Treat yourself to some new work attire

Many of us dedicate a fair amount of time in our lives to doing things for others – trying to find the perfect birthday or Christmas gift and thinking of ways to cheer someone up when they are going through a rough patch.

But sometimes it is also nice to treat yourself to a present for no other reason than you work hard and deserve to have something nice and new in your life.

Unfortunately the thought that often creeps into people's minds in this situation is: 'I like that item, but will I ever actually use it?"

For this reason it is a good idea to think about shopping for something desirable yet practical.

What fashion accessory, for example, would you like to own but do not expect anybody else will ever buy for you?

Whether we like it or not, the place we spend the majority of our time in the average week is at work. Bearing that in mind, it might be a good idea for your wardrobe to be given a boost with some additional office-appropriate attire.

Work ties can be a fashion statement as much as a requirement – especially if you have them tailored to your preferences in style, colour and pattern.

Executive gifts show appreciation to project leaders

Very often there is an expectation that business managers will reward hard-working employees for reaching important milestones or sales targets, with the idea being to show that their efforts are appreciated and to garner good will for the future.

But perhaps less common is a team of workers showing their appreciation to a leader at the completion of a major task.

If you were recently involved in lengthy or challenging project at work – perhaps an unusual client request had been made that required an all-hands-on-deck approach – then there is a very good chance that one or two individuals were responsible for overseeing its operation.

With that responsibility comes a certain pressure, so why not say thanks for their guidance as a group by offering them some one-off executive gifts?

It might be a simple package comprising a personalised tie, belt buckle, pen and mug, but this gesture is bound to be well received and tell those in charge that their efforts did not go unnoticed.

Pooling funds as a group means the cost per person will be minimal, while the positive impact on the recipient is likely to be long-lasting.

Unique ties and other accessories on men’s shopping lists

If the talk around the worldwide fashion industry is true, it appears that male shoppers have recovered from the global financial crisis in force and are keen to start purchasing again.

Menswear fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, Eric Jennings, says that while men trailed their female counterparts in post-recession spending, many are now making up for lost time.

"If they learned one thing through the recession, it's that looking schlumpy is not going to help you keep your job, get promoted or get a new job," Jennings told The New York Times on Sunday (February 22).

"I think they're taking their appearance more seriously."

The other prominent trend of recent times is for men to stock up on stylish accessories as much as new suits and silk shirts, as they look to embrace the traditionally women's fashion domain.

From established additions such as vintage-themed unique ties, bowties, scarves and interesting belts to more contemporary options such as holdalls and wristwear, men have embraced the virtues of accessorising like never before.

One of the great advantages of a lot of male fashion items these days is their versatility, with products designed to be worn both to the office and to social gatherings.

Corporate gifts online for busy managers

For the busy manager, strolling the aisles of department stores trying to find the exact type of corporate gifts can seem like an arduous and overly time-consuming task.

Your intention is to offer staff members an unexpected thank you for a job well done – and while you may know what you are looking for there is never any guarantee that you will find it in a bricks and mortar retail outlet.

Fortunately the rise to prominence of online shopping has changed all this – consumers can now conduct their product research with the click of a button and have the desired goods delivered right to their door.

This means savvy leaders are able to select a stylish range of ties, shirts, vests, cufflinks or more via internet retailers, ensuring that the material, colours and patterns of the garments match perfectly with their specifications.

You can even incorporate employee initials into the items for an additional personal touch or have the company name and logo worked subtly into the design – all without leaving your office chair.

This is corporate gift-hunting made easy and with time such a valuable commodity to the contemporary manager, there is likely to be no turning back after you make the move to online purchases.

Provide an extra special touch by personalising gifts

There are times when quality clothes are not quite enough for the purpose you have in mind – you want to add an extra special touch to a set of outfits that you will be offering to a group of people as a gift.

Perhaps you are getting married and have decided to provide matching ties to the groomsmen, or you would like to surprise friends with commemorative belt buckles for an occasion such as a ten year high school reunion.

These are thoughtful gestures, but you may wish to take that extra step and have the items personalised with names or initials so that they hold superior value and will be cherished for years to come.

If you run a business with other people and the brand reaches a major milestone in number of sales or months turning a target profit, why not congratulate yourself and your co-owners with sets of stylish cufflinks adorned with the company logo?

This is a way to a nice accessory into something truly unique and significant to those involved – the type of present that is brought out for important occasions and held dear by the recipients as a reminder of good times and major accomplishments.

A ‘classic aesthetic’ is favoured by contemporary men

For a while now fashion aficionados have noted the throwback to vintage menswear – a trend that shows no sign of slowing down as slim and stylish continues to overtake loose and casual in the wardrobe of the well-dressed modern man.

