Tips from the Experts

The following suggestions, taken from surveys and articles about casual dress trends in the workplace, can help future and current employees avoid casual dress blunders.

• For job interviews, dress conservatively or call ahead to ask the interviewer or the receptionist what is appropriate 
• Find out what your company allows.  Ask whether a dress-down policy is available.  Observe what others are wearing on casual dress days.
• If your company has no casual dress policy, volunteer to work with management to develop relevant guidelines, including illustrations of suitable casual attire.
• One expert advises that you "show respect for your and management" by avoiding  jeans, shorts, cut-offs, sleeveless or tank-top shirts or dresses, halter tops, spandex, sheer clothes, exposed bra straps and bare midriffs.
• When meeting customers, dress as well as or better than they do.  Again, this is a sign of professional respect.  
• Dress for the job you want rather than the job you have.
• Above all, make sure that your clothes fit well, are well maintained, and suit you in colour and style.

SOURCES:

Business Communication, Process and Product by Guffey, Rhodes, Rogin

Professional Penalties

Have you ever wondered what consequences there are if you do not follow company dress guidelines?  Can they just fire you if one day you wake up and chose to wear what you feel like to work?

Although each company is different, similar disciplinary actions apply to most.  I will use the example of my workplace, where I am a retail store manager.  On the first offense, a superior may approach the employee and confront them in private about what they are wearing that is inappropriate, and why, according to company policies.  They may be sent home and asked to change, depending on how in appropriate their dress is. On the next offense, they would definitely be written up, with warning that if their dress does not improve, they may be suspended or let go from work.

Dress code a very important policy to follow because you represent the brand you are working for each time you encounter a client or any other person.  If you seem professional and well organized in your appearance, it will be assumed that you as a person are the same and so is the company you work for.

Workplace Dressing on a Budget

One big problem new employees in a corporate environment face is having the money to buy a whole new appropriate wardrobe once they get a job.  Suiting collections are not cheap, and you need a few different outfits to wear each week, because you won't get away with wearing the same one everyday.  A typical suit at Banana Republic for a woman will run you at least $300 plus tax...and its even more expensive for men.

So what can an individual who is new to the workforce do, aside from robbing a bank, to afford an appropriate workplace wardrobe?

First of all, shop smart.  Why pay full price when you can go to outlet malls, large department stores that have sales on all the time, or even online shopping can find you some great deals.  Winners? You should go.

Next, make a list of what you need before you go shopping.  Start with the basics, and you can continue to build your wardrobe as time goes on.  Three-four jackets, three or four pairs of pants (all in neutral colours), five button down shirts, two pairs of shoes.  If you are strategic about how you mix and match your separates everyday, no one will even notice your limited collection.

Lastly, make sure that everything is nicely pressed and well tailored to fit you.  A $30 pair of trousers can look like a $200 designer pair if they fit you perfectly.

What are your favourite tips for workplace dressing on a budget? Leave a comment!

SOURCES:
http://bananarepublic.gapcanada.ca/browse/product.do?cid=5013&pid=462051&vid=1&scid=462051013

How sexy is TOO sexy?

Sometimes, its hard to strike a balance between your personal style and what is appropriate at the office.  Just because your workplace may have a more relaxed policy and guidelines, does not mean that you can dress in a way that will be offensive or distasteful to your fellow co-workers.

In my opinion, too sexy for the workplace includes the following:

• too much makeup, or bright coloured makeup or nails
• hemlines shorter than the knee
• too tight blouses, skirts
• blouses unbuttoned to reveal cleavage
• high heels more than 3 inches high
• anything other than flesh-tone pantyhose, such as patterned tights or fishnets

Dressing in this manner not only makes you look less professional, but also can incur some unwanted "office gossip".  Instead of co-workers talking about your great ideas and work ethic, they will be discussing how short your skirt is when you bend over.  Worse, it may lead to sexual harassment or unwanted attention from male coworkers.

What do you think? How sexy is too sexy in the workplace? Leave a comment!

SOURCES:
http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/165442-bigthumbnail.jpg

Creative Workplaces

Some fields of work are not as formal and professional as others.  Some workplaces pride themselves in being more relaxed, casual and overall "fun" for their employees, and most of the time these are in creative fields.  These type of workplaces include: design studios, digital design companies, certain clothing brands.  In these type of workplaces it is encouraged to express your creativity, through ideas, your work space, even your dress attire.  But is there ever a point where you can be TOO creative with your style to the point where you are no longer professional? In my opinion the answer is yes.

There are many ways to express your creative, artistic side without compromising your professional, career oriented side.  TOO out-there, fashion forward clothes may be overwhelming and distracting to your fellow employees, but subtle touches of fun and creativity may be just the thing you need.  For example, silk blouse with a fun, whimsical print or a trouser with nautical buttons may be just what you're looking for to give you some creative edge, without going over the top.

What would you wear in a creative environment to set yourself apart from the rest? Leave a comment!

SOURCES:

http://s4.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/2E1C1FB7.jpg

Dressing for the Job You Want

Back in high school civics class, a teacher once said something about the topic of workplace attire that really stuck with me.  She said, "Dress for the job you WANT, not for the job you HAVE."


This is a good guideline to stick to, especially if you are new to your career and intend on moving up in the company.  The idea is that you should always be more dressed up than dress down, in order for superiors to notice you as a potential candidate for growth.  If you already act and look like you should be in that position, your managers are more likely to recommend you as the right person for the job if the opportunity should arise.

