Gone are the days when a suit and tie or a pencil skirt were mandatory to maintain a professional image. With the rise of remote work, casual office cultures, and the increasing push for workplace inclusivity, the concept of a rigid dress code is being challenged.
But does this mean that dressing down is the future of professional attire, or is there still a place for those formal standards in shaping corporate identity and discipline?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER
Nisa Ismail, the chief executive officer of As Salam Capital Sdn Bhd said that office wear would remain relevant in the future.
In her organisation for example, she said it reflects the company's DNA, brand identity and culture as well as intrinsic values representing its products and services.
"We take pride in what we do and deliver it with style, embodying our commitment to improving lives sustainably," she said.
She also said that first impressions matter to leave a lasting impact. As the CEO, she said that she wants clients to associate Sedania workers not only with their professionalism and passion but also with the confidence, poise and elegance that they bring to every interaction.
Dress codes help the company to highlight its identity while maintaining its credibility and fostering trust, she added.
When discussing the dress code, Nisa explained that the organisation adopts formal office attire for corporate-facing roles, while smart casual is reserved for back-end or tech positions.
She also emphasised the importance of staying attuned to evolving trends, particularly as a forward-thinking organisation. This ensures that all employees feel comfortable in their daily outfits while confidently embodying the shared vision of sustainability and innovation.
As a company, she said it is important that they develop their brand identity and culture to form consistent expression of its mission and vision which further shape the organisation's market presence and impact on stakeholders.
"The corporate culure we cultivate represents our beliefs and ethics, creating a magnetic pull for like-minded talent.
"Ultimately, it’s a symbiotic relationship: as we uphold our values, we attract and retain talent who proudly embody them," she said.
Nisa further said that it is important to align with a company's dress code to signal unity and professionalism while inspiring trust in their clients and stakeholders through consistency in brand image and messaging.
"Office wear is not just about establishing a policy—it’s a tangible reflection of a company’s commitment to what it believes in and its ability to foster a cohesive team focused on a common goal. This is what we believe in and are practising at our company," she said.
The consistency in appearance would strengthen trust, credibility and alignment to create a meaninful and effective environment.
"Why is trust important to us? Because it is fundamental to creating lasting relationships with our stakeholders," she said.
"In my opinion, while creativity and comfort are crucial, they must also complement the company’s vision and values. A thoughtfully crafted dress code ensures that employees feel empowered and motivated, knowing they are part of a team working toward a greater purpose, while looking and feeling their best," she added.
Nisa also addressed the younger generation entering the workforce where standard office wear should not be made to alienate them but rather inspire them to be a part of something greater.
"In our company, we believe that shared purpose and alignment with Sedania values are key drivers for a prgressive and united workforce," she said.
She said that her past conversations with young talents revealed that they are more inclined with companies that are progressive, innovative and sustainable, making transforming the ideals into corporate attire vital to give it a greater meaning.
With a strong brand identity and a mission to improving lives sustainably, our company sees attire as an opportunity to inspire pride. We believe a stylish and thoughtful dress code can resonate with younger generations, inspiring them to represent the organisation confidently and passionately - even beyond working hours," she concluded.
BALANCING FORMALITY AND FLEXIBILITY
Meanwhile, corporate leader Daneena Rahman, who is the Non-Executive Director of Wah Seong Bhd, shed light on the evolution of corporate dress codes, noting their ability to adapt while maintaining relevance in today’s dynamic work environments.
She emphasised that dress codes are far from a one-size-fits-all approach and are often tailored to reflect a company’s unique culture and values. For instance, tech companies like Google encourage attire that sparks creativity and individuality, contrasting with more traditional industries where formality may still play a critical role.
As for the accounting or financing industry, traditional office wear is more encouraged in order to leave a good impression on clients.
However, Daneena, drawing from her experience in the same industry, shared that while her firm prioritises formal office wear, they also embrace flexibility. Employees are occasionally allowed to dress down on certain days and are sometimes encouraged to take cues from client attire as a way to foster relatability and seamlessly blend in.
When asked if office wear has evolved due to the rise of hybrid and remote working during the pandemic, she noted that it has significantly shifted. The casual elements now integrated into office attire are largely influenced by the remote working culture that became prevalent during that period.
"When remote working, people want to wear something comfortable yet functional. You wear something that suits the environment and there was also lack of emphasis due to meetings done behind laptops rather than face-to-face," she said.
This shift has led people to prioritize comfort in their outfits, even when styling office wear. Reflecting on the past decade, she noted how the standard office attire once revolved around ties, jackets, and suits. "Now, we're moving away from that," she said.
Taking into account that each organisation has its own brand identity, values and demands, she said that it would be the reason that dress codes for each company differ. "Google's office has slides, lounges, gameroom, which make it important that their staff comply with this standard through office wear that looks creative," she said.
She said that by portraying a company through the staff's officewear, it helps to promote their brand better while remaining professionalism.
Meanwhile, she explained that in professions such as law, the expectation leans heavily toward maintaining a polished, professional appearance to instill confidence and earn clients' trust.
However, she also said that some companies would keep flexibility and formality in tandem to allow young, Gen Z workers entering the workforce adapt better.
Daneena also emphasised that dress code helps to maintain people's perception towards the staff.
"In the plantation business for example, where the bulk of your staff are people in the estate, running the mills at the plantation, those people are not expected to wear formal wear and would opt for whatever is comfortable. Meanwhile, people running businesses such as listed companies would be wearing more formal wear.
"Companies like MAS with captains and stewards would wear something different than any of these people. It depends on the grounds of where they work at with designated policies and dress codes that fit the nature of the work," she explained.
She said that wearing according to dress code impacts outsiders in a way that parties such as stakeholders get to make their first impression from.
"There is no answer that fits all, but dress codes ultimately depend on the profession that you work as while holding a targeted impact to customers or people on the receiving end," she said.
Further discussing about how employees should feel about dress codes, she said that most workers would choose outifts that boost their happiness, creativity and productivity.
"It is very important not too have too much rigidity in dress code," said Daneena.
"In my previous company, we used to have Dress Down Friday which is a day for workers to dress down before the weekend starts and feel better about dressing however they want. However, we saw people wearing unacceptable things such as slippers and shorts, which did not leave a good impression on our clients.
"That cannot be tolerated. We had clients who came for meetings and we could not afford our clients seeing our staff dress in that manner. We have some flexibility but we also still have rules to keep staff dressing appropriately—it needs to be continuously monitored and they need to be told off if they do not comply with the basic rules," she shared.
She concluded with her remark on Gen Z entering the workforce, where they should focus on pursuing an industry that aligns with their interests to help making dressing up for work less challenging.
"If they want to focus on dressing comfortably, banking is not for them. There is expectations in how staff dress. Though dress code evolves over time with most leaning towards looking less formal, it still necessitates for staff to comply with them regardless of the comfortable factor.
"When it necessitates them to wear formal, they are required to do so and I don't think that this would alienate them in tn that sense, because at the end of the day, it goes back to their purpose of choosing a certain profession," she said.