With popular television programs such as Mad Men play their part in introducing a whole new generation of men to kind of attire so elegantly worn more than 50 years ago, the shift seems to stretch far beyond just a small-screen sartorial impact.

Writing about the appearance of men at charity ball in Toronto, The Star columnist Robert Cribb commented last Saturday (February 18): "Together, they formed a parade of dandy bowties, skinny retro suits, tie bars, cufflinks and vests, modern throwbacks to the male fashion dictates last displayed in dusty family photo albums."

Cribb adds that among other genres in recent years, traditional British and Italian tailored approaches "have been about trying to capture a classic aesthetic".

In Australia this trend is following a similar path to North America and the rest of the world, with office workers and socialites alike leaning increasingly toward an executive tie, slim shirt and vest combination over less corporate attire.

Enhancing your outfit with stylish accessories

While your shirt, trousers and shoes might attract the most focus when you first enter a room, often it is the finer details that leave a lasting impression on the people that count.

Whether you are attending a job interview, wedding, corporate function or simply dressing up for a particular occasion, if you want to stand out in a positive way there are a number of subtle sartorial strategies you might wish to employ.

Keen fashion observers are just as likely to note the shine of your cufflinks, clever use of a tie bar, addition of a bold belt buckle or the extra touch of sophistication with your lapel pin.

These are the additions to your outfit that show you in your best light – well groomed and possessing an attention to detail that is often highly respected and sought after in any aspect of life.

With this in mind, what accessories do you have to choose from when preparing for an important event?

If the extent of your executive wardrobe is a decent suit and a few crisp shirts, it might be time to look at building up a section of items you can mix, match and layer to create a unique appearance every time you step outside the house.

Are casual Fridays a thing of the past?

Does the way you dress at work influence how you are thought of by management and play a role in your potential career progression?

While this is not a question that can be met with a definitive answer, it appears increasingly likely that sharp professional attire separates you from potential rivals for a promotion.

For a time casual Fridays became relatively common practice in Australian workplaces, with brands happy to move away from strict sartorial codes at the end of the week in place of a more relaxed approach.

However, it could be that this trend is changing back again in light of global economic uncertainty and overly competitive job markets – as companies look to create the best public impression at all times by taking casual Fridays off the calendar.

Lynne Beggs, Hays regional manager, said recently that employers are looking at ways to "sharpen up" and stand out from their competitors.

"Dress-down Fridays are certainly not as common as they used to be," Beggs told News Limited February 11.

"The feedback we constantly get from clients is that for those people who are serious about their careers, what they wear to work is important."

Managers conscious of this shift might wish to supply their workers with business gifts such as branded ties, to encourage them to embrace this new era of corporate style.

Dressing to impress on the dating scene

If you are single and currently looking it might be worth considering just how important first impressions can be – and no matter how sartorially minded you there is rarely such a thing as too dressed up in the early dating stages.

While you may feel more comfortable in casual clothing, there is no harm in adding just a touch of class to your usual style in order to impress.

According to fashion columnist for BusinessDay Luke Malone, what you wear on a first date in particular is likely to be carefully noted and analysed – so it is your job to ensure that the lasting impression is a positive one.

"When it comes to the early stages of wining and dining, you’re expected to kick things up a notch in the clothing and grooming departments," Malone wrote in an article titled First Impressionism today (February 17).

One mistake men tend to make is to plan a wonderful evening at a great local restaurant but turn up in clothes that far from match the mood.

As Malone says, this is one of those rare occasions where you are expected to look your best – so why not embrace it?

"A blazer jacket worn over a crisp, clean shirt and dark jeans will do just nicely. You might even want to slip on a tie if the mood takes you," he adds.

With a unique tie designed to your own specifications in colours that complement your complexion, you will stand out for all the right reasons the second you greet your date.

Offer a corporate gift with a handshake when promoting staff

Sometimes in the busy and high-pressure environment of the modern corporate world we can lose sight out of good traditional values about treating people the way we would like to be treated ourselves.

While getting the final signature on a sale or new deal generally still requires a bit of common courtesy and attentive service, things can be very different on the inside where bosses might pay little attention to staff needs or employees may lack the motivation to be polite to the same co-workers every day.

Of course this is not the case at the majority of workplaces, but to stifle any potential for a negative atmosphere to develop within the office it might be a good idea for managers to take a more proactive approach.

Rather than only emerging from the corner office to question staff or check on progress, effective leaders are also known to stop by a department to give positive feedback or even just share a friendly exchange.

This type of attitude can keep the lifeblood of the company – its hard-working staff – content and inspired to do their best at all times.

Another gesture that might go a long way is to reward dedicated employees who receive a promotion with a special corporate gift – such as a personalised tie or silk scarf – a wonderful way to say congratulations on a job well done in front of the whole office.

When other managers are offering nothing more than a handshake and a pep talk, an extra effort is likely to be noticed for all the right reasons.