Cracking The Dress Codes of Business

Cracking The Dress Codes Of Business

DRESS CODES OF BUSINESS

Company dress codes are not well defined and are rarely written down. They are mostly gleaned by observing: “What is there basis dress code that every office usually falls into, as one personal dress code. Follow these guidelines and you will be safe.

CORPORATE DRESS CODE

The most formal standard of dress there is, the corporate dress code means suits with shirts, usually white and ties. This the dress code of law firms and investment banks. In the past few years, the corporate dress code has eased somewhat, but it is recently coming black strong. Once again, the “suits” upstairs are wearing suits.

BUSINESS CASUAL DRESS CODE

If every day were casual Friday, this is the dress code that would apply. In the business casual world, not only is a suit not necessary, but a jacket may not even be required. But a casual dress code does not mean that you can let it all hang out. In fact, neatness may count more than ever in this environment. If you wear khakis and a white oxford shirt to work most days, make sure they’re clean and pressed. Polish your shoes and never wear sneakers to the office. Wear sweaters that fit well and not ones that are baggy, wrinkled, or have holes in them. A sense of professionalism must be maintained at all times.

THE EVOLUTION OF BUSINESS APPROPRIATE

Business has often been cast as a Darwinian struggle, and the development of business appropriate dress in the workplace is an excellent example of the phenomena. Over the past 20 year the pendulum of corporate dress has swung from one extreme to the other: Starting with the buttoned-up world of pinstripes and power ties to the worn down world of faded jeans and T-shirts. CEOs of powerful industries established both trends. In the go-go days of the Wall Street-tech bubble it became practically mandatory to dress casually to establish your credentials.Then the bubble burst, and as the economy changed so did the dress landscape. A new dress code evolved, not from the top down but instead lead by the people on the job. Without a memo in sight, people stared to upgrade their look jacket with nice dress shirts and slacks, and even an occasional tie. There’s tacit evolutionary understanding that as the times get tougher, the smart species survives by adapting to the environment.And so business appropriate has emerged as midpoint between business casual and corporate dress codes. Silicon Valley meets the man in the gray flannel suit, and business appropriate is the offspring.

BUSINESS APPROPRIATE AND BUSINESS APPROPRIATE CASUAL DRESS CODE

This dress code is somewhere between corporate and casual, and can, in some ways, be the most difficult to navigate. The business appropriate dress code requires that you have a secure sense of what is appropriate for your office and industry. A suit is no longer mandatory, but if you wear one perhaps you don’t put on a tie with a dress shirt. A sport jacket and trousers with a dress shirt would also be an acceptable alternative. In the business appropriate world, one can even opt to wear a nice polo shirt or sweater with a sport jacket. The idea is that you can allow yourself some comfort, but you must always look polished and professional.
The Evolution of Dress Codes
Corporate
SUIT
Mandatory
SHIRT AND TIE
Mandatory
The suit and tie ensemble is a constant. A classic of American business, it has grow from a stiff authoritative structure to a more comfortable expression of business. But don’t be confused. It is still about joining the club
Casual
JACKET: WITH TEE
Mandatory
WITH SHIRT OR SWEATER
Optional
JEANS
Only okay if you’re the boss or the office is homeThe days of “whatever, I’m too busy” or “too creative to bother about what I’m wearing” are over. Casual means pulled together, nothing faded or ragged. In many ways it’s difficult to pull off without appearing to be trapped at summer camp.
Business Appropriate
SHIRT
Mandatory
TIE
Optional
JACKET
Mandatory
SUIT
Preferred
Rapidly becoming the “new stander,” it is more about dressing the context of the day or occasion to tie or not to tie is the question. But there is a covert understanding that a jacket is a necessity.
Business Appropriate Casual
SHIRT OR SWEATER
Mandatory
JACKET
Not required but preferred
“Casual” under this dress code means understanding that a more relaxed look is not an excuse to look like you came into work during the weekend. A good rule of thumb is if you’re called in to see CEO you won’t need to make excuses about being casual.

Get Job
YOUR DRESS CODE
Regardless of the dress code employed by your office or industry, over time you will begin to develop your own sense of style and perhaps even some sartorial trademarks. Do you only wear ties with polka dots on them? Are you the kind of man who insists on cowboy boots with a suit? Does everyone notice your cuff links? Whatever your personal dress code is, you must, of course, still look professional. And as you climb the corporate ladder, it will become easier to express your personality through your clothes. After all, who will tell the boss he shouldn’t wear pink checked shirts?

LERNING INDUSTRY DRESS CODES

Just as offices have dress codes, too, do industries. And even if your office does not adherer to the industry standard, when you go for an interview or meeting at another office, the best preparation is to research what that company’s policy is. Call someone in the human resources department and get a sense of what the guidelines are. In general, industry dress codes have become more relaxed, but a safe rule would be to maintain a high level of dress whenever you are uncertain. Going to a law office? Wear a suit and tie. Meeting people at an advertising agency? Business appropriate would not be inappropriate. Feeling at ease with the way you are dresses will alleviate some of the pressures that you may be feeling about the job itself.

DRESS CODE EXCEPTIONS

Even if you understand your office industry dress code perfectly, there will still be exception to the rules. For instance, you work in a corporate dress code office, but there is an off-site workshop at a local hotel and you have been told you can dress down. The smart move would be to dress business appropriate. Or perhaps you work in a business appropriate office but you are meeting clients for lunch who are business casual. Simple solution: Remove your tie. No matter what the situation is you should always be prepared to adapt your wardrobe and get down to business.

