This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Anchal Mirza, a 36-year-old senior manager at Google who’s based in a suburb outside Philadelphia. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
Most Big Tech companies have a pretty casual dress code. The joke is that everybody’s wearing a Patagonia vest, jeans, and sneakers.
But I find that I work best when I’m a little more dressed up — whether I’m in the office or working from home.
When I look the part, I feel more productive, motivated, and overall, successful. Here’s why.
Anchal Mirza
My work-from-home ‘uniforms’
Over the past 10 years at Google, I’ve been fortunate to hold several roles spanning supply chain, strategy, operations, and product engineering. You name it, I’ve had the good luck to have a hand in it.
Now, I specifically work in strategy and operations for Google’s data center optimization and efficiency objectives.
After relocating my family to a suburb outside Philadelphia, I find myself in the New York City office two days a week, with the remaining days working remotely.
Wherever I work, I have two “uniforms” that help me balance casual and business styles. I’m either wearing jeans with a polished top or sweater, or I’ll wear nice slacks with a more casual shirt.
I always tread the line; I’m casual enough to fit in my atmosphere, but dressy enough to match my personal style. Banana Republic, Gap, and J. Crew make some of my favorite pieces.
Anchal Mirza
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked in the office every day. Even then, my team was very video-heavy and meeting-oriented. Our campuses are quite large, so being camera-ready has always been normal for me.
When everyone was directed to work from home in 2020, it was important to me that, at least appearance-wise, I maintained the same aesthetic I had in the office. I did my makeup and wore at least a nice top.
Doing so helped me feel like I had the same presence and authority as I did in the office. I was able to command the digital room and assert my thoughts. Some of that was probably just a placebo, but in that first week, I didn’t skip a beat.
I equated it to looking the part. As time went on, I thought, “OK, I can do the whole outfit. There’s no difference. It’s just putting on the pants now.”
The finishing touches are equally important
What really helps is having a minimalist wardrobe. Everything in my closet is neutral, so I know each piece will go together.
If I pick a white pair of slacks, I have 20 cream sweaters I can choose from that will look good. There are no outlandish colors that I’m trying to mix and match. My system helps reduce decision fatigue in the morning.
And sometimes, the outfit comes second.
It’s all personal preference, but when I’m working remotely and am on camera, the bare minimum is having my makeup done. I can probably get away with not wearing a really nice outfit as long as my face feels put together.
I don’t necessarily have the patience to do my hair every morning. I can pin it, clip it, tie it, and for the most part, it looks presentable.
There are also basic pieces of jewelry that I will wear every day. Even with a simple outfit, it helps me feel like I’ve put in more effort.
Anchal Mirza
Confidence and motivation = success
We’ve come a long way since the pandemic, and I’ve been able to grow my career since then. I think it’s all part of this mindset shift that comes with looking the part.
When I’m dressed up, I definitely feel more productive. I’m also more efficient. I’m almost pavloving myself. Getting dressed and putting on makeup signals to my brain that it’s time to work and that I’m going to get everything on my to-do list done.
As a woman working in tech and in predominantly male spaces, to have that extra boost of confidence is really important.
