Not forgetting those on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, such as First Lady Michelle Obama and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. They take stock in what they wear and the value it creates, from spurning the “Duchess Effect” to creating small businesses such as What Kate Wore.

The Duchess practices fashion diplomacy by coordinating her outfit according to the country in question, like wearing homegrown brand, Raoul, when she visited Singapore as part of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Michelle Obama has been seen to go even further to use what she wears as a political statement for what she believes in. For example, her decision not to wear a veil in her visit to Saudi Arabia. The benefits of the dressing well in daily life and the political sphere is clear. But in the workplace, there seems to be an uncompromisable tradeoff between individuality and productivity.

Maybe the solution is to find out what works for you—a dress code that makes you productive and gives you emotional satisfaction—and stick to it. Both Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg made the decision to wear their uniform everyday so that they can focus on their work.

This decision may not work so well on the company as a whole. Before deciding to wear his trademark mock turtleneck uniform, Jobs wanted to get Apple employees to wear uniforms, much to their chagrin. What Jobs failed to realize is that while the uniform that he chose for them, incidentally the same uniform that he currently wears everyday, might boost productivity, it comes at the expense of his employees’ emotional satisfaction and creativity.

Look what good this came out to: Apple Inc is currently ranked as the world’s best global brand. While he thrives by wearing a uniform, his employees fare better by going along with the casual dress code. Hence, this shows that for a company dress code, it is really a case of to each their own.