Submitted by JEJ4675 on
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What should I wear? Go with the crowd or standout on my own?
Let me give you a little background. I work for a midwest discount retailer (great company!) and our dress code has always been business professional. This week it changed to "dress for your day" which means jeans and a polo are just fine to wear everyday.
I dress more professional- suit and tie everyday. It's my style and I like it. However, I am in the vast vast minority now. Almost everyone is business casual at most. Casual dress is now common place.
Do I dress down- switch to business casual- to fit in? I'm a little concerned that I may be standing out too much. How much corporate conformity is good for your career (for team togetherness) vs standing out (being an outsider)?
Keep the tie - only wear the Coat to important meetings
JEJ4675
I'd say be true to yourself - in a conservative way.
Overall, I'd say you can't go wrong with a shirt and tie.
But, the coat may overdo it in certain situations. It may make you seem pretentious.
How about if you stick with the Tie and keep a sport (or suit) coat on a hanger in your office ?
Only wear it if you have an important client meeting or a meeting with folks in Upper Admin.
For these meetings take note of who you want to get respect from - and dress like them.
- And Sure - get some "fun" ties to mix it up a bit !
- And Sure get a few casual pull-over Polos to wear occasionally - on a Friday.
My suggestions...
TJPuccio
stepped down professional
I agree with TJ. Go with the shirt and tie and keep the coat for meetings. No need to lace on your sneakers but pulling it back just a bit will allow you some wiggle room when you want to really step up for an important day.
And consider adopting a business casual friday (like chinos, oxford & sweater vest)
You can dress down and still
You can dress down and still look better than your coworkers. Sport coat, khakis, slip on shoes with tassels (or not) is sporty but not sloppy.
I also work in a place
I also work in a place where it's "dress for your day" and we all (including us officers) take full advantage. Generally I meet with a lot of people from outside the firm who wear suits/ties so I generally dress in a suit but without the tie. Today I have no meetings other that a networking coffee with an old colleague so I'm in jeans and a button down shirt.
I'd say you take off the tie and you will stay true to what you are used to and enjoy wearing but will also be adapting to the new code.
Just my 2 bits.
I've returned to an former
I've returned to an former workplace in a promoted position and am wearing what was normal at the last job which is a step or two above everyone else. I've taken some verbal ribbing on it, but in the end, I'm not "one of the crowd" and so an every onece-in-awhile reminder in the form of my dress is good for me (and hopefully those I'm around, including my directs)
Look to the clothes your
Look to the clothes your boss and his boss are wearing. You should always dress at least one level above your current position. When your coworkers wear jeans, you wear khakis; when they wear khakis, you wear dress pants.... You can follow on from here yourself. Never be the worst-dressed one in the office and never dress better than the person in charge. I worked at a place where jeans and polos or T-shirts were the norm. I wore khakis and button-up shirt (aka a dress shirt), but I was at a junior manager level at the time. Two of my co-workers changed their attire to match my style, and both got promotions. I noticed their change of attire, and apparently so did their bosses.
Basically, the more professional you look while not being pretentious, the better it looks over all. I expect professionals to look professional; be it a mechanic in coveralls or a construction worker with steel toes and hardhat. Dress for the job, but there's no reason not to look good while doing so.
I agree with 95%
I agree with 95% of what DONM said above and the 5% may not pertain to you.In my last position, my former CEO usually dressed in jeans and a polo shirt or something similar. He did not mind it when people dressed better than he did, we had a very relaxed dress code.
However, his successor, who is now the CEO always wore slacks and a nice polo or other style of "business casual" shirt. But he was always on the upper end of business casual. Of course they both wore suits when it was warranted.
With that minor exception in mind, I second DONM's advice. I practiced that myself.
Glenn
Get creative
I think you should take the motto literally and dress for your day, which seems to be a button up and tie. Not sure it was your implication, but a shirt and tie does not have to be stuffy if you are interested in stepping a little out of your comfort zone. Look at some more trendy office attire (a checkered shirt with sleeves rolled up with a slim patterened tie, and perhaps a pair of 1901 retro saddle shoes) to see if that would be a nice middle ground - casual and personal without seeming stuffy or pretentious. There are lots of opportunities for men to dress up without putting people off. Quirky cuff links, ties with small, hip patterns (skulls, anchors, deer), monogrammed cuffs with funny sayings (Boo, Look, Fresh, WTF), an interesting tie clip - you can be formal and have personality.