Due Diligence
SHOE TREE
nother smart investment aid more consistent than your friends’ stock tips shoe trees are cedar molds that fit inside your shoes. They help dry out the sweat of the day, keep the leather from sinking and cracking, and keep your shoes odor-free and new looking.

NO EXCEPRION

Want to be sure to create a bad impression in whatever dress code your employer prescribes, or blow your job interview? It’s simple: Never polish your shoes, let the heels get worn and the leather cracked. If however, you would rather make a good impression or land that new job, some preventive maintenance can a long way.


SHINER
Either go to pro or spend some time each weekend 15 minutes per pair polishing your shoes 1. Take a rag that’s moist and swirl good wax polish on your shoe in a circular motion. 2. Keep up this motion as the previous shine disappears and is replaced with a deeper shine. 3. Then use another rag and buff to the shine level you prefer. Buy an edge dressing, which is simply a dye to paint the leather edges. Every six months have your shoe repairman check the soles-good for shoes, good for your career.

We Remain with Best Regards,
E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Wardrobes That Win In The New Workplace

“It is possible through the skillful manipulation of dress in any particular situation to evoke a favorable response to your positioning and your needs.”JOHN T. MOLLOY - New Dress for Success“The more you know, the less you need.”AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL SAYINGIf you’re So Smart, Why Do You Dress So Stupid?-Clothes & Career“Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed.”MARK TWAINInterview WardrobeSeconds..tick, tick, tick, tick…Mission Impossible seconds are counting down as the HR manager stretches out a hand and BANG! You are registered, judged, and mentally filed away. So what’s on that file? Have you set up the groundwork for a smooth interview and job offer, or a wary, “we’ll see what’s here?” This section is about putting together the most winning combination of visual reinforcements and clues, so you can make a positive impression on your interviewer. Button line you’re reading this because you want a job. Help yourself get that job. Read on.DRESSING THE PARTIn 1912, the New York Highlanders took the baseball field in what would become the most famous uniform in sport history: Pinstripes. By the 1930s, the pattern on their uniform had come to define the first power look for men. As orderly as the lines on a banker’s ledger, the pinstripe suit signified a man’s stature in the corporate world. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees had become the most dominant team in the major leagues, and their pinstripes had already taken on a mystique: Did Yankees owner Col. Jacob Ruppert really insist on the uniforms just to make Babe Ruth look slimmer? Or perhaps the message was even simpler: In pinstripes, the Yankees wear all business.Today, whether it’s baseball or banking, how a man dresses can affect not only his performance, but also his career itself. If you don’t present yourself properly on a job interview, you may not get in the door. Once inside, you need to look the part to stay there and move up. And eventually, if you want to move high up or out, you need to be aware of the messages you are sending others.THE POWER OF IMAGEConsider the paintings of the Impressionist Georges Seurat: From far away, they are seemingly of a idyllic Sunday afternoon by the lake or a day at the Eiffel Tower. But move closer and you see that Seurat’s images are, in fact, tiny dots of color. His pointillist style is actually nothing more than perfectly positioned brush strokes, which, when viewed as a whole, produce the big picture.Dressing smart requires the same thinking: How you put all of the elements of you wardrobe together can either create an image that is visually pleasing or something that’s big mess. In order to break down the elements of your appearance dot by dot. Does your suit frame your body well? Is that tie too distracting? Are your shoes tripping people up? By examining each aspect of your wardrobe you can develop the style that best suits who you are and eventually use that style to set yourself apart.

STYLE AND SUBSTANCEHow a man dresses and looks is obviously important, but what defines his style? The people we often consider the best dressed do not typically wear clothing we remember. There is not usually one item that stands out on such a man, he merely seems to put everything together well and carries himself with great sophistication. He is well groomed; his hair, nails, and general appearance seen clean and polished .His style is often defined by confidence, which some are born with and other acquire over time. It is a confidence not simply in what he is wearing, but rather in who he is. In other words, style without substance is meaningless. A great shirt and tie might help you get a job, but they will never do the work for you. Without the talent and drive to back up the promise of your appearance, you are merely an empty suit.THE TREND GAMEFashion is a scary word for men and for good reason. It is mostly concerned with trends wearing the clothes that will be appropriate for one season, and perhaps not even that long. The world of fashion is obsessed with name-brand designers and labels that will impress a small section of society. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be fashionable, of course. But as with the things in life, following Trends is best enjoyed in moderation: A bold shirt, a graphic tie, an eye-catching pair of cuff links.Style, on the other hand, is timeless. A blue blazer, gray flannels, loafers, these items considered classics for a reason: They will never go out style and will never be inappropriate. When building a wardrobe for work, it is always better to err on the side of classic. After all, if you intend to be on the job for several years, shouldn’t you expect the same of your clothing?DRESSING SMART FOR SUCCESSIn 1975, John T. Molloy published his now classic book, Dress for Success. At the time, there was nothing like it to guide a man through the principles of proper attire in the workplace, and his sartorial homilies taught a generation how to “dress like a million so you can make a million.” Molloy’s philosophy was relatively simple: Clothing affects business performance and influences the way superiors and peers view you. And, playing to our most basic “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality, Molloy argues that even if you don’t want to dress to get ahead, the next guy will.Over the years, much of Molly’s advice still held true, but the workplace changed dramatically in the past quarter century. Molloy never foresaw the advent of casual Fridays and corporate policies that supposed to dress for a meeting with 20-something dot-com millionaires who wear wearing ripped jeans and T-shirts?Today, however, the economy has shifted yet again, and the days of casual dressing in the office have waned. As corporate pants and suits and ties. Work has once again become business as usual, but what does business look like?

We remain with Best Regards,
E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com