Dress Appropriately for the Office

 

Casual can be stylish too.

I suppose it’s most appropriate to begin this blog with a basic outline of how I prefer to dress and why.  After all, as I suggest in the description of this page, it is accomplished with a particular purpose in mind.  However, I must be very clear that my personal style is something that develops with each passing day.  It really wasn’t something that I paid much attention to until my junior year in college and, at that time, I lacked resources to develop my narrow wardrobe.  But in the past year, my employment has given me both the capital to invest in worthwhile clothing and the venue to practice my newfound pursuit of stylish professionalism.

As with most workplaces these days, my firm has adopted a "business casual" policy which permits a range of options including polo shirts and khakis.  And yet, my office also makes clear that "[t]raditional business attire is always acceptable, if that is your preference."  And indeed it is.  Of course, "business casual" is a poorly defined term with varied meanings.  But the chief identifying characteristic that sets the two guidelines apart in my office is the necktie/open collar variable.  I almost always wear a tie, and this choice places me in the traditional category as opposed to the casual one.

I have intentionally adopted a "traditional" approach to style, as opposed to some of the many other types out there ("trendy," "hip," "white trash," or otherwise).  It is representative of many of the values that I espouse: order, beauty, creativity, and gentility.  And while there are many reasons that I choose to adopt a classic style, the most important threshold motive lies in the enjoyment that I derive from it.  If I found no pleasure in the practice, then I would certainly abandon it.

Over the course of the last year, many people have asked me why I choose to wear the tie and "dress up" in the manner that I do.  It was clear to them that I relish the opportunity to wear a suit (typically when I’ll be appearing before a court) and I avoid the khakis, polo shirts, and tennis shoes that appear around the office.  It was never a hostile question, but its frequency compelled me to consider the subject on a deeper level, beyond the simple aspiration to "look good" or dress appropriately for work.  My answer was never the same.  It seems to me that there are many reasons to dress well, and few to discourage it.

 

One of the most fundamental canons of good style states that to dress well, one must dress for the occasion.  And while it is acceptable to wear very casual clothing to work, I prefer not to set the bar so low (at the minimum).  Of course, style cannot be forced upon anyone, but it often reflects an individual’s attitude toward his occupation.  Traditional business attire is professional and entirely appropriately for the workplace.  It says something about you. Thus, it should speak well of you.