Interviews|August 2025

Jo Ellison on the contemporary codes of business attire

It’s an old tale: summer begins to end as September approaches, marking the start of the new season. Despite the familiar post-vacation blues, this is a moment filled with the return of pleasant comforts: a well-known routine, the sounds of the coffee maker, the spark of refreshed creativity and, of course, the powerful influence of trusted office wear.

A well-versed personality on the matter is London-based Jo Ellison – celebrated Editor of the Financial Times’ HTSI magazine and connoisseur of all things fashion, culture and lifestyle – whom we asked to take us on a personal journey through modern office clothing.

‘When thinking about the business uniform I’ve always been reluctant to accept that it should ape the men's outfit. I don't think women should wear some kind of weird version of what men wear but what I've learned from 10,000 years of professional life is that, actually, the men's wardrobe works really well because it does the hard work.

Men do go to a business dinner and wear the same suit they put on first thing in the morning. Tailoring is the kind of thing that can carry you right through the day. And I think that's why it's so seductive and why it continues to exist and be so strong. And it's not surprising to me that women, professional women, will gravitate towards tailoring, because they know it's going to go the distance.

‘There are definitely things that I feel more comfortable in than I do in others, and I think these are the pieces and styles you kind of find through time. For me, it's probably an oversized fit, like a mannish cut. I've always admired those women in history who had a utilitarian sense of design and a really simple aesthetic. As I’ve got older, I've probably become similarly strict with my own wardrobe. I just want things that work.’

‘Key garments for me are very simple. Round-neck, long-sleeve tops, especially in autumn. I like well-cut trousers, quite wide, ideally in neutral colours. I like a blouse, a good blouse or a shirt, I think is a kind of real perennial, although I have to say I do wear them a bit less in the winter because I find they're just too cold. And you need a great blazer.

You just know when you put on a great blazer because there's something about the way it makes you feel. I like the idea that a piece of clothing is not going to need looking after all day, because it needs to look after you.’