Last winter, an organization I belong to threw a Caribbean-theme party
complete with palm trees and all sorts of other tropical doodads designed=
to
make you feel as if you were at some tropical resort and not in the frigi=
d
Northeast. When I arrived, I thought I was at the wrong affair. Every guy=
--
save me and one or two others -- was wearing a business suit. Same with t=
he
women. I felt the urge to yell: "Hey! Lighten Up!"
I'm very confused about how to dress these days. I know businesses have v=
ery
specific policies about these things, with official dress-down days. So h=
ow
do you dress for a meeting? After I broke my heel in March, I went very
casual since it took me forever to put on a suit while dangling awkwardly
from crutches. I'm almost back to normal -- and still wearing casual clot=
hes
to work and to meetings. This has caused some eyebrows to be raised. "Nic=
e
pajamas," some wit quipped as I walked into a meeting wearing casual slac=
ks
and a striped shirt. On top of it all, I was sporting a new Caesar-style
hairdo, which I've since dropped. It, too, caused quite a stir at the tim=
e,
though. I think they're just angry because they don't have the
you-know-whats to do the same.
There's hope, though. Last week, I attended a New York City new-media
gathering where my company had a booth. I've done every other show with a
suit and tie. This time, I decided to go casual. It worked out great.
Sartorial tastes ran from extremely casual (beat-up shorts and worn shirt=
s)
to the impeccable. My dress didn't detract a bit from what we were sellin=
g.
It helped that the bar was open, too.
Individuality is the hallmark of an entrepreneur. If you're going to run
your own business you should be free to dress the way you want there. Now=
, I
know this may cause some consternation among those who feel that the boss
must set the proper tone at the company, but I don't think going tieless =
can
hurt a business much -- it may even enhance it. Ever since I attended a
private elementary school where uniforms were required every day, I've ha=
d
the urge to chuck my tie and uncomfortable suits. Now that I am no longer
working for somebody else, I'm free to enjoy the luxury. Still, it's tric=
ky,
dressing for a function. The more successful you are, the more chances yo=
u
can take in your dress. How much does Bill Gates worry about his looks? N=
ow,
I do dress for sales calls, unless I am so familiar with the company and =
its
managers that I know I can walk in casual. If I'm meeting a potential cli=
ent
for the first time -- even if the entire office culture is casual -- I st=
ill
dress up for the meeting. Wouldn't want to dis the decision maker, after
all.
George Giokas is the president and CEO of StaffWriters Plus, a specialty
agency that places writers in temporary and permanent positions with
corporate and other employers. It also provides editorial consulting work.
His database includes 2,500 writers and editors specializing in more than=
60
categories. His Web site is located at www.staffwriters.com
Tushar J. Mehta
email: [email protected]
voicemail: (206) 405-2335