Clothing is very important in work for a number of reasons. It must present you as a professional; it must fit in with the tone of your workplace and it must also be functional. Here are three different kinds of work outfit and where they are suitable:

• Suits

Suits are classic working attire for – often literally – white collar workers. Businessmen and women are expected to wear suits in many professions, from law to finance and many other too. There are more offices now allowing workers to forgo a tie or jacket in the workplace, but this smart image is important for the reputation of many companies.

• Overalls

Overalls are the uniform of the manual worker and this could be anyone from a mechanic to a caretaker or builder. This workwear is chosen because it is protective – both against dirt and materials that would scratch and tear less hardy clothing.

• Smart casual workwear

Between suits and overalls there are all sorts of types of clothing worn in all sorts of jobs and often a smart-casual look is chosen. Personalised embroidered sweatshirts and t-shirts are commonly worn with trousers or smart jeans. Clothing matters to some extent and people should be presentable, though being good at your job should always rank highest in terms of importance.