Many thanks to Wendy for sending along the link to this article from the Globe and Mail, underscoring the principle that the reason for dressing with care is to make others comfortable. Quote:
Determining the definition of overdressed requires a good look around the office.
When there are no written guidelines, you’re best to take a cue from people who work above you, because, hopefully, they are making a concerted effort to represent the company.
This means that if a boss is wearing a polo shirt, slacks and a sports jacket, you may look weird in a suit. “There’s a point at which you do create a big chasm between yourself and the other people in the organization,” says Ms. Kilgour, who adds that a business casual workplace is never an excuse to get lazy with personal grooming.
The result, according to men’s image consultant Leah Morrigan, is that people will start to question your motivation.
“If you dress at a higher level than you normally do, people will say, ‘What’s he doing? He’s dressing like this for a reason; what is it?’ So if you’re dressing outside of the norm of our business environment, then that’s going to get people asking questions,” she says, noting that a person’s choice of clothing should not necessarily be made based on other people’s perceptions.
Although, in the end, they say, being overdressed generally works in your favor. Because the excuses for being overdressed sound better than those for being underdressed.
What interesting excuses have you heard, or USED, for being inappropriately dressed?
I think my best excuses always revolved around travel. When I used to fly 4 times a month, I would dress fairly casually (probably annoyed some older generation people off in the process), and then if my luggage didn’t arrive I would have my yoga pants and comfy t-shirt on instead of my more business casual look.
No one ever really gave me too hard of a time. Of course, if it was an important meeting, I stopped at Target or the nearest mall and picked something more appropriate up. I didn’t mind the excuse for shopping and made a heck of a lot more money back then!
Jennifer
Compared to those around me, I’m usually “overdressed”. It doesn’t bother me, though. I prefer skirts because they’re more comfortable and flattering on me, but it’s hard not look overdressed in skirts when everyone else is wearing jeans and shorts. Oh well. I like my clothes.
However, I really disliked the multiple choice question that Wendy gave:
“What’s the first thought that goes through your mind when someone shows up for work overdressed?
a) She must have a job interview.
b) He’s trying too hard.
c) He looks uncomfortable.
d) Her outfit makes me look like the dog’s breakfast.
e) She’s setting an example for the rest of us.”
Those are pretty negative answers if you ask me and I wonder what kind of person would think those are the main answers! Can’t someone dress up without people being so negative? The first thought that goes through my mind is, “She looks nice today!” Beyond that I might think that she’s is feeling good about herself and wanted to dress up or wanted to wear some new outfits. No wonder so many people feel paranoid when they have to dress up if they’re thinking that way about others who dress up!
No! Wait! Misunderstanding!
Allow me to make it clear that my good friend Wendy merely passed along the link to the article. It was some “expert” who made up the question and list of answers.
I wish people could dress up without others being critical. In my opinion, it helps to dress nicely consistently; most people seem to get used to it.
At work, it’s possible to carry off being over-dressed or under-dressed purely by projecting the right manner… it’s when visiting small towns that my normal wardrobe choices bite me.
I’m a city girl. I mostly used to own relatively formal city clothes. Wearing wool slacks and a silk shirt to certain small towns in certain rural areas is an excellent way to make sure that you NEVER get service at the local diner.
Here in AZ, jeans or shorts are so widely acceptable that I tend to wear them for everything but work, so I get myself in less trouble these days when roaming.
I would draw a major distinction between “dressed up” and “overdressed,” because it’s rare for there to be exactly one level of formality appropriate in a given context (though there are always boundaries on both ends). To stay with the workplace context: in my casual office, I could wear chinos and a polo shirt, or a skirt and sweater, or slacks and a blouse and jacket. Any of those options would be appropriate to the setting, though obviously they aren’t all the same degree of dressy. If I saw someone dressed at the upper end of that continuum (as I usually try to be), then, yes, I’d think “she looks nice,” or something like that. But if someone came in wearing a suit, without an explanation like having a big client meeting scheduled that day, then, yes, people would wonder (and some would suspect job-hunting) because that would be so significantly outside the norm – not even the senior managers show up in suits more than a couple times a year – as to call attention to itself. It would be similar if someone came to work in an outfit that verged on dinnerwear – that would qualify as overdressed even in a more formal office, because it simlply isn’t business attire.
It translates to social occasions – I wouldn’t feel overdressed wearing a casual sun dress at a picnic, even though, strictly speaking, I’d be more “dressed up” than the people there in shorts. But silk chiffon probably wouldn’t be context-appropriate.
Rebecca, good to know ; )
Mella, agreed — there is a difference.