Power dressing

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Does the tie still have a place in the office where you work?

I now work for two public bodies. Most people don't wear a tie in either office. When I attend a team meeting in the one organisation, most men present don't feel the need to wear a tie. When I attend a team meeting in the other organisation, most men present are again tie-less.

However, when the two teams meet one another, because they are meeting outsiders, all the men wear ties... except me, 'cos I'm in both teams.

When I go to London for a meeting, however, whoa, Nelly! Different world altogether. Trains and tubes both packed with men in suits and ties, even before they get to the office.

What does it all mean?

Will the suit and tie both gradually die, with London businessmen the last to go, or what?

Martin

PS I wore a tie to my meetings in London, but only within the building in question.

[Andy Turnbull]

Our work has what you call business casual as it's dress policy and it's not really all that well enforced - basically so long as you aren't wearing offensive t-shirts, shorts or football jerseys, or low cut tops and shorty short skirts you can wear what you want.

It's rare for the public to be on site so it's not really an issue. Occasionally I will dress up a bit but usually it's jeans and a shirt for me.

I know some people feel they need to look smart to get into a work mindset but I've never needed to. I'll perform well whatever I am wearing.

Andy

[Cullen]

Well I work for a software company and we have a totally casual dress code, except on client sites. No-one in the Newcastle office dresses smart but there are a few in Birmingham and London who will come to work in suits - usually the types who are trying to get ahead. In that respect I don't think suits or ties will die out - people generally respect someone who is smartly dressed.

[The Doctor]

It's always been casual wear in the work I've done. A job in which I have to wear a shirt and tie would be death for me.

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

Until recently all my work has been supermarket and pub work were unifirm was required though thankfully never ties which 12 years of school have led me to detest by association.

My new job is totally casual, even the top bosses dont look remotely suited, only ever so slightly less casual. The only exception is the one guy who seems very career minded.

I always feel under dressed riding the tube at rush hour.

Andy

[Andy Turnbull]

I remember my year's work placement in insurance and having to wear shirt and tie five days a week. The only thing to be said was it gave me an excuse to wear waistcoats all the time - which was awesome.

Andy

[kayevcee]

In the lab I have to wear a lab coat which must be buttoned up at all times, protective goggles and when I'm working with toxic substances (most of the time) nitrile gloves. A shirt and tie is not required, although one of our demonstrators was saved from extensive scarring by his high collar when something he was working on in a fume cupboard exploded all over him. You don't realise how tough lab coats actually are till you get something on another bit of clothing and a couple of days later it disintegrates.

-Nick

[Deleted]

I work in an office where smart is very very rarely the watch word, granted that's probably because we are a bunch of geologists and for us smart is a pair of combats and a t-shirt. However, when I do go to see clients I do dress smartly. At first I did do the whole shirt, tie and jacket, but after a few meetings I realised that smart casual would do - smart trousers, shoes, a shirt and depending on the situation a tie. There is one place I will always wear a suit and that is at exhibitions, that is the one place where a suit is a must as it projects the air of professionality that will show that you are better than the competition (though some in my company would struggle to give the defination of being professional, but that's a different story ).

[Shockprowl]

I love putting on a suit and tie! I think it's prob 'cos at work I'm in my costume (what I affectionately call my uniform). If I wore a suit and tie all day I think I'd prol get board of it. When I did have a job in the real world in an office it was a tie, difficult to remember those 9 to 5 days...

[elliotthopkins]

I'm impossibly scruffy at work. We've really let the smart casual thing slip. It was never properly enforced. I'm grateful for the freedom of movement and the option to wear old clothes when I get under the test stands.

I'm this close to shorts and flipflops in summer at work. In summer a few Hawaiian shirts come out. Well they did. I've erm, grown up a bit in the last couple of years.

[Mark_Stevenson]

Shirt and tie most days, full whistle if I have to go out and 'sell' to customers. This is what happens when your marketing material features words like 'bespoke' and 'tradition'. I enjoy it to be honest; I'm not a clothes-horse or anything but it is nice to dress up a little.

*whistles 'Sharp-Dressed Man' by ZZ Top*

Mx

[Gav]

Since moving to a new job, where the dress code seems to be "Just don't take the piss", I've found myself a lot happier. I'm loving just shuffling into work in jeans and a t shirt.

[Hero]

transforce said:

I wear a tie for job interviews, weddings, funerals and that's it!

What about School?

===KEN

[Hero]

My Father Christmas work has become 'power dressing' of sorts. I treat the illusion of becoming the jolly red guy very seriously and try to attend to the detail. (More on that in another thread)

Christmas one year, my local Adventure Park had me doing Disneyworld style walkarounds and it was like I paved the streets with gold. I may not own a Sunday Best, but my Santa getup is power dressing in its own right.