In today’s world, the office environment seems to be getting more and more casual with each passing year. People want to express themselves through their style and why should the office be any different from anywhere else? Well, because it is different from anywhere else. The office space is unique. Hundreds of individuals in a professional setting all need to follow the same rules. The dress code being a very important one. Humans rely a lot on body language when dealing with other humans, and our impressions of people, no matter how biased and unfair, can make a difference in how we interact with them. Knowing what is appropriate and what is not can save us a lot of hassle. We have come up with the top four things that shouldn’t be worn to the office.
Tight and revealing clothes
The office is a place for work, not to flaunt our goods and try to land a date. Men can be easily distracted by a woman in tight or revealing clothes and there could very well end up being complaints about it. On the other side, women might feel uncomfortable if a man’s shirt is unbuttoned too far or his pants are too tight. However unfair it is, this sort of workwear could give the wrong impression about an employee and colleagues might not take them seriously. Employees have ended up making unwanted advances because of this in the past and it never ends well.
Offensive T-shirts
Some offices have a very casual workwear policy and that is very lucky for their employees. Jeans and sneakers are so comfortable and are great for productivity. Just don’t take this casual perk for granted. Casual does not translate to “anything you want.” Wearing T-shirts with offensive images, logos, or phases can quickly have an employee in seriously hot water or even fired. It’s best just to appreciate the casual freedom and stick to neutral T-shirts.
Flip flops
Whichever way we look at it, unless you’re working at a beach, flip flops and sandals, in general, are a big no go for the office. Open-toed shoes are associated with weekends and relaxation. Both clients and co-workers would not be able to take this footwear seriously. Arriving at the office with a pair of these bad boys will earn any employee a scalding from the manager, no matter how pretty that pedicure looks.
Perfume
Every office has at least one person who wears way too much perfume or cologne. Don’t be that guy. Our colleagues should see us before they smell us. The scents we think are amazing might just be nauseating to others. Just about any scent can smell horrific if it is overused. Some experts warn against wearing any perfume of any kind to the office, but in all honesty, a little spray in the morning can be nice.
Although general office wear has accepted a more casual side of late, for those in sales it is still mandatory to have the corporate look to close the all important deal. That means business suits, ties, and those expensive shoes. That being said, the world of corporate wear is still ever changing and expanding. Who knows what we could be wearing to the office in the next 20 years… probably still not flip flops.
