Corporate fashion tips are everywhere on TikTok. What does HR think?

Office dress codes have always been at the center of workwear debates, with corporate employees pushing the boundaries of appropriate clothing for years. Today, influencers are adding to the problem, despite having no real office experience.

Clothing inspiration videos make up the bulk of many influencers' content, but the number of social media stars giving corporate clothing advice despite never setting foot in an office is now sparking debate about the limit to be set.

Erika Migliaccio, founder of Upstream HR Strategies, knows this debate very well as an HR expert with a passion for fashion. She spoke to News week on the impact of influencers on workwear, and her top tips for not compromising style for a sleek outfit and avoiding the “Office Siren” route pushed by these influencers while still feeling sexy and sophisticated.

Migliaccio doesn't approach office clothing as something boring or too formal, but rather believes that your office dress code and employee clothing choice should reflect the brand image you're trying to convey. She said, “I see it [fashion] as an extension of your personality, and I also think in a professional setting it's a very important part of the brand that you build.

Although she's not opposed to expressing herself with clothing, Migliaccio has noticed a clear gap between what people wear in corporate style videos on TikTok and what someone would actually wear to work. She said: “Honestly, after watching a number of videos, I think I could tell who was following this trend as someone who actually works in an office and who is using this trend as someone who doesn't , because there is a fine line between looking put up and feminine and looking trashy [in a professional environment]”.

How to Dress for a New Job

The first few days are intimidating enough without having to worry about your outfit, so when starting a new role, Migliaccio recommends taking the time to settle in and see what people around you are wearing.

VIP: Visibility, Interaction, Performance

Migliaccio uses its acronym “VIP,” meaning visibility, interaction and performance, to help understand how to dress for work.

“The visibility of your work, i.e. who knows what you do and what did they see when they saw you, is where the dress comes in. Too many people rely too much on performance and don't “Don't realize that visibility is just that important,” Migliaccio said.

“When you're starting out in a new place, go back to VIP and wait until you have the other elements really solid before you start bringing a lot of your personality – but I also would never want someone to hide who they are, so I think shoes and accessories are a great place to play.

First impressions: 3 words

One of the key points highlighted by the expert is that your outfit is often people's first impression of you, meaning it should reflect the personality you want to convey. To find out how people perceive your outfit, she recommends choosing three descriptive words you want to convey and seeing if your clothes give off the same energy.

“I encourage people to think about what job they want, then imagine three or four people you know who have that type of job and think, 'If I had to describe them in three words, what words would they be? that I would use?’.

“The three words you're looking for should be reflected in what you wear. If I want to appear collaborative and creative and smart, then my clothes should be, you know, kind of fun and smart at the same time. If I want to look like you, the Office Vixen, so I guess my clothes would reflect that too.

“If it's a button-down shirt, a knee-length pencil skirt and a kitten heel, it's chic, professional and stylish, but when the neckline is so low that your tatas hang down and when the hem is so short that you can I don't bend over at the desk to pick up anything, so, for me, it went too far.”

Incorporating your style into a corporate office

Even if you want to fit in with your office outfits, don't be afraid to add elements of your style to show off your personality. Not only will it help you feel more comfortablebut people can get to know you through your outfits.

“I think it’s always important to have something that reflects your personality,” Migliaccio shared. “I suggest people find their signature. So for me, my signature is I like fun, printed blazers. I always show up in a fun blazer, especially if I'm at a client's site.

“If fashion isn't their thing, then maybe a signature shoe is your thing, or a statement accessory. It doesn't matter what it is, but whatever your thing is, embrace it and bring- every day to show your personality.

Outfits: the 3 piece rule

For women working in more traditional offices, it can be harder to have fun with fashion, but Migliaccio has another way to feel stylish without straying too far from company guidelines.

She said: “In these traditional office environments, I always suggest to women what I call the 'three piece rule', because there's a difference between putting on clothes in the morning and putting on an outfit in the morning.

She continued to talk about the importance of creating a cohesive outfit, recommending having three pieces to create a workwear look, sharing: “I think a three piece outfit will show that you've put thought into what you have.” . I wear.

“Start with a bottom (pants, skirt), then add a top and play with something else, whether it's a vest or jacket or even an accessory like a belt. It's the difference between showing up for work and people say, 'Oh, she dressed today' versus, 'Oh, she put some thought and effort into it,' because if you put some thought and effort into how you show up at work, People are going to assume that you've put some thought and effort into other things as well.”

She finished with some advice on the impact of fashion on building your brand: “The most important point for me is for people to realize that everyone has a brand, whether you realize it or not, and that your brand may not be what you want it to be. Your brand is how others perceive you, so if you don't put any effort into shaping it, it will still happen, and it may not be what you want.

“You have to deliberately shape the brand that you want, and it's important that people understand that even if your performance is strong and even if your interaction is strong, your visibility and the way you present yourself physically doesn't match your brand , it will have an impact on you and your career.”