We all like to look our best, whatever the occasion, but sometimes fashion seems to be excluded from certain environments.

Take the workplace for example. Depending on the industry you’re employed in you may be required to wear a uniform or abide by a strict dress code.

Whatever the case, finding a way to stand out and show your personality without breaking any of these rules can be difficult … unless you know these top secrets.

Personalisation

Make uniforms or work clothes personal by adding decorative touches where possible. Make sure they abide by any rules and choose your items carefully. Some ideas include:

• Jazz up office attire with personal jewellery. Large statement pieces can work well in modern, fresh-thinking industries but for offices where things are a little more conservative it might be better to tone it down with delicate jewellery. Choose plain studs over hoops for health and safety reasons and choose a stylish watch to merge practicality with style.

• Inject colour into your outfit through jewellery or accessories. Hair bands and ties work well here, injecting subtle colour or decoration, but you can also introduce brighter shades through larger items like bags or shoes (depending on the rules set down by your employer).

Colours

Even if you can’t wear bold colours to work, more muted choices can still reflect your own personality. Choose the right colour for the job at hand and if wearing a uniform consider suggesting changes or alterations to your employer. Some ideas include:

• Invest in salon tunics in soft shades of grey, blue or cream. These look really professional and are complementary to many skin tones.

• If your firm has a bright company logo then suggest using colours from this in employee attire to get employers on-board with any colour changes.

Power dressing

Some workplaces are fashion battlegrounds and the notion of ‘power dressing’ is now an established part of the psychology of the working environment for many. Dress to impress and show your powerful side. Some ideas include:

• Choose well-cut, tailored suits for office environments. Stick with traditional, conservative colours such as black, navy and grey but consider adding an extra design element with pin-striped suits or coloured embellishments. For women, a bright blouse paired with complimentary coloured heels is a must. For men, a plain shirt with a bolder tie and smart plain shoes is perfect.

• Keep hair and makeup light and neat. Professional hairstyles include short cuts for men and up-dos for women. Facial hair on men should also be well groomed and kept neat and tidy.

This is a guest post for TheEmployable