Women’s Business Fashion – A Man’s Point of View
True story: My office is on one of the top floors of our building. One day I took the elevator to the ground floor, as I am in the habit of doing on occasion. I was hoping for an express trip, but it was not to be. The car stopped after only two or three floors and two young ladies entered the car. I was praying they might be visitors to the building, but their employee badges were in plain sight. Why did I hope they were not fellow coworkers? Because of the way they were dressed – or maybe I should say, the way they weren’t dressed. “Business casual” was overstating the very low-cut tops, short tight skirts, and caked-on makeup these two young girls were wearing. I was uncomfortable in their presence and found the ceiling fan in the elevator suddenly fascinating. I couldn’t, however, ignore their giggly, bubbly conversation, focusing on one girl’s encounter with a man who was obviously interested in only one thing from her. Thankfully, the elevator finally reached the lobby, and we all exited. A few men were waiting to get on the elevator, and I noticed that every single one of them looked at these two young ladies as they left. The girls noticed too, and one of them exclaimed, “See what I mean? I hate it when men look at me like that!”
I couldn’t help myself – I laughed out loud! The two turned to look at me and I chuckled as I said, “If you don’t want men to look, stop dressing like you DO want them to look!” My helpful advice was met with a couple of dirty looks and the comeback, “I should be able to dress the way I want!” before the two walked off, grumbling under their breath.
Now I’m no prude. What surprised me was that these two young girls felt that, in a business environment, what they were wearing was perfectly acceptable. (Their attire might have been just fine in a different working environment – say, that of the local bordello.) There is absolutely no way either of these ladies would be considered a business professional based solely on their dress, or lack thereof.
Men Are From Mars…
Ladies, let me clue you in on something you may not have realized: The vast majority of men like women. Really, they do. Men find women appealing to the senses. It’s got something to do with the differences in the sexes and reproduction and survival of the fittest. As a result, women have a profound effect on men’s ability to think logically. (Don’t ask me – the biologists and psychologists can explain it in detail much better than I can.) The end result is that inappropriate dress in the workplace may give an impression that you don’t intend, and probably a negative one.
Oh, and let’s talk about how this can affect the other women on the job. There’s enough competition in the workplace without giving your female coworkers additional ammunition to fire at you. Overdressing or underdressing could give the ladies in your office just cause to give you a dressing down to your superiors.
Yes, you’re adults. Yes, you can dress the way you want. The fact is you only get one chance to make a good first impression! If the first time a man sees you it’s in an outfit that’s inappropriate for the workplace, what kind of impression are you giving him? Are you a force to be reckoned with in the business community, or are you just eye candy for his entertainment? You may change your dress style down the road, but for some men (and women!) their initial assessment of you will continue to influence decisions that could affect your career for the rest of your time with that company.
(By the way, I’m not saying that we men have our act together when it comes to getting dressed. Most of us have our clothing picked out by our wives or girlfriends…or both, in some cases. Proof positive of the inability of a man to think logically where women are concerned!)
I’m not here to give you advice on what to wear to convey that competent business impression. You can get that information from books or from any episode of “What Not To Wear”. I’m here to tell you, from a man’s perspective, the clothing styles you wear to work that are a detriment to your career, not to mention a distraction (at best) or an eyesore (at worst) to your coworkers.
Starved for Attention
The two young ladies in my story definitely fall into this category. They’re young, they’re fit, they’re hip to fashion, and they don’t mind wearing things that would make Britney Spears blush. Is it any wonder that the men in the workplace leer when they walk by? These girls acted offended by the looks, but my guess is they secretly enjoyed it. And some may argue with me, but let’s face it: If you don’t want attention, you don’t go looking for it. Especially in a work environment that is more concerned than ever about sexual harassment, dressing this way may garner some very inappropriate attention. And it’s not professional – period.
Mid-Life Crisis
This is the woman who refuses to grow old gracefully. Her clothing, hairstyle, and mannerisms indicate she thinks she’s still in that 20-something age bracket. She might even have you convinced for a while. Then you find out she has kids – teenagers. She’s about to celebrate her silver anniversary. And her husband will be retiring in five years. Suddenly that youthful appearance and attitude are no longer assets, but liabilities. It’s almost a joke, like Joan Rivers and her multiple plastic surgeries. Does anybody who looks at her truly believe she’s as young as her daughter? Of course not! I understand that both men and women are concerned about a younger, cheaper workforce taking over their positions. But there are better ways to fight the ravages of time. Becoming the punch line in the jokes around the water cooler doesn’t aid your cause or advance your career.
Shrinking Violet
This term doesn’t refer to the woman – it refers to her clothing. As time progresses, that size 10 gets smaller and smaller. But it makes no difference. She’s a size 10, and she’ll fit in that size 10 even if it kills her. This means she’s sharing with her coworkers the nooks and crannies in her body that only her most intimate acquaintances should ever know about…and maybe not even then. I’ve seen enough feminine undergarments sticking out over the top of a waistband or threatening to tear through a too-tight shirt to last several lifetimes. The comments made about attire of this type are too cruel to mention, and are probably the most frequent. Swallow your pride and save your dignity. Go up a size or two if necessary.
All Man
Twenty-five years ago there weren’t a lot of clothing options for professional women in the workplace. The woman who wanted to go places in the business world bought clothing styled like a man’s. No frilly dresses with oversized bows for these ladies, no sir! (Maybe the manufacturers thought they’d convert easily into nooses.) Unfortunately some of the clothing designers from 1980 are still around, as evidenced by the woman who is still enthralled by dressing like a man. From the pinstriped three-piece suit to the power tie, this woman is making a statement that she’s playing ball with the big boys. The problem is, she’s stuck in a time warp. In the corporate environment, one has to wonder: Is this woman’s understanding of our business as dated as her outfit?
Bite the Bullet, Ladies!
In a day and age when women make up over half the work force of the United States, there are so many clothing options available for the workplace. It makes no difference if the dress code is business professional, business casual, or jeans and sport shirts. All employees need to dress in a way that reflects the company for whom they work. It means better public relations for the company, and better career opportunities for the employee. Is it fair? Maybe not. Is it reality? Absolutely. So dress the way you want to at home or at the party. But on the job, be considerate of your coworkers, and respect yourself, by dressing appropriately. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to remove my earring, take off my sandals, and change from sweatshirts into my business casual work clothes. I have a paycheck to earn – and a career to advance!
Author: Danny Davids - searchwarp.com
