When I was a senior in high school, I was voted "best dressed" by my fellow classmates. I'm not sure why, since my attire leaned toward Birkenstocks and untucked plaid flannel shirts - some sort of weird hippie/grunge style that really was more about comfort. I think it had to do with the multitude of clothing I had, not necessarily my style.Since beginning work for my current company - a self-purported "fashion" company for women - a few months ago, I've had several conversations about appropriate workplace and event attire. Our policy states that we're "casual," and men in the office generally lean toward faded jeans and shapeless polo shirts. Women in the office are typically a little tidier in their appearance, but they can take advantage of the merchandise discount we get with our company's products.
While traveling around the Mediterranean a few weeks ago, I was admonished for being too casually dressed on our first day, so I spent the better part of that trip wearing the same pair of pants: the only pair of non-jeans I'd brought with me. And today, I received a message from our Chief Supply Chain Officer that I should remember to wear a suit to an upcoming event where I'll be representing the company.
So, in the past few weeks, I've been a bit more mindful of my sartorial choices each morning. I've been trying to balance the prevalent casual look with the elevated expectations of our executives. Basically, I've been trying to dress neatly without looking like I try too hard.
Today, since I'm scheduled for my first meeting with our CEO, I've dressed it up a bit, opting for a nice tie to accompany my dark jeans and woven shirt. I've been at the office for about three hours and I've definitely noticed a difference. In the hallways, people approach me differently and greet me as if I'm important. Several of my peers in my department have wondered jokingly why I was "dressed up." Someone called me "sir."
All this fuss makes me feel uncomfortable and I am starting to stress out about how I dress at a company with a casual dress code! But if I have to "improve" my attire to avoid awkward conversations about my clothing - and if it furthers my chances of making a bit more cash-money, I guess I'll do it!
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Queue memory of marching around the dinner table chanting "Storm shirt! Storm shirt! Storm shirt!" And did you get that J.Crew "storm shirt" that is now a throw pillow in the living room? Yes. Yes, I believe you did.
Love,
Lil Sis Panda!!!
Ha! Love it. Around your former workplace once removed, I have begun Operation: Dress Like a Grownup. It involves fewer shirts with words on them, more things with names like "neutral pump," and multiple items worn at once (e.g., not just a T-shirt -- a tank under a tee, topped with a jacket or cardigan). It's a real pain in my ass, and EXPENSIVE, and it pisses me off that it's actually WORKING to make people take me more seriously.
Gleemonex, I hear you on the expense and it KILLS me that this actually works. It goes against so much I believe in, but then again, I guess I chose to be in this industry!
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