Breaking the dress code: Tips for gender non-conforming employees in the workplace

Mia Jensen

October 7, 2024

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In the everyday runway of the corporate office, fashion trends are changing and that’s a positive development for gender non-conforming employees and those who like to blur the lines of gender when it comes to how they dress, says one Ottawa professional. Kathleen Ingleston, development coordinator at Dress for Success Ottawa, said the definition of “professional” has changed significantly since the pandemic when it comes to how people dress for work. “It’s shifted towards a lot more comfort, inclusivity, more personal expression,” she told OBJ recently. “It’s very flexible. We want people to bring their authentic selves to work. While some traditional areas of work still adhere to more formal standards, the trend is generally moving towards a more relaxed and adaptable approach to fashion.” Dress for Success – which is hosting its annual professional development conference for women and gender non-conforming people on Oct. 26 – works with individuals to not only connect them with career services to support their professional success, but also to help them dress the part in a way that’s empowering to them. For gender non-conforming people – meaning those whose gender identity or expression does not match masculine or feminine gender norms – the more rigid dress code of the pre-pandemic corporate office posed a number of challenges. But now, that’s changing, Ingleston said. “The challenge in these kinds of environments is that some people may feel the need to wear a skirt when they don’t want to,” she said. “In the past, women weren’t allowed to wear pants. Now suits are considered gender-neutral. It does depend on the style; some jackets are styled towards a female silhouette, but the cut of a lot of suits are neutral, which makes it easy to play around with style.” The more relaxed standards of the present day have allowed workers of all stripes to put their personality on display by integrating more casual items with their business wear, Ingleston said. Shoes and bold jewelry have become popular items to play around with while piercing, tattoos, and hair dye have become more accepted in some workplaces. But while casual elements are increasingly accepted, Ingleston said that when traditional standards pop up, it can be hard for those who are gender non-conforming to balance their gender expression with the binary nature of off-the-rack office wear. “More formal jobs may require you to dress formally, like law,” she said. “You’re always going to want to go for a more polished look. Casual clothes can be more accessible for a lot of folks, so it can be difficult dressing for a more formal industry.” While masculine styles such as suits have become increasingly popular over the decades, the trend has not yet developed in the opposite direction. For those who present more masculinely but would like to dress more femininely, there continues to be stigma, she said. While women have been wearing pants in the office for years, it is not common to see men in skirts or dresses. While Ingleston said it would be great for people to go all out, there are subtle ways to bring a more feminine flavour to a professional look for those looking for ways to branch out. “Men’s fashion is deemed to be sort of the standard now,” she said. “That may make some folks feel uncomfortable, seeing men or masculine individuals present that way. But I think there are ways to incorporate more feminine aspects into an outfit. Layering garments and adding jewelry and accessories can really help with that.” Ingleston said her No. 1 piece of style advice for young professionals is always to dress for the job they want. But she added that approaching a wardrobe from a fashion point of view rather than a gendered one can alleviate a lot of the stress of dressing for the workplace when you don’t fit a traditional mould. “Whatever makes you feel good in your skin, that’s what you should wear,” she said. “First impressions really matter, so dressing professionally can help you make a lasting impression that gives you more confidence. Look good, feel good, even when you’re nervous. If you feel your outfit really aligns with you, it can certainly have a positive impact on how you carry yourself.”

Top five style tips for gender non-conforming professionals

Play around with silhouettes

“You can try oversized or even tighter clothing to create ambiguity to your natural body shape and to emphasize different parts of your body. You don’t necessarily need to create focus on your waist or have bigger shoulders. It’s really up to you and there’s no standard. Play around with different silhouettes and different sizes of clothing to create the look you’d like,” said Ingleston.

Combine basics and statement pieces

“Build your collection of basics and find statement pieces to show your personality. You of course need your basics of blacks, whites, creams and other neutrals. But then also have some pieces in your favourite colours, unique patterns and things that really speak to you,” said Ingleston.

Layer a more gendered item over a basic base

“Using different gendered pieces as well as layering different garments of clothing can add more interest to your look. You can make it easier to incorporate a more masculine or feminine piece that way and build your confidence to dress more in that way,” said Ingleston.

Don’t be afraid to accessorize

“An outfit isn't done until you accessorize. Play with makeup and see what you like. Use jewelry, belts, different kinds of shoes, and there’s a million ways to tie a scarf,” said Ingleston.

Break out the formal attire for everyday looks

“Mix your casual and formal. I like to have two-thirds of the outfits be more formal and one piece to be more casual. I find it really creates a good smart-casual outfit and that can be done with both gendered clothing types,” said Ingleston.