Convincing corporate couture
Sheena Gilhotra

A crucial business meeting lined up for the day? Got to make the right style statement? Well, this would not mean wearing your best Armani or Ravi Bajaj but donning the right look. It would mean striking a balance between what you perceive is expected by others and what you are comfortable with. The paramount requirement is to be in control of the situation and being at ease with what you are wearing.

The emphasis should be on style, rather than on fashion. Cultivate a style that is not only easy to carry but is also impressive, officious and trendy. This should mean not distracting attention by that dazzling designer necktie but projecting a sense of belief.

The corporate attire should be in tune with the office environment. It should send positive signals to both your colleagues and business clients.

For men, the conventional and surely the prescribed formal attire is a "business suit". A critical business engagement would make you wear a well-fitted business suit with the right shirt and perfectly tied necktie while you prioritise your plan of action. But there is more to it than you may think. So let us fine-tune the various aspects of your corporate dress.

Business suit: A classic business jacket hangs straight from the shoulders to the bottom of the hips. Its shape must follow body contours loosely —it should never hug the body. Couple it with a waistcoat, sometimes for a change. Various features should be checked out according to body type. For example, a thin man should have a single vent or slit at the bottom of the centre back seam, while a heavier individual should have a jacket with two slits. Five–six button, single-breasted suits are strictly for tall men. A double-breasted jacket is an absolute classic; it should fit well to make the right impact.

The best colours to choose from are black, browns, greys, and dark blues. The fabric choice ranges from expensive wool (super 100,110 or 120), linen, to cheaper ones like polyester blends, microfibres, spandex, and tencel. Stick to the classic designs with a slight bent in length and patterns. Pick up pinstripes if you like because they are back in vogue. Three-buttoned jacket is the current style. Wear it with one button undone for ease.

The right sleeve length is a strong symbol of good taste in business dress. When your arm is straight down at your side, your jacket sleeve should just cover your wrist bone and your shirt cuff should touch the top of your thumb joint.

Business trousers should be slightly fuller than the usual styles. The plain hem is considered more formal than cuffed. The correct length of trousers is when the hem falls on the top half of your shoes.

They make break slightly or not at all.

Business shirt: This is an element which allows you to be ‘stylishly corporate’. You can experiment with colours and weave patterns. The only suggestion is that you should fight the temptation of wearing very bright and fluorescent colours.

Multi-coloured stripes and their biased patterns are ‘in’ and could be an interesting acquisition for office-wear. The fabric should be comfortable and non-crushable. So go for cotton-polyester blends. Keep the trendy polynosics and faded denims for other occasions.

Most importantly, if the shirt is not designed for a tie, it is not designed for business. So tee-shirts and other western styles are strictly a no-no.

Necktie: The tie has a great visual impact. Rich tones and depth of colour and print should stand out like gems against the quiet tones of the business suit. If you have a ‘corporate tie’ with a streak of house colours or the company’s logo imprinted on it, wear it like a ‘badge of honour’.

The woven, hand-made silk tie is considered authentic and, hence, is most expensive. Two-tone silk jacquard tie worn with a matching plain (solid colour) shirt looks very classy. Polyester ties with printed small motifs or with minimalistic patterns are good options.

The necktie matched with the exact colour of the shirt and the ‘half Windsor knot’ with a dimple in the centre just below the knot projects your precision skills. Knot the tie so that the tip will reach slightly above the middle of the belt buckle.

This may seem like perfect "perfection" initially but once you acquire the precise details of business dressing, it will lead to the same in your work. So dress well and communicate well. And have a great day at work!