The business casual trend has created entire companies of people who are unsure of what to put on in the morning. Too often, they make the wrong choice.
If you work in a corporate environment, it's just as important to get business casual right as it is to nail traditional business dress. Maybe more important: Savvy corporate politicians know that casual days are the times when their appearance will be most closely watched.
"People actually judge more on those days because they assume they're seeing the real person," says Jonscott Turco, a New York psychologist and human resource-consultant.
Traditional business dress is seen as a uniform; it does for the office what uniforms do for prep schools. It simplifies decision-making and makes hierarchies easy to read. We all want to identify the upperclassmen when we step into the elevator.
When the uniform is put aside, people feel free to set aside the power signals and express their style sense. But they often fail to recognize that, just as in high school, they're still being judged.
Creative expression aside, there are few upsides to the business casual trend for workers. Since different offices interpret it differently, moving from company to company can mean acquiring a new business casual wardrobe at each career stop. Here are a few tips for avoiding the business casual traps:
- Break down the suit without straying far. Pair dress pants with a non-matching blazer. Shirts should be high quality--they're what people see over your desk.
- Women: Keep your skin and lingerie to yourself. Beware the wrap dress, which can be clingy and low-cut. Remember: Collars convey power. For the free Executive Woman's Dress Code ebook send a request by email to: [email protected]
- If you're sure jeans are appropriate, go with dark colors. They look dressier. Be sure they're neat and pressed-looking. And ban those low-risers.
- Shoes, like watches, are silent signal-senders. Be sure yours are of high quality, even on casual days.
- When in doubt, do not distract. Leave super-trendy clothes for after hours, and that includes your four-inch-high gladiator sandals.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, April 17, 2008
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