I am driving down Cathedral Street the other day, on my way to work, rocking out to some Black Crowes, and I stop at Saratoga. Then Lombard. Then Pratt. By the time I am passing the Baltimore Convention Center I am in utter disgust. I truly cannot believe my eyes, and here’s why:
I live about a mile or so from the Baltimore’s banking Mecca. A place, I consider, the ultimate in “making it” per se. The type of companies that make you feel more successful just by being in their presence. When I think of working in a “real” office the companies that nestle in the Pratt Street corridor immediately come to mind: T. Rowe Price, Legg Mason, Wachovia, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and so many others. Along with this respect I have for the companies, also applies to the folks who work there. You see people in three piece suits casually tossing their $600 caramel colored, calf skin messenger bags in to the trunk of their E-class Mercedes and you think. All this romantic sophistication is about to make me want to quit my job and go to law school and then, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP. No, I didn’t just pop a tire. Someone is walking down the street in a Banana Republic tan moleskin skirt suit, carefully paired with a cream colored summer cashmere shell, and FLIP FLOPS!!!!!!! Really?? Come on.
The sound of flip flips is the unofficial anthem of the modern day slob. But, the flip, flop is not alone in its endeavors. It has many friends including: the visible tattoo(s), the nose /lip /tongue /other body piercing, cleavage, low-rise pants, Hawaiian shirts, the short-sleeved button down shirt (pocket protector optional), jeans, white dress socks, too much cologne/perfume, flashy jewelry, underwear as outerwear, shorts, etc. This motley crew should never enter the professional office under ANY circumstances. Period.
Professional dress seems to be a thing of the past. Admittedly, I didn’t even buy my first suit until I was 25, but that was because I wanted to be taken seriously. I was applying for jobs and despite my penchant for stilettos and boldly colored clothing, it simply wouldn’t cut the mustard in a serious interview. Is it better to feel good than to look good? Because I have always heard the opposite. How good are you going to feel when you don’t get promoted? You may sweat less now in those breezy shorts, but you might sweat more in the future when you can’t seem to find anyone who will hire you.
I do not think it’s too far a leap to say that a lack of professional appearance can lead to a lack of professional behavior. Casual Fridays turn into slacker Fridays. Even though the concept here is to make work more “fun” this lackadaisical attitude seems to follow many back to work on Mondays, and Tuesdays. Work is a place to do just that. Work. Someone is paying you to accomplish specific professional goals. And many employers may not take too kindly to your dress code if it includes any of the above offenses. Companies may even see unprofessional attire as an insult; you don’t respect the mission of your organization enough to even follow simple attire expectations. It’s not as though an employer is trying to limit your personal expression–they just don’t want it to be on their dollar!
If employees are not even willing to wear a full shoe to work, are they capable of making prudent professional decisions? How do you feel when you are in a meeting and have very carefully dressed to look your most elegant and then the person across the table from you has on jeans? It seems like the prospect really doesn’t really even care. Your choice of clothing can speak volumes about your attitude about your company, your self, and even your industry. Professional dress is not actually about fashion. Essentially, it is the uniform of the working world. Some occupations may lend some flexibility (I have found in my past career there is a bit more leniency, but there are limits– a purple velour jogging suit is not a suit for the office (or anywhere public for that matter; icky!) Unless you are in a profession of explicit personal expression (i.e. an artist), the office is not really a place to be creative when it comes to wardrobe. This advice is coming from someone who HAS taken serious fashion risks. Unfortunately, I don’t work at YSL, so my choices in attire were mistakes I have since learned from.
