Workplace attire speaks a lot about the person and the organisation. Whether it’s a
man or a woman, the formal way of dressing is de rigueur in the corporate culture.
Sakshi Vashist looks at various options available – be it readymade, custom-made
or designer labels – to find your best fit in Qatar
Looking presentable is the first and foremost step for casting a long-lasting impression and clothing is its main ingredient.
Dressing in formal attire gives a sophisticated look. Even a person with mediocre looks can impress his interviewer or convince his client if he/she has the right dressing sense.
In some careers, formal business attire is a requirement.
These may include professions such as law, banking, finance and customer-related jobs such as public relations. Some companies have strict dress codes that prescribe the type of suits or dresses, colour of ties or length of sleeves that employees should wear.
Many would not know that formal workplace attire also includes good grooming and appropriate accessories such as the correct shoes, socks and tights.
Dress code at a workplace is commonplace in Qatar though there are organisations that doesn’t have the dress code but still insist on formals. The dress code speaks a lot about the organisation. It indicates that all the employees are equally important. It helps in maintaining uniformity in identity of the employees and inculcates a sense of belonging and unity.
The type of workplace attire varies from business to business; there is no single correct type of workplace attire. But, the type of clothes someone wears to work sends a message about the person and how he or she views his or her job.
This Western style of formal dress is quite popular here. There are two major categories. Firstly, the Business Professional attire, to portray oneself in a professional manner. Careers that require business professional dress on a daily basis include finance and accounting. Men wear formal shirt-trouser with a tie and blazers. Women, on the other hand, can opt either for full/knee length skirt or trouser with shirt or blouse.
Second is Business Casual, which basically means ‘tie not necessary’. But it definitely does not call for jeans and T-shirts. Women can wear a collared shirt with trousers and shoes or boots and men can opt for a collared shirt with khaki or tailored trousers along with shoes. A simple look with a plain shirt and trousers belong to this category.
Even with formal wear, men can make or break the outfit with the rest of the accessories. The right shoes, either laces or loafers, over dark solid or simply patterned socks looks sophisticated and smart. Sometimes to make normal black-and-white wear look fancier, tie clips and cuff links can be considered.
For working women, black trouser, skirts, formal jackets, leggings and blazers find a place in the wardrobe. Designer Layla Asgar Siyabi of LAS Fashions, Qatar, explains workplace formal clothing preferences of women: “Pencil skirts up to the knee in different luxurious fabrics such as heavy weight crepe, duopioni silk or Italian taffeta are comfortable for women.
A good fitted blazer with a twist in the lapels and a very sleek chiffon blouse with ruffles are the types of clothing I design to keep a woman’s formal wardrobe fun and vibrant. For more conservative clients, there are full length long skirts, mostly in a mermaid cut to give a sharp silhouette yet keeping it modest.”
A well-tailored sailor trouser (that do not cling to body and is a little loose, having a narrowing cut from the top to the ankle) works best with striped shirts or even formal blouses. A splash of colour never hurts, so a pleasant and classic print like paisley can be used.
Adding some pastel colours to the shirts and blouses, apart from the neutral colours or shades of black or white, also adds style to everyday formal attire. But one should be particular about belts, strolls, watches, and spectacles while getting ready to go to office.
Where someone has an option to mix and match their formal wear, choosing the right attire for the workplace can become tricky, especially if he or she is new and not overly familiar with the work environment. The best rule is to play it safe and follow the lead of others. Here are a few tips …
Be specific: Take note of what other people wear around the office. For example, one may think that a three-piece suit is the picture of professionalism, but it may be too much for your work environment. Take care not to overdress or underdress.
Be comfortable : Comfort is important when mind is at work. With uncomfortable clothes, an entire day can get ruined.
Use discretion: A little discretion is always proper etiquette. The neckline is one example that is applicable for both men and women; it is distracting, inappropriate and unprofessional.
Don’t be careless : Wash the work clothes between wearings, and if the clothing is wrinkled, iron it. Messy clothes indicates laziness and carelessness.
Do match: The outfit should always match; colours and patterns should not clash with each other. For example, with a conservative suit, don’t wear open-toed shoes, which are decidedly more casual. Similarly, if when wearing a monochrome suit, don’t top it off with a novelty tie.
Some workplaces require formal uniforms. These tend to be most common in service occupations, such as an airline flight attendant, or in public service jobs like public dealing offices, restaurants or staff in malls. Uniforms make workers stand out, so those they serve can recognise them easily. The style and variety of these formal uniforms varies tremendously from organisation to organisation.
A lot of women in Qatar wear the abaya and it comes as no surprise that some abayas are designed to suit the workplace - keeping them simple and subtle. The greatest myth about dressing well is that you have to spend a great amount of money on shopping.
Indeed the deep-pocketed designer devotees can splurge at the luxury wing of Villaggio Mall, which houses designers including the likes of Burberry, Gucci and Fendi. Various internationally acclaimed designers, including Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Valentino and Dolce and Gabbana, now have a presence in Doha’s shopping malls. At The Pearl there are boutiques for high-end designers such as Dior, Alexander McQueen, Armani, Roberto Cavalli and Hugo Boss. A single trip to these outlets for formal wear means spending at least QR1,000 and up.
But on the other hand, options of affordably suiting-up is present in the country. Stores such as Gap, Banana Republic and Dunhill offer great selections for formal office wear. Even hypermarkets and supermarkets have numerous brands displayed for customers.
Jyothi Lakshmi, a research scientist at Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar (WCMC-Q) says: “For high-end styling for officewear one can go to Bershka, Zara, Marks & Spencers and H&M, but on lucky days there is good stuff available from Max or Splash at affordable prices. Generally, skirts are priced at around QR100-150 and a good jacket is around QR150-200. Couple it with a shirt to be dressed in formals in just around QR400.”
Moreover, there are several fabric shops and tailors in Doha; so getting garments custom-made is not that tough. A variety of high-quality fabric is available in Souk Al Asiery. The souqs have a lot to offer and prices are usually negotiable. One can choose soft, easy to wash daily wear clothing material starting with QR20 per metre.
Arnab Chowdhury, a fresh medical graduate exclaims: “I have been going to Kashmir Tailors and Textiles from many years to get my clothes stitched. But more than me my father loves the place as has a lot of suits custom-made from Kashmir Tailors.” Stitching cost of a full formal attire comes up to anywhere between QR300-400.
Going to a tailor is a low-cost option to get clothes made to measure. Tailors can usually follow customer’s instructions, work from a picture from a magazine or duplicate an existing garment. This often makes tailoring a cheaper option than buying from designer stores. Word of mouth is usually the best way to find a tailor who is competent and reliable.
Standards of workmanship of these tailors are generally very high. While shirts can be tailored in a day, suits take about a week or so. The Al Hitmi Tailor in Souq Faleh, Tash Haute Couture Textiles in Al Sadd and Al Misk at Abdulla Bin Thani Street are favoured by a lot of locals as well as expatriates.
Kyra Dress Materials and Tailoring in Mesaieed sells fabric starting from QR50 to QR250 and stitching charges for women’s dresses start at QR35. Such boutiques offer freedom to the customers to choose fabric material, quality of materials like lace or buttons used, as well as a privilege to add personal styling to their formal dress.
In today’s competitive world, looking smart and professional is not just a choice or option, it is a necessity. Working professionals in Qatar enjoy a wide spectrum of options in readymade garments imported from India, France and Singapore, and also in textiles from Thailand and Malaysia which can be tailored as per requirement.