Dress to impress: Dressing for the office

Sarah Symeou and Louise Knights, founders of clothing brand Cecily, reveal their tips on how to nail smartwear in the office.

Picking an outfit for that all-important job interview or crucial presentation in the office can often send anyone into a hot sweat. Should you go for that tailored dress or trouser suit? It certainly can be tricky.

Comfort is key to any outfit choice, but finding the balance between smart, stylish and comfort isn’t always easy to find.

To help combat this, clothing brand Cecily has developed a capsule collection for the modern working woman that sports fine tailoring, detail and simplicity.

Founded by Sarah Symeou and Louise Knights, the duo wanted to address the variety of issues that women of all ages face when shopping, from ideal dress length to colour tones to how much skin to reveal.

Key pieces from the collection include ‘Victoria’ – a knee length, textured mixed wool dress with angled neckline and nipped in waist, while ‘Alice’ offers a slim chic silhouette, navy bodice, square neckline and short puff sleeve.

“For an interview, we would suggest a dress is good option as it is the perfect one-piece smart workwear, which can be worn without too many other items to think about, each one a potential wardrobe malfunction,” said Symeou and Knights.

“A demure neckline with a small amount of detail such as a collar or a bow gives a bit of interest without being too distracting, and a simple 3/4 length sleeve covers the tops of the arms but isn’t too restricting, which is good for gesticulating or presenting.”

Similarly, selecting the right length of skirt or dress is crucial when choosing a work outfit, warns Symeou and Knights, something everyone should take into consideration.

“The last thing you want is your skirt riding up when you sit down in front of your interview team so pick one that is straight and tailored and comes just below the knee.”

But no matter what you choose to wear, confidence is key, which will help you nail any interview or presentation in the office.