Post-Pandemic Office Attire: Comfort Meets Professional Style

Post-pandemic office attire is evolving, blending formality with comfort, as demonstrated by brand efforts like Saint Laurent and Zegna adapting classic suits. Studies show comfortable clothing can boost both mental health and productivity; however, inconsistent dress code enforcement poses challenges for employees navigating these new norms.

As businesses return to in-office work, employees are adopting a more relaxed take on professional wear, reports Bloomberg Linea. Menswear writer Jeremy Freed notes, “everyone has had enough of wearing sweatpants and is now craving to dress up again.” However, this shift does not signal a return to strict office formal wear. Instead, companies are embracing flexible dress codes that balance style and comfort, leading to the reappearance of the classic men’s suit in offices—now with a looser, more comfortable fit.

Reinforcing this shift, a recent survey by Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll, found that the importance of dress codes for hiring managers has significantly decreased, dropping from 49% five years ago to less than a third today. This growing emphasis on casual dress codes reflects a broader recognition that comfortable, flexible clothing can improve both well-being and productivity.

Truwear highlights the concept of “enclothed cognition,” which suggests that what we wear can influence our cognitive processes and emotional state. Wearing comfortable attire in the workplace not only promotes relaxation but also reduces stress and improves mood, thereby enhancing productivity. This connection between attire and mental health is further supported by the 2024 NAMI-Ipsos Workplace Mental Health Survey. With a sample of 2,062 participants, including 106 executives, the survey reveals that 33% of respondents reported a decline in productivity due to mental health challenges, such as excessive stress.

In response to the demand for comfort, major fashion labels like Saint Laurent and Zegna are leading the way with looser fits that combine elegance with ease. Google Trends data, supports this shift, showing an 11% increase in searches for double-breasted suits and a 20% year-on-year rise in searches for pleated trousers, which offer more space and comfort around the waist and thighs, according to Bloomberg.  

However, while this shift toward comfort is broadly welcomed, it also introduces certain challenges. Employees and job seekers often struggle to strike the right balance between casual and professional attire, especially amid inconsistent dress code enforcement. An analysis by Adzuna , shows that more than half of job seekers are confused by these evolving dress code policies, as reported by MBN. This inconsistency creates additional uncertainty, making it harder for employees to adapt to new workplace norms.