Is formal wear a thing of the past for work uniforms?
Fashion is a reflection of a culture’s values, customs, economics, and feelings about the times. In or out of the workplace, formal wear has been the way one looks one’s best on the most important occasions. Even before the pendulum swing toward casual, comfortable clothes due to lockdowns, canceled events, and remote work, the formality of workwear was already leaning to the more casual side. You might have even seen a coworker come to work in blue jeans. Where are the days of the suit and tie or suit dress and high heels? Is formal wear dead?
Is Formal Wear Dead?
Formal wear has certainly taken a turn in its style. Some designers are veering for softer lines and washing machine-friendly fabrics. There is even a new trend that started in 2021 called “dress-letic,” a combination of formal wear and athletic wear. To at least some extent, workwear designers are now factoring comfort into the designs.
You might still see suit jackets, collared shirts, and dress pants or skirts in offices, but you might also see slight changes in the collar, fabric, and other details. Such changes are not a surprise, given how fashion changes over each decade. After all, no one is wearing jackets with shoulder pads anymore like they were in the 1980s.
Formal Work Uniforms Are Here to Stay
Despite the changes toward comfort you might see, formal wear is not dead. It is alive and well, just with some influences of leisure and athletic wear starting to creep in. It is not necessarily bad, as breathable fabrics can help even front desk receptionists stay comfortable and productive throughout the day.
Formal wear still continues to give others the best impression of the wearers individually and as company representatives. No one will ever tire of the great feeling one gets when they dress their best. The right clothing communicates how important their work is and shows respect to customers, and formalwear is still the best option for many occasions.
Similarly, other work outfits, like PPE or polos, are also staple work uniforms for many industries. Whether you work in an office or in an auto body shop, the clothing styles are not changing so fast.
Trust Your Employee Uniforms to the Professionals at Lord Baltimore
For over forty years, Lord Baltimore has provided cost-effective uniform rental services throughout the East Coast, including Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Southern Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
To learn more about how employee uniforms can help your business, please contact Joe Bateman at Lord Baltimore by calling 800-292-1224 or visit LordBaltimoreUniform.com. We also handle uniform and mat rentals and purchases for restaurants. Additionally, we also sell and rent uniforms, shop towels, fender covers, and mats for the manufacturing and automotive industries.