BUSINESS CASUALTY

Business casual is driven by the first generation of children who were raised by parents that experienced the casualization of America in the 60s. These children were the first to go through school without dress codes while watching their parents go to work with the same guidelines. Managing your appearance no longer was necessary education and thus the decline of proper dress. It is becoming apparent that the value of clothing needs to be reestablished as many people have lost sight of using our appearance to aid in achieving goals. I am not against dressing down per say, I simply believe there is a lack of structure needed to keep coworkers on a level playing field. If we are left unguided in what is appropriate, and what you grabbed off the bedroom floor this morning, then what’s to stop us from subconsciously relaying the same carefree attitude to our job performance? I recently spoke with a gentleman concerned that casual Fridays would lead to clients coming into his professional business getting an unprofessional first impression. No need to reiterate upon first impressions. I think that is what most people tend to neglect when arguing that casual dress in the workplace is acceptable. It is ultimately up to the decision makers, the so called leaders of the company to remind their employees of our parent’s old adage of “Do as I say, not as I do.” There is no arguing with success but many of us have not achieved it yet, therefore the need for us to maintain a professional appearance is detrimental to achieving our professional goals. “Dress for the position you desire, not the position you are in.”