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Many are ditching the suit at the office, but you don't necessarily want to replace it with a denim miniskirt.
There was a time when what to wear to work seemed pretty clear. But these days it seems that trying to fit in at the office, fashion-wise, has never been more complicated.
On the one hand, there’s Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wearing his hoodie to meet with Wall Street bankers. Then there is Virgin mogul Richard Branson, who recently acquired a bank and quickly told his employees to ditch the tie.
On the other hand are companies like UBS AG, which only recently revised a demanding dress code that went right down to the underwear, and law firms where people reportedly have been fired for wearing matching colors.
The stakes are even higher this time of year, when many new graduates are entering the workplace for the first time, and even seasoned cubicle dwellers are feeling the pull of summer wear such as shorts and flip-flops.
“It’s extremely confusing,” said Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas. “It depends on the industry, it depends on the corporate culture (and) it depends on the boss -- what she or he either requires or tolerates.”
Experts say one big problem is that the rules seem constantly to be changing. There was a time when everyone would agree that a banking job required a suit and tie, but Branson holds the opposite point of view.
"In British banking, few things strike terror in the heart of a customer quite as much as the prospect of facing a tie-wearing, three-piece-suited bank manager across a huge mahogany desk," he wrote on Entrepreneur.com.
At the same time the weak economy has prompted some once-casual workplaces to step up the dress code, hoping to impress new clients and hang onto existing ones. A worker who doesn’t notice that trend also is at risk of getting left behind.
Related: Dads, do you feel pressure to do it all?
Then there are perils to overdressing in an office where casual dress is the norm, and sticking out because you’re the stiff in a suit while everyone else is dressed in khakis or jeans.
That could be a problem if you worked for Branson, the brains behind the multifaceted Virgin brand.
“Suits and ties in an office are just another type of uniform, but in an arena where uniforms no longer serve any useful purpose,” he wrote in the Entrepreneur piece.
Zuckerberg made a similar, if less overt, statement when he was seen talking up Facebook’s initial public offering dressed in slouchy
clothes more suited for a college dorm. Would-be Facebook employees might want to take their cues from that.
Life Inc. asked some etiquette experts for tips on navigating fashion land mines at the office.
Ask around:If you are starting a new job or moving to a new office, author and business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter said the best approach is to simply ask your new boss or human resources manager if there is a dress code. If not, ask how people generally dress and try to follow suit.
First impressions matter:Everyone likes to believe that what they do matters more than how they look, but Pachter notes that, in reality, how you present yourself can be key to succeeding. A person who is always in a suit when everyone else wears jeans, or someone whose clothes are a little too tight, will quickly become known for that style of dress.
Pachter recalled a consultant who was constantly told to dress casually and yet kept showing up in a tie. One day, his boss took a pair of scissors and cut the tie off.
“What you do is you end up creating trademarks,” she said, “and some are good and some are bad.”
Dress to impress your customer, not your boss:Gottsman notes that Zuckerberg and Branson can get away with dressing as they please because they’re already earned their fortune.
Chances are, you haven’t. And that means you may have to even ignore your boss’s cues in order to present the right image when meeting with clients.
“You dress for your moneymaker, (and) the bottom line is the moneymaker is the client,” Gottsman said. “You dress to make them feel comfortable because that’s really what it’s all about.”
Dress well, even if you dress casually: Even if your office is jeans-and-T-shirts kind of place, both Gottsman and Pachter say it’s important to make sure you are wearing clean jeans and a tidy shirt.
Grooming habits matter, too: Keep your hair cut and nails trimmed, and don’t forget to wear good shoes even if the standard at your office is sneakers instead of heels.
Don’t be tempted by flip-flops, even in the summer months, and save your halter tops for the weekend.
“You don’t want to look like you’re going to the beach because you still want to look credible, and you don’t want your clothes to be a distraction,” Pachter said.
Dress a little, but not a lot, nicer than everyone else: If you’re ambitious, you may want to consider dressing for the job you want, rather than the job you have. But Pachter warns that you shouldn’t dress as if you are CEO-in-waiting. That’s going to alienate you from everyone else, too.
