Work It Podcast: Workplace attire - Dress to impress or distract?

We want our individual style to shine in our dressing but when it comes to the workplace, what we wear may influence how colleagues and superiors perceive us.

Career development specialist Yvonne Kong-Ho shares advice on how to dress for success.

Here's an excerpt from the conversation: 

Gerald Tan, host: 
(Is) there be certain attire that we should avoid, or we should wear more of so that people can maybe look at us with a certain sense of professionalism?

Yvonne Kong-Ho, career development specialist:
I think at the end of the day is really about what impression do you want to convey?

I do have a lot of friends who sometimes will come and tell me that, "Yvonne, I've been this role for eight, nine years, and I'm not being taken very seriously. Or I can tell when somebody comes to me and thinks I'm still ... very junior. I'm not (a) junior (employee) Yvonne. I've been promoted to head of department."

And sometimes after speaking, and they trust me enough to look at their wardrobe or send me photos of what they wear, and then I'm like, "I think I can understand why some people will think of them in a certain way."

So to Gerald's question, I think it really depends on which industry you're in, because some industries are a lot more open and a lot more like - Oh, this is fine. This is fashion. Celebrate your individuality.

But some they will be like - Oh, we have clients walking to the office all the time. Or you are in a certain professional industry where your clothing will have to denote some credibility, more credibility than the others.

How would you feel if you're a doctor, and your patient sees you driving a sports car? Nothing wrong, right? As opposed to a very serious looking car. Would you think, wow, if my surgeon is into fast cars, my surgeon might not be as more detailed. 
 
Tiffany Ang, host:
It's a perception. Even if it's a wrong perception, it's still a perception.

Yvonne:
You're right. And then it's so unfair to the doctor, right? But some patients might go maybe I should choose someone else who seems more stable, more decent. But that's wrong.

So I would tell some of my students, or even advise them ... if you're in, let's say, technology, or a media agency kind of environment, it's actually very acceptable if you celebrate your individuality a little more with brighter colors or funkier looking blazers.