Lifestyle

Dressed to impress

Ayo Akinsete (left), director of front desk operationsSuit: SuitsupplyShirt: Alexander NashTie: The Tie BarCuff links: The Tie BarAmanda Loring (center), manager and assistant buyer at Safira boutiqueTank: Enza CostaJacket: IRO PhoebeNecklace: Zaafar JewelryVaughn Davis (right), bell captainPants and shirt: H&MSweater: HartfordBlazer: Windsor CustomBowtie: The Tie BarPocket square: Alexander Nash

Ayo Akinsete (left), director of front desk operationsSuit: SuitsupplyShirt: Alexander NashTie: The Tie BarCuff links: The Tie BarAmanda Loring (center), manager and assistant buyer at Safira boutiqueTank: Enza CostaJacket: IRO PhoebeNecklace: Zaafar JewelryVaughn Davis (right), bell captainPants and shirt: H&MSweater: HartfordBlazer: Windsor CustomBowtie: The Tie BarPocket square: Alexander Nash (Astrid Stawiarz (2))

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Office attire runs quite the sartorial gamut here in fashion-forward New York City, from style industry pros swathed in Phillip Lim to financiers hedging bets on Thomas Pink. Today’s workplaces are vastly more casual than those of yesteryear, although each industry is stamped with its own unofficial dress code. But before you go perfecting that Windsor knot — or assume your boss condones leggings worn as pants — take a look at what professionals from these five industries are wearing to work. Perhaps it will inspire a complete wardrobe overhaul or, at the very least, save you from a very awkward conversation with HR.

HOSPITALITY AND NIGHTLIFE

* Dream Downtown

“We’re probably the most fashion-forward hotel in the city,” says Dream Downtown bell captain Vaughn Davis, 26. “Everything here is about beauty and individuality and being unique, so we have to embody that.” Davis, who assists guests with everything from carrying luggage to planning a night of club hopping, describes his style as GQ meets Williamsburg meets an English gentleman. “And not just any English gentleman,” he laughs. “A tea-sipping, crumpet-eating, English gentleman.” That usually translates to blazers by Windsor Custom, pocket squares by Alexander Nash and bow ties by the Tie Bar.

“They’re all encouraged to bring out their personal style,” says director of front desk operations Ayo Akinsete of hotel employees. The 28-year-old’s own style involves custom suits, cuff links and a spritz of Armani cologne.

A hot spot for models and celebrities opened, the Meatpacking District hotel opened in 2011 and also houses the Safira boutique, which outfits stylish guests and employees alike.

“We have some really great pieces,” says boutique manager and assistant buyer Amanda Loring, 23. She says much of the merchandise is by emerging designers. “I wear a lot of the Enza Costa pieces and a lot of the IRO Phoebe,” she says. Luckily, her co-workers approve — as both she and Davis admit that coming to work can be “a fashion show!”

PR

* Ketchum PR

“When clients come into our office they expect to see a real diversity of dress,” says Barri Rafferty, Ketchum’s North America CEO. “[They] expect us to be a little more stylish and fun,” adds the 48-year-old. Founded in 1923, the communications firm has about 2,500 employees globally and an office in Midtown Manhattan. Wardrobes often reflect the department an individual works in: High-ranking employees like Rafferty, for example, tend to dress business-like, while vests and ties are a go-to for media relations specialists like Jordan Drake. “I mix things up based on what the day has in store,” says Drake, 22. Some days he’ll don a suit, while others he’ll wear dark denim.

Current trends, meanwhile, infiltrate the more creative departments. “If I’m not rocking my Isabel Marant Bekket sneakers, I’ll wear a pair of Alaïa heels or Christian Louboutins,” says Dotty Giordano, a group manager who represents lifestyle clients. Giordano’s posh primping includes a high-low mix of leather pants, Fruit of the Loom tees by Leslie Fremar and an oversize Ferragamo bag — plus one final flourish: “I wear Cleopatra by Tocca,” says the 34-year-old of her signature scent. “Your personal style is really your brand, and fragrance is an important part of that.”

FASHION

* StyleCaster

Amid a sea of Celine handbags, Rachel Comey kicks and threads from Opening Ceremony, anything goes at StyleCaster, a Flatiron online media company with a slate of fashion, beauty and lifestyle sites. “The unfortunate truth in the style industry is that we really do judge you when you walk in door by what you’re wearing,” says Laurel Pinson, the 32-year-old editor in chief. “We don’t judge you by the labels you’re wearing, but we do judge you by how much personality is put into your outfit.”

With that in mind, Pinson’s look is relaxed yet very much on-trend. “I’ll wear ripped jeans and a Lanvin knit top that I got off the Outnet,” she says, stressing she often scores designer pieces at a discount online and at sample sales.

“There’s a little bit of a responsibility to buy into the industry that we’re a part of,” says president David Goldberg, 29, who co-founded the company in 2009 and oversees 50 employees. Bespoke suits, khakis by Velour and anything Ralph Lauren — like his boots — are personal favorites, though you won’t catch him scoffing at those who match stripes with plaid. “Even if you try something and it doesn’t work, people will still appreciate the fact that you tried,” he says.

REAL ESTATE

* BOND New York

Ties, button-downs and dress shoes are standard at Bond Realty, which employs 500 agents across six NYC offices.

For Kianna Choi, a vice president and associate broker, Reiss and Karen Millen frocks fit the bill, and she mixes in pieces from Zara. Favoring classic silhouettes over trendy togs, Choi shops with her house-hopping schedule in mind. “The key piece is really your outerwear,” says the 39-year-old. “I’m not taking off my coat every single time I go into an apartment, so that’s the first impression that clients will have of my appearance.” A fan of 3- to 5-inch heels, Choi owns several pairs of Guess shoes, which she says are surprisingly easy to run around in due to their platforms and chunky heels. “Stilettos are a nightmare when you’re walking on cobblestone or trying to navigate the streets for any lengthy period of time,” she warns.

Though Choi skips big earrings (they tend to interfere with phone calls), she enjoys bold necklaces and says a great bag is crucial for schlepping around her mobile office. Her Tory Burch tote holds all the agent essentials: an iPad, a notebook and her cellphone.

FINANCE

* Gerstein Fisher

One of few industries that hasn’t let casual Friday seep into earlier days of the week, the aesthetic at most finance companies continues to be fairly buttoned-up. “The norm is to dress conservatively, meaning a lot of structured clothing,” says Dalya Inhaber, a client service specialist. A traditionally male-dominated field, suits abound at the 20-year-old investment advisory company’s Midtown office. “[We’re] trying to convey trustworthiness, professionalism and attention to detail,” Inhaber says. There is some leeway to have fun with style though, as shift dresses, pops of color and accessories are also suitable.