

The future of office style is with the labels ditching corporate style clichés in favour of a flexible new look. Karen Dacre meets the designers at the helm

Jodi Pleat Panel Wrap Dress, £145, Kitri

Kitri

Karen Dacre

5 February 2019

Behind London’s female workforce is a group of women with an acute understanding of the awkwardness and intricacies of office dressing.

Dedicated to creating solutions, not problems, they specialise in well-crafted, cleverly thought-through items that don’t require a personal stylist or an hour agonising in front of the mirror to put together.

A vibrant workwear landscape that’s transformed with the modern woman in mind is the result.

There’s no Mad Men-style sheath dresses or impossible-to-walk-in pencil skirts (praise be), but a series of labels that promise to empower with plentiful options that focus on celebrating personality not annihilating it. We talk 9-5 sweaters and power plays with the women in charge.

Clare Hornby, Me+Em

Me+Em

The topline: Hornby is the founder of Me+Em, the track pant specialist that offers clothes with form and function to modern women.

Her rules: “Women want to look smart but they want their style to look effortless too. It’s crucial that a modern work wardrobe be versatile enough to take you from morning to evening. We move from home to gym or school run, to office, to dinner and often don’t have time to go home and get changed. Our clothes need to be intelligently designed to meet these demands.”

The essentials: “ We talk a lot about ‘fashion Lego’, or building blocks, that can be put together in different ways so that your outfits always feel fresh without having to invest in a new wardrobe each season. It’s about striking a balance to avoid an outfit feeling too structured. Mix masculine with feminine pieces, mix florals with utility styles and investment pieces with casual styles, like a beautiful floral skirt with a white T-shirt. Soft tailoring makes you feel smart without feeling too grown up. Wear the trousers and matching jackets together as a contemporary take on suiting, and then later style them individually. Pair the trousers with a chunky knit; layer the jacket over a tee.”

The power play: “Clothing is a woman’s armour. It can’t let us down. I firmly believe that looking polished leads to polished thinking. Once you walk through the office door, it’s all about what you can achieve, not what you look like or worrying about things like whether your trousers will crease after sitting at a desk.”

Haeni Kim, Kitri

Kitri

The topline: Kim’s millennial friendly Kitri offers a wearable aesthetic that’s playful but also, the right side of smart.

Her rules: “Choose comfortable, versatile and memorable styles. It is becoming less and less formal in the workplace these days, but I believe it’s important to still look professional and creative.”

The essentials: “A great versatile jumpsuit is always a winner. You can run around during the day in trainers and then switch to heels for meetings or an evening event. A great midi-length dress is also a must and a sharp boxy blazer to throw on top. So easy to wear. I love mixing bright, playful printed dresses with a dark blazer. Lightweight merino wool rollneck jumpers are essential. They’re perfect for layering under jumpsuits or dresses or pairing with a soft midi-length skirt. I also always have a blazer and a big warm scarf on the back of my chair so I can throw them on for meetings.”

The power play: “Of course clothes aren’t everything but I strongly believe that the right outfit has a positive effect on how you feel. I know that when I feel great in my look, I have a spring in my step and feel confident and ready to take on the world. Clothing that empowers has changed over the years. Certainly, power dressing is not all pencil skirts and sheath dresses; it’s about comfort, versatility and feeling confident in your own skin whatever you decide to wear.”

Polly McMaster, The Fold

The Fold

The topline: McMaster’s label champions 24/7 dressing through versatile pieces that are designed to create a fuss-free and stylish aesthetic.

Her rules: “Choice is the most liberating and empowering strength a woman has when it comes to sartorial solutions for work. We design our collection to offer versatile styles that work hard for her; from hard-wearing smart-casual pieces, such as luxurious merino knits, commuter-friendly wrinkle-resistant suiting and cling-free premium jersey dresses to luxurious day-to-night styles that will cut it at a big event/presentation but wouldn’t look out of place behind a desk.”

The essentials: Dresses are such a wardrobe essential, and once you’ve found a shape that works for you, it’s a an easy way to invest in tried-and-trusted styles in multiple fabrics and colours that you’ll wear for seasons to come. It’s so effortless too. A “statement top” is also key. When you are in meetings all day, it’s what you wear from the waist up that matters.

The powerplay: “When you dress for work you need to feel the most confident version of yourself, so that you can focus on doing your best. How you dress can impact your perceptions and even your career. We spoke to more than 1,000 business women for our ‘Workwear Matters Report’ and 80 per cent told us that the right outfit is crucial to creating the knock-out first impression in meetings and boosting credibility, and 74 per cent admit that they assess an individual’s executive presence based on their outfit.

Rachael Proud, Raey

Raey

The topline: Proud masterminds Matchesfashion.com’s tightly edited in-house line. She deals in truly covetable classics with an informed silhouette. Signatures include luxurious knits and great denim.

Her rules: “It is important to feel comfortable, so stick to the colours and prints that you like to wear and feel yourself in — for me everything is navy or black and all of my T-shirts are white. Dresses and jumpsuits with pockets are smart, easy and practical. You can bend down and pick up your child, run to the bus and carry your essentials, making them the perfect elements to a working wardrobe.”

The essentials: “Smart trousers, great knitwear — both fitted and loose— running leggings, your favourite jeans (for me these are the Raey Dad Baggy Boyfriend Jeans) and shoes that are practical and smart. I have found myself wanting to wear more jewellery to vary my favourite go-to outfits.”

The power play: “Raey clothes are about saying ‘Be who you are.’ You don’t have to do an impression of someone else’s version of smart; just wear what makes you feel you can do the job. If you feel good and love what you wear you definitely have more of an air of confidence. Getting the job done in the best way gives me confidence and I think that can be said for most people. If your clothes are hindering you or making you feel confined, they will hinder your work.”

MORE ABOUT

Workwear

kitri