How to dress for success in the workplace, from ‘What Not to Wear' hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly

CNBC

a day ago

Stacy London and Clinton Kelly know a thing or two about dressing for success.
London and Kelly, both 56, became household names as the hosts of popular makeover show "What Not to Wear," which ran on TLC from 2003 to 2013.
More than a decade later, the two style experts have reunited for a new show, "Wear Whatever the F You Want," which premiered in April on Amazon Prime Video.
"The world has changed a lot since 'What Not to Wear' ended, and we wanted to show that we changed along with the world," Kelly says.
On "What Not to Wear," Kelly and London were known for critiquing makeover participants' style and overhauling their wardrobes.
Not so on their new show. This time around, London and Kelly are focusing less on fashion do's and don'ts, and more on personal empowerment. As Kelly puts it, "the rule book went out the window."
According to London, their new message as stylists is "we are not here to change you." Instead, she and Kelly want to show their makeover subjects "what style can do for an individual in terms of confidence, self-esteem and capability."
The so-called rule book may be gone, but Kelly and London still have plenty of advice to give, especially when it comes to navigating the ever-changing etiquette of professional attire.
Here are their best style tips for putting your most professional foot forward in the workplace.
Style can serve as an important communication tool in the workplace, London says.
For instance, wearing a cool mixed-print outfit can highlight your creativity, while a well-tailored suit sends the message that you're meticulous about details.
"We want style to be a shortcut to help get to know people better," London says.
Your clothing can also telegraph "a certain work ethic," according to Kelly: "People think that if you are conscientious about your wardrobe – keeping your clothes nice and neat and clean, and taking things to the tailor when they need to go – you're probably going to be conscientious with your work," he says.
Since Covid, some companies have relaxed their standards for office attire, but Kelly and London say that wearing suitable work clothing remains key to professional success.
"We're still human beings, and we're still looking at other people and making snap judgments on them," Kelly says. "We can make an assumption about somebody in 3.5 seconds based on their appearance."
Dressing appropriately at work conveys "respect for yourself and respect for your context," London says.
"Seeing somebody respond to their environment in a respectful way does translate into the way that we think about them," she says.
Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all handbook for workwear – it depends on your office's unique culture and norms.
But certain time-tested fashion rules still hold true: London and Kelly both advise against showing too much skin at work or wearing clothes with stains and holes.
For young professionals just entering the workforce, Kelly recommends visiting your office building before your first day and scoping out what your future colleagues are wearing to work.
Above all, your professional style should align with your goals, London says — both inside and outside the workplace.
"I think the whole point of creating a personal style is to really define for yourself who you are and what you want," she says. "You want to dress in a way that creates a kind of attraction toward all of the things that you're looking for in your life."
In other words, if you're hoping to level up at work, make sure that your appearance matches your professional prowess.
"We used to say 'dress for the job you want,' and in some ways that's still true," London says. "I think that we really don't recognize how much our style impacts the way people perceive us."