Office Attire Part One: Colour and Pattern

In the first of these posts on how to wear a formal working wardrobe well, I'm going to go back to banging my colour drum again. One of the major challenges of any business wardrobe is to fight against the tendency for business dress to become a predictable uniform of dull, uninspired suits, dreary ties and worn-out white shirts. It should be acknowledged that there is no escaping the fact that tasteful and appropriate business dress revolves around a number of staples; white or pale coloured shirts and understated suits. However, as with everything tailoring-related, there are ways to keep these classic looks elegant, as opposed to tired or uninspired.

The first thing I would like to suggest is that a balance between colour hues be struck for business attire. There are no fixed rules here, just some recommendations, plus your own outfitting-instincts; but for business suits, I would suggest that colours be kept sober. This does not mean that they must all be dull or dark, but that they should not be too flashy - opt for more formal variants of classic colours: deep navy blues as opposed to bright French blues for example. The key word here is 'deep' - a rich colour, be it blue, chocolate or charcoal compliments the professional aesthetic required of a formal working wardrobe and somehow the depth of these colour tones also brings with them a sense of gravitas. Light colours should be cool in tone, think pale taupe sharkskins and soft grey flannels, as opposed to more bold cloths. Similarly, checks and stripes are best kept subtle, unless of course your in a position of authority, in which case a bold stripe or check can add stature.

Blue heavy-weight wool double-breasted blazer, Reiss 1971. 

Black and white Prince of Wales check trousers with a blue overcheck, Jaeger London. 

White twill superfine cotton shirt, Marks & Spencer's 'Sartorial' collection. 

Vintage Ralph Lauren silk 30oz printed crimson paisley tie. 

White silk handkerchief, T.M. Lewin.

Black and White correspondents by Alfred Serjeant.

The easiest place to inject some more colour, or a make a little more of a personal expression in one's business attire, is in the tie and accompanying handkerchief. Business shirting should (like the suit) be simple, and revolve around the use of soft colours (the classics being blue, pink and lilac) or alternatively slightly brighter shades mixed with white (a shirt with a white-based Bengal stripe or gingham check for example) which provide suitably reserved applications of colour. No such rules however, revolve around the use of ties. Against a simple shirt, the tie gives the ideal opportunity to cut a dash - contrasting bright plain, spotted or dogstooth woven ties are ideal for business dress, or conversely printed patterned ties, as seen above. Set against a plain white shirt, a striking tie and handkerchief are the ideal way to complete a confident, yet suitably reserved business ensemble.

I'd advise that when using a contrasting tie, avoid making too much of a fashion statement with an out-and-out clash. Stick to tried and tested colour combinations which also help to compliment one another - a grey suit with lilacs and purples, pinks and blues (or with deep oranges and reds) or a soft brown suit against a cream ensemble, or even warm turquoise or sky blue colour tones. Alternatively, bind an ensemble together by picking out a colour in the suit cloth. For example, the jacket below has a burned orange box-check and the orange links the checks in the jacket and the brown-grey trousers.

Superfine grey box-check blazer, with red and orange overchecks, Ted Baker.
Grey-brown Italian sharkskin high-waisted trousers, Moss Bespoke.
Burned orange self-spot woven silk tie, Gieves & Hawkes.
Chocolate brown derby's by Barker.
Shirt and handkerchief as before.

If I can return to shirting for a moment, I find myself wanting to re-assert the value of white collars and cuffs. With the obvious exception of a plain white shirt, I always wear them, simply because they offer another dimension to what can be otherwise be a relatively uninspired piece. Classic lilac, pale blue and salmon pink business shirts are everywhere, and although tasteful, for the most part they are quite literally one-dimensional; just a pale, plain colour. Picture these same classic business shirts with the addition of a white collar and cuff. They become significantly more crisp, the white just adds something fresh and its association with the classic white business shirt ensures that its a professional-looking addition. 

I hope this gives you enough scope to consider some different colour-schemes, which hopefully you will agree provide the opportunity to present a professional, yet also interesting and individual business aesthetic. We've only covered part of the story however, so in my second post on the subject of business dress, I'm going to start a discussion on the variations of cut and style of formal wear appropriate for business dress. Keep coming back for an immanent update!

Take a look at my Pinterest board on office attire here, for more inspiration: http://pinterest.com/studenttailor/business-dress-done-well/