CHAPTER 16

Are We Having a Casual Crisis?

Coping with Dress Code Confusion

A client visiting your office hesitates to get on the elevator with a couple of scruffy looking characters. Is she in the wrong place? Are these loiterers up to no good? It turns out that these are two of your fellow employees on the way back to the office from lunch. It just happens to be dress-down Friday, and they’ve taken the casual initiative to a whole new level.

The ever-relaxing guidelines about dress, both for business and pleasure, may be sending mixed messages to us about who we are and how we feel about the situations in which we live, work, and socialize. We see jeans along with a tuxedo jacket at a “black tie optional” event. We receive an engraved invitation to a cocktail party and arrive to find many of the guests dressed as though they just returned from a trip to the grocery store. Does this lack of formality herald a more relaxed society or a general lack of respect for (or lack of understanding of) general conventions of appropriateness and good taste? What does our overly casual appearance say to the executive who has carved out time to hear our presentation or to the client who has opened his or her home to us?

Casual days started in the eighties both as a response to a less formal working environment and as a way to reward employees in an era of downsizing and flattening of organizations. Permitting people to “dress down” seemed to be a win-win situation. In many companies, employees eagerly looked forward to Fridays (the most popular day for going casual), and many studies showed that at first productivity and morale both benefited from the initiative.

What started as a break from the daily routine, however, has become the norm in many companies. Indeed, most employees now consider wearing whatever they wish to work to be an entitlement rather than a perk. Additionally, going casual at work, where people once dressed for success, has had an effect outside the workplace, giving momentum to an increased disregard for protocol and tradition.

The Packaging Matters

Although in many ways the trend toward less pretentious and expensive wardrobes is refreshing and healthy, before you go too far, think about what you may be giving up. Unlike members of the animal kingdom, we don’t sport feathers and fur to denote our status, position, or intentions. Instead, it’s the clothing we wear that alerts people to how they should perceive us, and even how we perceive ourselves. But we often forget that, just as plumage sends a message, clothing speaks volumes about us.

Indeed, clothing is part of the package that affects people’s impressions of us, particularly when they meet us for the first time, and whether we like it or not most of that first impression comes from the visual impact that we make.

When you present yourself, especially in a business situation, much of your success may depend upon the credibility that you project and the resulting confidence that you inspire in those you need to impress. You know by now that credibility comes from more than just being good at what you do or even having a good command of language. It comes from the overall package you present, a package that includes what you’re wearing. According to image and fashion expert Robert Pante, author of Dressing to Win, “You always make some kind of statement, powerful or inept, with the way you dress.”

The less credibility you have from other sources (you may be starting out in your career, for example, and don’t have a track record) the more you may have to rely on your external mien to make that first impression. As time goes by, of course, other factors coalesce to define your capabilities. For example, if you’ve led your team or division to consistent success and double-digit earnings for ten years running, you can wear just about anything you want and still convey the necessary authority. In this case, your ultra casual attire may earn you the label of “eccentric” or “creative” instead of “slouch.”

Although dress codes in the work place will continue to change, there are a few simple guidelines you can follow to strike the right balance.

Err on the side of moderation. Even if your organization operates in a business casual atmosphere, remember that business casual (as nebulous as that term may be) usually does not include nose rings, torn jeans, super miniskirts, or pants that look like the next step you take will cause them to drop around your ankles. Many businesses also consider sandals or flip-flops, T-shirts with clever (or obscene) phrases on them, and exercise gear unacceptable workplace attire. On the other hand, in most cases, business casual does include button-down collar shirts (no tie), well-cut pant suits for women, khakis or wool pants or skirts with jackets, and polo-type shirts with slacks. Keep in mind that when choosing causal wear, cut, fit, and quality are particularly important because casual clothes are likely to be unlined or lightly structured. For this reason, consider investing in a higher quality casual wardrobe, particularly if the outfits are going to pull double duty for work and play. Also, while it’s a good idea to stay in sync with the rest of the staff (assuming most dress appropriately), you don’t want to put too much distance between you and your coworkers—lean toward the dressy side of casual. This practice may work in your favor because you’ll stand out just enough to create an image of professionalism and success. Further, it’s a good idea to stash a tie, a jacket, a pair of dress shoes, or whatever “emergency kit” items are appropriate in your office in case there’s an unplanned visit to or from a client or customer.

It pays to keep in mind that casual or not, it’s still business, and what you wear can affect your career. Recently, a talented young woman in a consulting firm missed out on an opportunity to meet with senior executives of a client company because she had chosen that day to come to work more dressed down than was appropriate for meeting clients.

The same rules apply to out-of-office business functions. When you’re attending a work-related social function (or any social function for that matter), try to determine how your host or hostess would like you to dress, and respect that person’s turf. In social situations, what you wear speaks volumes about how you feel about the event. For example, if you show up at a black tie event in khakis and a blazer or at a wedding in a golf shirt, you are making a negative statement about the event’s validity or significance. Further, if you are at an event where you will be surrounded by colleagues and clients, your image in that social setting must be consistent with the polished and professional image you strive to project at work. Even if the invitation says casual (or as one I recently received said, “elegantly casual”), get some clarification if you have any doubts about what is expected. Knowing that you are dressed appropriately will give you added confidence, particularly in unfamiliar surroundings. People around you will also feel more comfortable.

The way you dress often affects the way you behave. Catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror or a plate glass window occasionally. Note your stance, gait, posture, and so on, when you’re dressed down in jeans and a T-shirt, or slacks and a sweater. Then notice yourself when you are wearing either business or formal attire—when you are turned out to perfection. Chances are that you project more confidence when you’re dressed more formally, because your demeanor often takes its cue from what you’re wearing.

This correlation between clothes and behavior means that extremely casual dress codes may work well in a highly motivated, energized environment where everyone is totally committed to achieving a specific goal, but such environments are usually transitory and difficult to maintain once the situation changes. When the shift inevitably occurs, too much casual can contribute to a playful, vacation atmosphere, which taken to excess may appear unprofessional and may actually have a negative effect on productivity. Therefore, even when the work culture permits it, don’t wear your couch-potato weekend clothes to work, and if you’re in a leadership role, discourage others from doing so.

Don’t confuse casual dress with casual grooming. No matter how relaxed the dress code, be rigorous about how well you put yourself together. Make sure that you take care of all the details of hygiene and good grooming, with proper attention to hair, makeup, and nails. And before you leave the house, take a 360-degree look at yourself to make sure that you look good from all perspectives.

It’s always your call. Although it’s unlikely that we’ll return to the regimented business “uniforms” of times past, we still would do well to remember that appearance continues to give us the competitive edge that may make the critical difference in a given situation. In choosing your attire carefully with your objectives in mind, you have a great tool to help you send just the right message about yourself—depending on the situation and the audience. And, in a more practical vein, remember also that well-tailored business attire can disguise or minimize a multitude of figure flaws, something a tight-fitting knit shirt just can’t do for you.

The Bottom Line

Your credibility comes, at least in part, from the first impression you make.

When in doubt, choose moderation.

The way you dress affects the way you behave.

There’s also a dress code for business functions away from the office.

Casual dress doesn’t mean casual grooming.

Action Plan

Over the next thirty days,

I will stop ___________________________________________________

I will start ___________________________________________________

I will continue ________________________________________________