Corporate world demands that you dress in a professional way.
That means wearing a business attire, which would create the right impression with clients, boss and also, office colleagues. It should also be in sync with the culture of specific industries, for instance the style in corporate banking and hospitality sectors tends to be more restrained and conservative, whereas in advertising and media sectors it is more colourful and trendy.
For many of you, either starting out, getting back into the job market after a period of unemployment or already in a job, budgeting for a professional wardrobe is tricky. Some are reluctant to spend too much — how much is too much is a variable depending on one’s disposable income, sense of style, and eagerness to dress smart — and there are others who simply are unsure about the costs of proper office dressing.
Using top brands for a full professional wear can set you back anywhere between Dh8,000 to Dh12,000, but hey, you need not worry. You can get a basic wardrobe done for less than Dh3,000, say local stylist and image consultants. And they advise that you don’t have to have the full wardrobe right if you are starting out to build one.
If you have to start from scratch and you shop in high street to mid range stores, Dh3,000 to Dh5,000 can have you covered for work, says Farah Kabir, image consultant and fashion stylist, who is also the owner of Dubai-based Dresscode by Farah. For instance, for women she says, it will get you three pairs of trousers, one skirt, two dresses, one to two blazers, five shirt and tops, a pair or two of shoes, and maybe a bag. Of course if you move down to lower brands or designers, these numbers change tremendously.”
So, in what ways can you fit the role and appear smart without spending a fortune? Here are a few tips from experts in the field.
Start by looking at your own wardrobe
Lucia Csobonyei, a certified personal image consultant at Dubai-based Your Unique Image, says she never had a client who would have started from zero.
“There were always couple of suitable pieces in wardrobe and we completed it with new ones plus accessories,” said Csobonyei.
Micha Maatouk, who owns Graderobe, a boutique offering pre-owned branded clothes and accessories at a substantial discount, suggests if you have a dark suit, which is still in style, you can refresh the look with a new blouse or shirt.
“Look through your closet and see if you have classic black pumps, which most women do,” she says. “If you do have, they can be taken to a place like Minutes and they will freshen up and give them a polish.”
Start with the basics and avoid trends when starting out
For those with a tight budget, Tareq Al Shaikh, a former investment banker who founded Knotstandard, a bespoke tailoring service that makes suits and shirts for men, says one should opt for a “tailored fit, quality fabrics, traditional colours and cuts that never go out of style”.
Rather then going for the trendy that tend to go out of fashion in a short time, it is always better to go for a classic look.
Maatouk, who was formerly a buyer for Harvey Nichols Dubai and also, a boutique manager of Chanel in Dubai Mall, says there are stores in Dubai in the mid to low price range that offers clothes with a classic look. For women that includes a couple of trousers, a couple of skirts and blouses in the neutral colour palette with black, white and a little bit of red. For men, a couple of trousers, white shirts and black or navy blue suits complete the wardrobe.
Shop around to find bargains and lower priced quality clothes and accessories
Not just in malls but boutique retail stores on streets such as Jumeira Beach Road. Dubai’s retail landscape offers a range that can only rival the best and the most competitive in the world, price wise.
“A great advantage this city has is that it has all sorts of brands from all over the world and that all kind of wallets can find their target,” says Kabir. “If you really are budget conscious, they are many stores and brands where you can shop. Dressing well will depend on your ability to pick the right items for you, that is what will make the whole difference.”
Rana Saab, a Dubai-based certified image consultant and celebrity stylist who offers her services online at ranasaab.com, seconds Kabir’s opinion.
“Dubai is a cosmopolitan city with a high sense of fashion and an abundance of retail outlets from the grand malls to the small tailoring shops, which makes it easy and accessible for people to invest in professional wardrobes,” Saab says.
Shopping festivals at different times of the year with stores offering discounts is a good time to pick up your necessary items.
“So keeping an eye open for that great deal is worth it,” Kabir says. “But be careful not to buy something not needed just because it is on sale.”
Outlet stores such as the Dubai Outlet Mall offer choices at a relatively reasonable price.
“The Outlet Mall is good especially for office looks because it is not so much seasonal,” Maatouk says. “It offers a variety of clothes with a classic look like for women, jackets, pencil skirts, straight cut dress and for men, classic suits.”
Outlet stores also make brands more affordable.
Check out online stores too
Realising that online buying has picked up in the last two years, Maatouk is about to launch her own online store in the next two weeks.
“Online is now getting more and more important,” Maatouk says. “The prices of things like Ralph Laurens and many other names you find online are many times much lower than you would find in a store.”
It’s not about brands, more about fit
While you might well get great bargains on big brands and pick them up, it is wise to keep in mind brands don’t matter when it comes to smart dressing for office. A quick run to the tailor can get you the corporate look at a lower price and in a fit and style you want.
“Great access to professional tailoring also makes a major difference here,” Al Shaikh says. “People can always buy brands [here] but more importantly, can kit themselves out with well-tailored suits.”
It’s always a good idea to opt for made to measure, Maatouk says.
“Rather than buying a white shirt for Dh1,000 there are places which offer four made-to-measure shirts for Dh1,200,” she says. “This is also true for men’s suits: you can get them done for a couple of thousands.”
Csobonyei adds: “It is possible to create basic wardrobe even for Dh3,000 by choosing low cost brands There is always a solution to fulfil customers requirements and meet the budget.”
Rather than chasing brands, Kabir says, “what matters the most is buying items that fit you and enhance your colouring and shape.” She even puts the cost of a basic wardrobe for women with resorting to brandnames at less than Dh3,000.
Mix and match items
It’s how you put your attire together, matching different colours, for different occasions as well as for seasons.
Csobonyei says that while a lot of people are seen wearing expensive, branded clothes what she misses is a sense for mixing and matching individual pieces to create a harmonised look.
“Practice with mixing and matching individual pieces can always create a new outfit even if the parts are repeating,” she adds.
The skill lies in how you mix the items, Maatouk says.
“You can buy a suit for Dh600 and depending on which blouse you pick for it, you can make it look like you are wearing a dress of couple of thousand dirhams, but it is not. There are choices available out there that may be within your budget.”
Build up your wardrobe over time
This pertains more to the fresh graduates, who can afford the bare minimum before they receive their first paycheck. You don’t have to have three suits at first go.
“If you start from scratch or if it is your first job, allocate a monthly budget to building your wardrobe, you can do miracles with small amounts,” Kabir says. “Doing it over time helps you try out and realise the missing items that you need to build up more outfits with the items you have. So, you will invest in a clever way.”
The first purchase, say for a woman, should include at least one suit that can be dry-cleaned on the weekend and a couple of blouses, Maatouk suggests. Men can manage with just one suit as along as he has different shirts to pair it with along with two ties and a good pair of black shoes and a briefcase.
Gradually in a month or two women can buy a new dress, add a skirt and a formal blouse, and another pair of shoes. Men can buy a few more shirts, a couple of more ties and another pair of shoes.
Knot Standard’s Al Shaikh says a professional wardrobe for men can cost anywhere between $1,000 and tens of thousands. Ideally, he says, a professional wardrobe should include at least three custom-made suits, half a dozen shirts of high quality cotton, half a dozen ties and other accessories such as cufflinks and suspenders. “Begin with a basic palette — say navy and gun metal grey suits — and then build out from there to include a glen plaid or Prince of Wales check or for the more fashion forward, a brown or pinstripe suit,” he says.