Related:
Flip-flops are a bigger office don’t than strapless tops
Leave a Comment:
RE: "...simply ask your new boss or human resources manager if there is a dress code. If not, ask how people generally dress and try to follow suit."
We have an EE who has gone around telling others that our office has khaki and T-shirt Fridays -- we don't. She comes in dressed like a slob (as in just rolled out of bed with a possibly slept in T-shirt, ratty khakis and shoes that have seen better days) while everyone else's office attire is unchanged from the rest of the week. Sad thing is....her superiors aren't around to see this and so, she gets away with it.
I dont really care what people wear, as long as its not indecent or distracting. I work in corporate accounting but at the sight level, not corporate offices. So we dont engage with any customers or executives. We still dont wear flip flops or miniskirts, but I could seriously care less how people dress. This is the 21st century for god sakes. We know that you can put a monkey in a tuxedo and make him look smart, or you can put a genius in a hoodie but hes still worth 17 billion bucks. Clothes mean nothing.
Your story reminds me of when our state run print shop brought in some motovational speakers telling us how to interact with customers. We filled out little card/surveys, found out what "color" we were, got into groups with our same "colors". Talked about dealing with customers, job quality and impressing said customers. Problem is customers mail/ e-mail jobs to the shop and are never on site of the place. Doing quality work is no.1, but everything else was a waste of time and money. Also, when you're a printer, you don't wear clothes to impress...you wear clothes you don't mind getting ink on!
I think the main thing is to look like you put effort into getting yourself ready and presentable. This shows that you will put effort into your work and put your client, boss, or customer at ease. Effort being neat, 'adult-looking', and not outlandish. No 'logo' or other screen-printed T-shirts either - those always get people into trouble.
i absolutely don't care what people wear (or not). What I find much, much worse is people who smell bad/don't maintain proper hygiene, have bad breath, greasy hair, long unkempt nails, or who clip their nails at work for everyone to hear. Or people who loudly snort snot or incessantly sniffle. Some of these I can wear head phones to cover but other things just plain skeeve me. There are some people whose hands I would not want to shake and where I hate it when they hand me things. Gross!
I've seen it all in our building. Jeans with the word "Juicy" across the butt, and not on Friday, flip-flops, handkerchief tops.
The big thing in our dept. is the perfume. One person is sensitive to smells and gets migrains that keep her out of the office for days at a time. But one other person douses herself in perfume. It doesn't bother me, I think it smells nice. But the bosses are peeved.
The bosses are peeved? Sounds like the should be making up some rules if this is a problem. What else is the point of being boss? :-)
Uniforms are the order of the day at my place of work (fast food restaurant). While this makes it easy to decide what (or not) to wear, there are still problems such as dirty uniforms; shirts not tucked in; hair straggling over collars; too much makeup that runs in the heat; and my personal pet peeve of taking a bath in perfume. I am one of those unfortunate people that are sensitive to odors and I instantly get a headache and start sneezing when coworkers wear too much perfume. I can't do anything about customers who do the same, but as a manager, I have politely asked my crew not to do it. I can't force them not to, but it is only common courtesy to not annoy someone who is sensitive. My previous work in a medical clinic required employees to not wear perfumes so as not to irritate patients who have this sensitivity.
A little common sense goes a long way where work attire is concerned. Just think about your impressions of how someone looks / attire affected your perception of them or their company and apply that to your own decisions. Just my opinion.
I don't care what people wear as long as they have some sense. If you aren't in a start-up with a flat reporting structure it's very difficult to take a person seriously in a meeting if they are wearing khaki shorts, a tee-shirt with a board on it and a pair of birks. I'd rather the person greeting me wasn't wearing a skin-tight shirt and a push up bra and 6 inch heels. It makes me think I'm entering a sex shop. There is the office, the club and the beach. Each has it's own attire. It can be casual attire if that's the norm, but each still has it's own attire.
I agree, casual is okay, but let's not carry it too far. It makes people look unprofessional and more importantly it makes them look as if you can't trust them to handle whatever it is they are doing. After all, if you can't manage to dress appropriately how can I trust you to say... take care of my money? Fill my prescription? Make my appointment? Run my multi-million dollar project?
