A new culture of working from home and video conferencing has ushered in a trend for informality in the workplace, including what we wear. CEOs set the tone for their companies. So can they now dress down a bit?

"Our post-pandemic lifestyle has taught me that I don't need to dress smartly for work every day," says Louise O'Shea, CEO of insurance comparison site Confused.com, "especially when we've all seen each other's realities when working from home.

"But I do it because I enjoy it," she adds. "And putting on some of my best workwear and doing my hair and makeup before each working day has become a sort of personal ritual for me, allowing me to go from one state of mind to another and putting my 'best self' forward."

Fiona Gordon of advertising agency Ogilvy UK agrees. "I think CEOs can definitely be more informal than they were," she says.

"The pandemic has moved the dress code for everyone. But for me personally, if I'm going to present to a big room, I like to feel the energy and I do get that from what I wear.

"For example, putting lipstick on is one of my personal triggers for confidence."