Whatever suits you

No two corporate cultures dress alike. While some of America goes to work in shorts and t-shirt, Russia adds some spice to the boardroom with plunging necklines. Designers discuss the difference

Russia

The harsh weather does not deter Russian women from stepping out in style for a formal meeting nor does it stop them from showing a little bit of skin. Wardrobe consultant Varsha Bhawnani says, "Russian women have amazing bodies and are not conservative in their dressing." Expect to see blouses with plunging necklines held at the waist with broad belts. Pants give way to skirts and dresses, under which they wear stockings and great boots. Their office attire is targeted at adding some excitement and fun to the workplace.

America
Designer Ravi Bajaj believes that the culture of dressing down to work is not a good one. He says, "When you dress down your mental tuning also becomes down." He says that the nerdies, as he calls them, of Silicon Valley introduced the concept of Friday dressing. Californians do not dress up for work at all and are seen in shorts and t-shirts. The rest of America can be seen in open collar shirts with rolled up sleeves in a combination of beige and blue. Bhawnani says women wear almost anything to work, clothes most of us would consider party wear, as long as it's mono-colour and mid-length. Lace and shades of cream and browns areu00a0 prominent features in their office wear.

England
Bespoke master cutter Paul Jheeta, who works out of Savile Row London, says that men in London are still conservative in their dressing they wear formal two-piece suits. You won't find a lot of them in stripes, as they prefer checks. Women, on the other hand, play a different game. Designer Rocky S says, "I think Londoners dress very stylish when it comes to corporate dressing. They put a very interesting twist to the everyday work wardrobe, like a bold printed scarf to add jazz to a pant suit, a stylised blouse under a jacket, which can be worn for an evening out after work, and more importantly they pay a lot of attention to detail and accessorise well. It's the right kind of shoes; bags etc that add that extra edge and in fact can make a dull workday fun." The fabrics that they choose are thick and the material is not flowy as the cold weather does not permit it.

India
"Indians are influenced by the Italians and they do follow trends," says Jheeta. In India, corporate wear is not custom made, but is ready to wear which sometimes leads to ill-fitting trousers. The weather, on most days, does not allow for thick suits and blazers so Indians wear half lined jackets in lightweight materials like linen or silk-linen. Indians are at the risk of getting stuck in a no-colour zone and prefer blacks and whites. But Bhawnani believes that things are changing for the better. "I have seen news readers and presenters with great style. They obviously have stylists but are now wearing colours like peacock blue in jackets and blouses." Designer Vivek Karunakaran says that men wear shirts with cutaway collars. He also says that the dress code varies according to hierarchy and the nature of the organisation.u00a0

France
The French are famous for their great sense of style and their knack of carrying high fashion and casual wear with equal elegance. They still love dressing up, be it to the club or at the workplace. Bajaj says that they break their outfit very stylishly by using colour well. A bright shirt under a dark suit or an interesting tie to funk up a rather dull suit. No jeans and t-shirts for them at work. They are not rigid in their choice of cuts, fabrics and colours. Experimentation is key, with men opting for light colours like baby pink or powder blue for shirts. Women team scarves with their choice of attire to add an element of fun and fashion.

Italy
Italian men are quite fortunate as they look great and have good eating habits that help maintain their looks. Their inborn sense of style can be seen in their day-to-day life, says Jheeta. Women are dressed elegantly and smartly and have a sense of style that is far ahead of their American counterparts. Dresses, skirts and suits are uber feminine. Their cuts are conservative, they do not reveal too much but the fit flatters and shows off their great bodies.u00a0u00a0

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