It's just common sense. Something we seem to have a real shortage of lately.
What is "dressing appropriately?" It is up to the office manager to make up the rules and enforce them. If the office manager deems 6 inch heels and tube tops 'appropriate' then that is that. If you have issues with the dress code then go somewhere else where you are more comfortable. I don't mean to sound mean. Don't spend your money there if you don't like the place. Your choice.
Couldn't begin to care what people wear unless it is offensive. I think comfort trumps anything else, but I am far more practical than the average person.
An obese woman in spandex I'd have a problem with though. And speaking of, since I am constantly blown away by how many hippo sized women I see anymore, what are they supposed to wear to work? A dress? A tarp? A huge bib? Really not sure!
Jeff-1086377 you are an idoit!
Not exactly sure what you mean by hippo-sized. Do you mean that the person has to be lifted out of the house with a crane? Because that's literally what hippo-sized is.
But to answer your question. There are many sources of fashionable plus-sized clothes. As Americans and others grow larger so does the market for plus sized clothes so you can easily get professional-looking clothing in any size.
I have to wear a shirt and tie Mon-Thursday and company shirt on Friday. My boss will not ever bend on the dress code...unless you're female, then you can wear jeans all week, shorts if it gets hot, tank tops all week, and anything else you want. It's not that he likes seeing them like this, he won't say anything to the women for fear of a lawsuit. Us men, well, he'll pull us aside and remind us of the dress code in a heartbeat.
Cross dress. He's afraid of lawsuits right? ;) jk
@ Shane C.- I had a boss who hired a female office manager to enforce the dress code for the primarily female office staff who would come in wearing clothes that looked like something out of the Frederick's of Hollywood catalog e.g. hot date clothes. He was too afraid to say anything himself over fear of being sued.
Only thing that has every bugged me is people that think fashion matters...as long as it's recently laundered and wont get you arrested walking down the street it's fine...worrying about fashion is for shallow, vain, weak people who think only what you see matters.
Judgemental much?
And no, it's not fine to get away with "recently laundered and won't get you arrested". Ripped jeans, shorts, flip flops and halter tops may fall under that category but are not appropriate in an office setting.
It's possible to present yourself in a professional way and not be a slave to fashion. You're not vain, shallow or weak if you put some effort into your appearance.
Who are you Charlize Theron in Sweet November? People are not vain or shallow if they want to look decent in what they wear to work. I work in a corporate environment but most people wear velour sweat outfits from the 80s or khakis and t-shirts and always sneakers. It is strange to me. I wear trousers and a button down or sweater, no suits, yet I am always asked why I dress up every day. It drives me crazy. I would be considered 'casual' in the old business enviroment and it is what I like to wear to work so leave me alone. It is not vain or shallow to not want to buy ll bean khakis that look terrible on you.
Unless you work in the fashion industry, then it matters
I always felt you dress for success. Appearances mean everything. You see on T.V. all these people who say they can't find a job & are at a job fair, I actually don't think they have mirrors in their homes !!Their appearance is fat sloppy and generally unkempt. I look at these people in amazement, I would never hire someone that represented themselves like that. If one has no pride in their appearance how can they have pride in their work?? Every employee is a reflection on the Corporation or Company they work for, have some pride in yourself and step up.
maybe they got depressed from being unemployed so let themselves go?
chicken or egg?
I had a supervisor that wore that same bad smelling, stained outfit on business calls. She doused herself in the perfume TABOO from Rite Aid. It was so bad I could barely stand to be in the same room with her.
“Suits and ties in an office are just another type of uniform, but in an arena where uniforms no longer serve any useful purpose,” [Branson] wrote in the Entrepreneur piece.
Except jeans and t-shirts are just as much a uniform as a suit and tie. So yes, a uniform is still serving a purpose.
The article states that Mark Zuckerman can get away with looking like a bum or rather college dormitory kid because he's made his fortune. I don't know about that. Zuckerman is "getting his" these days.
I would rather see flipflops and miniskirts than smell dirty clothes.
