#workwear

#workwear

As UK businesses enter 2026, many small and medium-sized enterprises are taking time to review the systems that support their day-to-day operations. Staffing, compliance, budgeting and customer experience are often top of the agenda, particularly for companies operating in competitive or regulated sectors. One area that is frequently overlooked, however, is workwear. Despite being a daily necessity for many teams, workwear is rarely treated as a strategic consideration. Yet the right work uniform can directly influence professionalism, safety, staff confidence and onboarding speed.

Looking more put-together doesn't always come down to big purchases or dramatic changes. More often, it's the small upgrades that quietly do the heavy lifting - a better beauty tool, an impactful accessory, or one product that makes everything else work harder. This list is full of affordable finds that look and feel a little bougie, even though they're surprisingly cheap. Each one earns its spot by making you look more polished, more pulled together, or just slightly more expensive than you actually are.

Our all-time favorite shirt jacket Pros The best unstructured fit Durable Cons An investment Alex Mill's work jacket is one of our most beloved, and we're counting it as a shirt jacket. Why shouldn't we? It's made with garment-dyed denim, the chore coat's signature front pockets and all the swag in the world. It's an excellent replacement for a blazer in a more-casual-than-business work environment. And we would knowit's an Esquire editor favorite.

The 26-year-old real estate project manager from Munich came to the surf camp to improve her skills on the water. I came to talk with adventurous travelers about their big ideas, from new businesses to life after layoffs.

You handiest friend probably already has his toolbox figured out, but a portable multi-tool is ideal for on-the-go, spur of the moment DIYing. Leatherman makes a ton of different options, but the Rev is affordable while still offering 14 different gadgets. Made in the U.S.A., Occidental Leather makes the best work belts, hands down. You can opt to gift one of the pricier, full-belt options, but when in doubt, this clip-on works wonders to store tools he needs within arm's reach.

It's long been the uniform of management consultants and finance bros, but now the humble quarter zip is being embraced by a rather unexpected demographic. Over the past few weeks, FYPs have become dominated by the workwear staple. Young men who previously might've been seen exclusively in Nike Tech, have now traded them in for quarter zip sweaters. Across social media, they are sharing styling tips and hosting meetups at malls, all clad in business-casual.

pulls together research and different articles I've written over the years as a kind of anthology. Part contested history, part polemic on what it is about workwear that is so enduring, and how it's got the stage of de-facto uniform today. And then a little personal resonance -stories about silly things I got up to when wearing it. The book isn't too serious -it's meant to be approachable,

COVID-19 pandemic, workwear has relaxed, and the playbook for dressing for success has changed. It's caused a lot of uncertainty-but former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama shared her styling tips on how to dress for the job. "I do not pick something that doesn't make me feel good," Obama recently said in conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross about her new book, The Look. "I never wear something to follow a trend. I wear things that make me feel beautiful. That is probably the first criterion."

There is something about a contrast-collar jacket in the fall that does something to a woman. I find a bicolor coat is much more visually appealing than a monochrome layer. An otherwise classically rugged piece of outerwear is now not only durable and practical, but fashion-forward and stylistically intriguing. A mismatched collar also draws attention to one of your hottest assets - your neck.

The campaign tagline is "West x Northwest," and its exactly that. It's denim meets waxed cotton and blanket linings, clothing you'd imagine seeing in The Hateful Eight or in pictures of the bounty hunters that went to grab outlaws like Boone Helm that ran for Canada, not Mexico. It's workwear, yeah, but around here waxed jackets and denim are regarded as highly as the high-fashion stuff.

In the clothing realm, the '90s influence is felt in the return of denim, slip dresses, and,most recently, spicy workwear or "corp sleaze" in TikTok-speak. Silky button-downs, cigarette pants, and even neckties are among the aesthetic's go-tos.In bag form, however, the decade's officewear ethos is encapsulated in boxy, utilitarian totes. And no understated bag was as revered then as Kate Spade's Sam, the first-ever carryall that the label introduced.

Pros Stain defender and anti-wrinkle tech keep these looking fresh between washes Cons Stretchy cotton loses its shape over time Dockers are a classic and you really can't go wrong, especially if you're on the hunt for a quality pair of khakis that won't break the bank. Plus, these don't require ironing and have built-in stain defense (which you know you'll need at some point).

"Comfort isn't the opposite of style, especially with joggers that borrow from tailored trousers. Elastic waists meet tapered ankles and pleated fronts..."

The chore jacket, originally worn by French factory workers, has evolved into a fashion staple embraced by celebrities, marking its shift from workwear to mainstream appeal.