Mark Twain may not have been talking about workplace dressing when he wrote the above, but he might as well have been. Though you might not be boarding the tube starkers any time soon, workwear mistakes are made every day in offices across the globe.
Here are the worst, most common sartorial sins – and how to avoid them.
Pre-empting the imagination
Back in 2010, banker Debrahlee Lorenzana sued Citibank for unfair dismissal, claiming that her fitted suits had distracted male colleagues. Was the onus on the men for being distracted or Lorenzana for dressing that way? Even if the former, the issue could have been avoided with a little more office-wear nous.
The reason that revealing clothes are frowned upon in the workplace is simple: they norway phone number resource are distracting, and not in a good way. The office is a space for productivity, not seduction; low necklines and high hems might make you feel good, but at the price of your colleagues’ discomfort. It’s so easy to buy some no-VPL pants, or wear a skin-coloured bra with that white shirt, that there really is no excuse.
What’s more, a 2004 study showed that women in positions of responsibility who dressed in a ‘sexy’ manner were viewed as less competent. So before you don that tight, crop, sheer or strappy top, take a moment to consider your options.
Men, you’re not off the hook here. If you’re wearing a crew-necked undershirt, ensure it’s hidden beneath your outer one. And no: nobody wants to see your boxers. Keep it secret, keep it safe.
Athleisure centre
It’s been a good few years since athleisure stormed into fashion. The couture-gym hybrid has changed the way many urbanites dress. But its role in office-wear remains a matter of fierce debate.
Despite claims to the contrary, the booming enthusiasm for work-to-sports-wear is not shared by most C-suiters. Gym wear doesn’t say: “I have high standards and a drive to succeed.” It says: “I’m going by the gym after work and I’m happy to put in the minimum effort possible.”
4 Workwear Sins - and How To Avoid Them
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