It’s true to say that unless you work in the legal or financial sectors, the tailored suit, shirt and tie uniform is no longer as ubiquitous as it once was. BUT, opinions and surveys out there do concur with my opinion that in a business setting your appearance does count, even if you are a tech exec. Approaching capital venturists as a tech start-up in trainers, t-shirt and jeans might not be as effective as if you approached them in a tailored jacket, shirt, jeans and smart suede shoes (middle pic above – John DeNapoli, managing partner at Mean Broadcast, a media sales house, in a blue linen jacket) – you maintain your tech exec start-up credibility, at the same time as appearing to be a serious player in the tech space. Similarly, if you are an investment banker working to close a multi-million pound deal, I bet you would turn-up to that final meeting like Ashley on the left, who was in fact Sales Director for ITV Breakfast, in a sharp fitting dark blue business suit. And if you just like dressing well at work, the middle ground could be the cotton suit look on the right (yours truly), which would also look great without the tie.
So whether your look is Eddie Redmayne (smart casual, but tailored) or George Clooney (smart, tailored and sophisticated), dressing the part in a business setting pays dividends, and puts you a notch above your competition perhaps.