Style File: A cool day at the office (dressing for the job you want)

If you’ve made a resolution to improve your working life, remember the old adage about dressing for the job you want, says Rebecca Gonsalves

For so many people, January is the sort of month one endures rather than embraces, due, in a large part, to the return to work without sight of respite until the summer holidays.

Dragging yourself out of bed before the sun rises is unlikely to put a spring in anyone’s step, but being able to choose a stylish, office-appropriate outfit without much thought is one way of making the return-to-office-servitude more appealing. And as the work/life balance tips in favour of the office for many, investing in high-quality pieces, which won’t come apart at the seams is a good strategy and makes sense in the long term on a cost-per-wear basis.

When Atea launched last season, it did so with a mission to create a “modern, transitional wardrobe” for the everyday – which, in practice, means that while there are suit-like ensembles in the traditional sense, everything goes with everything.

“Our launch collection was all about setting the tone for the brand – minimal, relaxed, aspirational,” says Laura Myers, founder and creative director of the brand. “Our customers have really understood the versatility of the brand and their purchases reflect that – they’re gravitating towards classic wardrobe staples that have longevity and great wearability.”

Myers has continued the theme of timeless sensibility for spring/summer but has given the collection a “fresher, more architectural angle”. While innovative new fabrics – bonded cotton, tweed slub and neoprene mousse – add another dimension to the silhouette and a sense of luxury.

The new collection launches today, and will be showcased on a shiny new website concept for which Myers has collaborated with influential stylists, editors and photographers to add “another dimension to the experience and convey key moods of the collection”. A section dedicated to “wardrobe essentials” will demonstrate groups of complementary products – stripes with stripes, for example, or neoprene pieces.

The new colour palette focuses on blue, navy and charcoal balanced with oatmeal and blush.