Jeans and comedy ties are banned from most offices, with 47% of workers wearing smart casual business wear to work every day and 40% wearing formal office attire such as suits, according to a survey by Reed Employment.

The research found that 51% of respondents felt that dressing smartly will advance their careers.

Office workers seem to like their work uniforms, believing it creates a separation from their office and home lives (37%), while 37% stated that they feel proud to wear a uniform as it represents their company’s brand image.

Only 16% stated they are unaffected by what they wear to work, just 1% stated they felt uncomfortable in their work clothing and 90% of respondents stated that they strictly adhere to their work dress codes every day.

Lewis Woodward, head of network marketing at Reed, says: "The old adage ‘dress for success’ clearly rings true, with the majority of office workers happily embracing their company’s dress code and feeling proud to represent their brand.  It is, however, surprising that so many people feel that wearing smart office attire is still highly relevant in today’s business climate and that it is key to advancing their careers."

* Remember to vote in our recruitment web poll!