I am fortunate that, as long as they are nice and clean, I can wear jeans to work. I usually pair them with a really nice camisole/cardigan combo or nice button down. Oh, and can't forget the cute shoes. :)
Advice to new grads as well as new employees. Men should always wear a coat and tie on the first day. Once there, you can see what everyone else is wearing and change accordingly. As for women, if you want to be taken seriously at meetings, don't come dressed and made up like you are going to a night club to attract men.
About the women you describe. Young girls need a picture book for how to dress "business casual". I have seen young girls dress like a cheap prom date starting work. Tell them to watch a movie with an office environment in it or something to give them a clue. Sorry girls, It's not your fault, but dressing for work in an office isn't like dressing for a date with a cute guy. Guys have it easier.
Speak for yourself, I like seeing hot ladies at work - much better than dowdy ones.
Why is NBC news always reporting about the British? Nobody cares.
While shopping, I have been noticing lately the total dress-down of the salespeople. They look like they should be hanging at the mall trolling, not selling merchandise. There is no way I can or will take a salesperson seriously while they are dressed in skin tight, hip hugging faded jeans and a thin, tight t-shirt that leaves nothing in doubt. Add in the attitude that I've been coming across, and stores lose my business. There is nothing wrong with casual, but there is certainly something wrong with wearing get-lucky date clothes or those one would wear to work in the yard. If a worker is going to encounter customers, they should dress so as not to offend their potential customers and promote their products.
But what if the products ARE "get lucky date clothes"?
I know I'm in the minority here, but I've always found it easier to work in an office when it has a dress code. A coat and tie may be a uniform, or a costume, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. When people are in uniforms or costumes, they are usually performing a role. That depersonalization works well for those of us who are introverts, and can actually cut down on some of the interpersonal stress, office drama, and lost productivity that results from people focusing too much of their attention on their individuality and not enough on their organizational responsibilities. I'm not saying that no offices should be casual. Just that there may be benefits in some workplaces to eschewing the "anything goes" attitude.
It doesn't mean I'm not being honest about who I am. It just means that I don't care to share every detail of who I am with everybody I meet. It's something I've looked for in offices where I've interviewed, and I have turned down a job where I got the impression the HR manager thought it would be a fun challenge to get me to "come out of my shell."
I've found that people tend to behave more professionally when adhering to a dress code as well. It also sets a good standard for everyone so you don't have people pushing the envelope, because they will!
I am sure there are many out there who can no longer afford to keep their wardrobe new and fresh. However, that is no reason to look bummy or slutty.
I'm immune - I generally disregard a person's attire, unless they go out of their way to draw attention to it. Nothing screams "I'm a douche" like pointing out that your suit is a tailor-made Armani, or your $800 shoes are genuine alligator skin. At that point you're on the db list, and whatever qualifications or special skills you might possess bead like water off a duck.
I'm all for starting the "ties-are-for-supporting-same-sex-marriage" movement. They're stupid, useless, and have no function.
Function over fashion is my method.
But function also includes clean and neat. If you look like a homeless person, I start wondering how your face might taste, and that doesn't help either.
But nothing gets under my skin more than a size 22 woman who insists on wearing size 18 clothes. Yuk. I don't care that you think big-is-beautiful, I'm still going to run the betting pool on how many times your backfat jiggles on the way to the watercooler, or what the velocity of the buttons on your blouse might be when the blow.
Good luck with those office pools there Indigo. You are truly doomed to mediocrity in perpetuity.
As a consultant, who trains and coaches on professional presence and leadership development, it is important to remember your company's or firm's image and strive to emulate that image through your visual presentation. As a rule of thumb, the more skin that shows, the more casual the look. When ever you are in doubt about the appropriateness of your clothing choices, leave it out!
Unless you work in Las Vegas. Then, leave it OFF.
I do khakis/jeans and t-shirts, when it's colder out, usually wear a hoodie. Pretty much everyone here wears jeans. I don't meet with "customers."
Also, I'm a theoretical scientist, so I get tucked away in the basement of the lab hammering away at math with the rest of the nerds.