Once it was easy to know what to wear to the office. For male managers, it was always a dark suit and white shirt with a tie. With the arrival of Dress-Down Friday, all the old rules went away. Some companies introduced the system in which once a week (on Friday) the employees were allowed to wear casual clothes of their choice. In recent years, casual dress days at the office have become widespread in the USA, and employees are starting to push the policy to extreme limits. Casual Fridays have become so casual that some people are coming to work in outfits that resemble pyjamas.
In a recent poll, 82% of Americans thought that it is OK for businesses to have a dress-down day, while 12% thought it is not. Those who opposed the dress-down policy pointed out that casual dress style might encourage casual or sloppy work. Others commented that the relaxed atmosphere and comfort of casual clothes leads to increased productivity.
So what’s appropriate for the office? Experts differ in opinions, but there are a few points they agree on. Ripped and worn looking jeans, shorts and Hawaiian print shirts are all unacceptable. Faded denim is also associated with sloppiness. Keep your look smart. For example, pair up dark jeans with a button-down blazer.There are also two important factors when discussing dress codes in the workplace.
First of all, it must be clear. Employees need to know what is expected of them; otherwise, a dress code that is meant to create a relaxed atmosphere might actually increase stress. Second, employees must always consider their clients. For example, I spoke once with a lawyer in a firm with a casual dress policy who keeps a jacket and a tie in his office, and puts it on when expecting a client who might be offended by a more casual approach.
And one final thing – no matter what clothes people wear, they must always be clean and neat. Coffee stains are unacceptable on the front of one’s casual as well as one’s formal shirt.