Of course, this is easier to do in jobs where you can choose for yourself what to wear, such as business formal and business casual settings.  In jobs where there is a set uniform, it is still doable, just a little more tricky.  Let's say you are a cashier at Tim Hortons and would like to be a supervisor.  You all wear a uniform, but there are little things you can do to make yourself look more professional and more committed than any other cashier.  Some examples are: making sure your grooming, hair and makeup is always professional and well done but still subtle, smiling more often, looking happy to be there, uniform and shoes always pressed and shined before every shift.  These little details really DO make all the difference.

What do YOU do to dress for the job you want? Do you think this theory works? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Tattoos and Piercings

Although most people have either a tattoo or piercing (many have both!) is it every appropriate to have them visible at work?  Absolutely.  If you're Kat Von D, who owns LA INK, a successful tattoo shop in California.  Otherwise, most companies would agree that this type of self-expression is inappropriate for the work environment.

I believe that one of the main reasons for this is it appears unprofessional to potential clients.  People with tattoos definitely have a stereotype around them, that they are in someway "dangerous" or "risk takers".  For example, I wouldn't feel comfortable if my lawyer had an exposed tattoo on his neck, to me I would feel like he is more into a "rock star" lifestyle than his career, and that he wouldn't be as effective as another lawyer.

Another reason is your co-workers may be uncomfortable, especially if your visible tattoos are offensive to them.  If someone has a swastika tattoo, and your co-worker is of Jewish descent, this would cause tension in the workplace.  Also, other employees may get distracted by your tattoos and piercings, and concentrate more on them rather than to what you are saying.

What do you think? Should tattoos and piercing be hidden from sight while your at work? Leave a comment!


SOURCES:
http://www.illamasqua.com/socialise/wp-content/uploads/kat-von-d.jpg
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-06-19/living/too.tattooed.to.work_1_tattoos-piercings-body-art?_s=PM:LIVING

Casual Friday

Casual Friday is probably a day where most employees, particular those working in business formal settings, look forward to.  It is a day off from dressing up in a stuffy suit and really "let your hair down"--literally.  But can you ever truly go as casual as you want in a work setting?

I believe that the answer to that is no.  Work is still a professional setting, and should be treated as such.  Just because you can dress casual does NOT mean you should wear the same clothes you do to walk your dog in a park on a hot summers day.  In general, I feel "casual" should really mean "business casual", especially if you are in a business formal dress code setting.  If you are already in a business casual setting, you can relax a LITTLE BIT but not go too overboard.  Some examples of Casual Friday attire:

• jeans, in a DARK COLOUR such as black or dark blue, in a straight cut or trouser cut style
• an elbow length or longer sleeve shirt, that may have a logo on it such as what college or university you went to

What should NEVER be worn to work?

• anything that exposes your mid drift, cleavage, upper thigh or lower back
• sweatpants, sweat shirts, baggy t-shirts
• too much makeup or excessive perfume or cologne
• flip flops or sandals

Here's a clip from one of my favourite shows, The Office, with an example of what is UNACCEPTABLE to wear to work, even on Casual Friday.

How casual is too casual? What do you think is inappropriate to EVER wear to work, even on Casual Fridays? Leave a comment!

SOURCES:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QiwAf8ltuk
http://jerzygirl45.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/casual-54.jpg

Business Dress vs. Business Casual

According to Wikipedia, business dress code is more formal than casual but less formal than semi-formal.  This means a suit, which is a pair of trousers with a matching jacket.  The suit is typically dark-coloured and  worn with a long-sleeved shirt and a tie.  Woman would also wear a suit, with a blouse.  Companies that typically use this type of dress code are professions in law, finance, banking, broadcast journalism (news anchors), and many others.  Typically these jobs are high-paying, and the reason to keep the dress code so formal is to keep the company looking very professional to the public and their clients.

Business casual, on the other hand, is a more popular dress code used by employers.  There is no generally accepted definition of business casual, its guidelines very from company to company.  In most companies, the following guidelines are a good place to start: 

• For women: A knee length skirt or trousers of a non-jeans material combined with a top (such as a dress shirt, or sweater set) is considered acceptable. An informal dress with appropriate skirt length is also acceptable.
• For men: A combination of collared shirt (such as a dress shirt or polo shirt), cotton trousers (such as khakis or blue, green, brown, or black trousers) with a belt.  Jeans are sometimes acceptable business casual attire depending on profession. A blazer or business jacket can optionally be added.
• Unacceptable for either gender: rumpled or ripped clothing, T-shirts, miniskirts, underwear as outerwear, inappropriately revealing attire such as bare midriffs, and flip-flops. Many corporations also frown upon open-toed shoes and shorts.

In my opinion, business casual means dressing professionally, yet relaxed, neat and pulled together.  What do you guys think? What does dressing business casual really consist of? Leave a comment and let me know!






SOURCES: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informal_attire
http://0.tqn.com/d/humanresources/1/7/y/C/BFFormalGroupAttire.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_casual
http://0.tqn.com/d/humanresources/1/7/C/D/BCcasualman.jpg

What is Appropriate?

Appropriate workplace attire is something we all will face in whatever career path you choose.  Every job and workplace has its own set of rules and traditions as to what is appropriate to wear to work.  For some, the choice is easier than others.  For instance, a doctor will always wear a white lab coat over their regular clothes, a policeman will wear a uniform and a cashier at McDonald's will always wear the company-appointed logo polo shirt.  But for most other professions, individuals are left to figure out the answer to: What is appropriate?  In the this blog and throughout the semester, with the help of online resources as well as the textbook Business Communication: Process and Product, I will attempt to answer this question.