Let’s be honest, clothes can cost a TON of money, especially when you are shopping for work clothes. Depending on where you work it can range from casual, to business casual, to business professional…or a mixture of all of these depending on what you are doing or whether you have meeting/are seeing clients.
After spending the summer at an internship where the company chose to be “summer casual†I really got to thinking about what is appropriate for work and what is really inappropriate. You would think that when people look in the mirror they should realize if they are pushing the limits of summer casual, but as I went into work every day, there was always someone that surprised me with their choice of outfit.
The employer that I work for was once business professional but after this summer has chosen to switch to business casual with casual Fridays (like many other companies have done). Companies often chose this option to enhance workplace attitudes among employees. When people feel more comfortable at work, it is believed that people will also feel more comfortable expressing ideas and getting their work done.
But, even business casual has its limits. Everyone must learn what is acceptable and what is not.
However, it is not just the clothes in the companies that have changed to business casual. Relationships throughout the company have also gone more casual…no longer using Mr. and Mrs., but everyone is on a first name basis with each other.
According to CNN.com, your words, behavior, and appearance are all factors that you should test to see if you have become too casual at work.
Words – This is extremely important. You do not want to use words or say things that may either be (1) taken out of context or (2) sound extremely unprofessional in a business setting. This means no swears and leave stories that do not belong at work out of the atmosphere completely.
Behavior – Don’t let your “friendships†with your co-workers effect how you are performing at work. Yes, you may start friendships at work, but make sure that you are discussing last weekend’s events instead of focusing on an important meeting.
Appearance – This includes both grooming and what you wear. You want to look professional at all times even if it is a casual Friday. Jeans should not be ripped or too baggy for work. Also, don’t wear shirts that are too revealing, tight, or something you would wear to a club on the weekend. If you have clients in your building, how you look influences their overall view of the company.
Yes, stores often sell work clothes for extremely high prices, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t also find them for cheap. I bought a pair of $75 Express dress pants at TJMaxx for $15. That is a huge difference, but there is nothing wrong with the pants so why not spend $15 instead of $75? Nobody can even tell the difference!
Don’t let the “business casual†title effect how you are performing or dressing for work. Remember, there is always someone watching you and it is especially easy to see when you are wearing a dress that is too short or jeans that are too scruffy looking for the workplace. Just think, if your company opted to go business professional because they though employees were not taking responsibility for themselves, you would be paying much larger bills at the dry cleaners and looking for new work clothes anyway. Be responsible for yourself. Set an example and maybe others will follow! Your company could lose their reputation if others (including clients) get the wrong idea and you could be paying a lot more towards your wardrobe!
Photo: Mohammad Hosni Alhasan
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