The Zuidas is a different world. Time is money, leaving business men very little room to buy clothes. Yet, it is crucial to be stylish and well-dressed: apart from expertise and people skills, success is largely determined by one’s personal appearance. Part 1 of the fashion guide with style advice, etiquette and anecdotes from the heart of the Zuidas, written by Adam Tasi.
“The ‘business casual’ style is gaining in popularity among consultants, recruiters and traders at the Zuidas. Chinos or a pair of high-end unbleached jeans, combined with a shirt, jacket and lace-up or buckle shoes are a good alternative to a suit.
Suit is standard
However, I do notice that in law and banking, the largest sectors at the Zuidas, a suit is still standard. Wearing the wrong outfit could make the difference between a successful day and a disastrous one.
Take casual Friday, that’s the day of the incredible ‘180 degree turns’: on Fridays, when even lawyers and bankers go to work in their sweaters and sneakers, the most radical changes take place within a 5 or 10 minute timespan.
Jeans and tie
One of our most remarkable customers was a banker in his 40s who was summoned to attend an unannounced conference call with his highest boss in the States at 15:00 hours – when he came in, the clock indicated 14:40 hours! He could keep his jeans on but within 5 minutes we needed to get him a freshly ironed, impeccable white shirt, a blue jacket and a tie. We did what was asked of us and even gave him a complementary breast-pocket handkerchief. The jeans and sneakers could stay as long as he wouldn’t get up from his seat during the video call…
Spend time on your outfit every day as it reflects what you stand for. People do business with people, rather than with the companies they work for.”
Next time: everything about the perfect shirt for the Zuidas.
In 2015, Christiaan Sijnen and Adam Tasi opened Gentlemen’s Place at the Zuidas. A year later, they opened another branch in the nearby town of Aalsmeer.