Etiquette Today: Business Attire
With the U.S. Senate relaxing enforcement of its dress code we thought we'd visit the topic of office attire.
Business Attire
With the U.S. Senate ending the enforcement of its dress code, we are once again, thinking a lot about the meaning of business attire and the role that formal business attire plays in the professional world.
For many years men’s suits were the standard for any professional business person. Women were encouraged to wear dresses, even with visible examples of women choosing pants, like that of Katherine Hepburn. It was only as recently as 1993 when women were permitted to wear pantsuits in the Senate. The Dot Com days turned years of suits = business, suits = power, suits = money into hoodies and lounge-ware can = business, power, money, success…and you might feel more comfortable too.
During that time, we at Emily Post were adjusting our language to reflect changing norms. Making sure that the possibility for casual attire in business was explored so that it doesn’t come as a shock, or so that wearing a suit, the standard till then, doesn’t end up out of place. Advice around having a work wardrobe expanded to include language like, “…depending on your field, or particular company culture and policies…” Because it mattered.
When on the job hunt, we have people evaluating us with limited information, and our appearance is going to be a larger slice of the impression pie, than it would be say after having worked together for 6 months. We want every advantage that we can get when we are applying for a job and considering your appearance is a big piece of that impression pie, it is worth taking advantage of in any way that you can. We also know that the person hiring is looking for someone who is going to do the job well and be the best fit for the team or company. Just the same way we can understand that showing up in Crocs and shorts when the company dress code is suits would not make the best impression, showing up in a suit when the company culture is Crocs and shorts, can be equally problematic.
Knowing this, it’s best to see if you can get a sense of the company culture before you go in for your interview (or sign in to a video call for it.) Try to match the attire of the person conducting the interview if you can. If you have the opportunity, ask the person with whom you are scheduling the interview about the company dress code. If you cannot do this, try calling the company and asking someone in reception if they don’t mind taking a moment to describe how people commonly dress for your desired position.
Here are some types of business attire to help get you thinking about what to wear whether you’re searching for a job, or navigating one you already have.
BUSINESS ATTIRE Your business dress code will vary depending on the industry you work in and the company you work for. There are many industries that are traditionally conservative in their work attire (like law and finance) and others (such as fashion) where the players are literally creating the styles of the day. Your work as a trainer at the gym, rightly has you wearing athletic wear all day. It’s always a good idea to ask what the dress code is at your company when you first start the job. If there are any confusing terms feel free to ask so that you can be confident you’re meeting expectations. When in doubt, fall back on clean and classic items: a buttoned shirt of well-made fabric, fitted well and in good condition, a pair of slacks, and simple, closed-toe shoes is an easy basic to turn to. A simple, well-fitted jacket will also polish almost any look. For business attire, open-toed shoes, shorts, short skirts or dresses, low-cut shirts or dresses, cut-out styles, and anything exposing a shoulder or that is see-through are typically avoided. Patterns and colors aren’t necessarily muted, but they are not usually bright and bold either (unless you’ve cultivated a personal look based on loud patterns and colors).
BUSINESS FORMAL Business formal attire is not a designation we see often, but when the event is for work or business and it says formal in the attire designation you want to be in a more conservative, or reserved version of formal attire. While this doesn’t mean just a classic well-fitted dark blue suit, it does mean toning down any flare that one might wear to a formal social function. This is not because flare isn’t excellent. It is. But it’s because when at work, we want our thoughts and ideas to shine not our suit. Obviously, this is very different if you are in the fashion industry, or a personality whose appearance is part of their business persona. For formal wear, being well-fitted is usually the goal. If the garment is too small, short, or tight, or too large, long, or loose, it will look out of place. The advice for choosing what to wear could fill a library of books, but for business formal functions if you’re looking for direction, you can’t go wrong with classic lines, a good fit, fabrics that match the season, and solid colors.
BUSINESS CASUAL Business casual is a slightly dressed-down version of traditional business attire. For some companies, this will be the everyday dress code, check and see first before just showing up in casual business attire. For some companies, business casual is allowed periodically as a relaxation of the usual company dress code, for example, when a company has “Casual Fridays”. You might not go so far as to wear shorts and sandals to the office, but a non-button-up shirt, polo shirt, or casual sweater can replace the button-up shirt and jacket, and clean-stylish sneakers or slip-on loafers might replace lace-up shoes. Patterns and colors can be more expressive. Anything that’s too revealing is still a no-go for work.
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Thank you for spending some of your day with us. What’s your work attire like? Has it changed since the pandemic? Share your thoughts in the comments here, or in the Monday comments are open to all!
Keep an eye out for the Saturday Sip, it’s coming up next!
Until then,
Lizzie and Dan
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