Dressing or Distracting?

The subject of proper office attire is such a hot button. Over the years, I have heard so many challenges to the idea of calling someone out on clothing. Things like; why do women always get singled out, why can’t people express themselves, why does everyone have to look alike, or why isn’t it about the work? After many uncomfortable conversations with employees and with human resources I found that best way to handle the conversation was to talk about the distraction it caused, but not in the way you might expect.

Whether I was talking to the female fashionista or the guy who was convinced he could get three straight days out of a dress shirt, my advice was the same. I suggested to them that they should first and foremost strive to be known for the work that they do. I would explain that at the end of the year when management was doing evaluations and discussing compensation and promotion, it was better for an individual to be known by a successful project, idea or work-product than to be identified by an element of their attire. There were times as a director when I had to sit in a room with other directors and leadership to fight for money or promotions for my team. In many cases, I had to “sell” a particular individual and make a case for them. With limited budgets and promotions, it was a tough enough task without having to explain away flamboyant attire or bad hygiene when that is what someone became known for rather than their performance. While they might stand out from the crowd as “that girl that wore the halter top” or “stinky shirt guy” it wasn’t in a positive way. It was not going to get them paid and would very likely delay or derail a promotion track.

There are so many ways to express your style or have a trademark without distracting people from your work when you are at the office. You want people to remember you and your job first, and not just what you wore. I can easily recall the names of some of the most talented people I have worked with over the years and can also call to mind their signature style when it didn’t overshadow them. I remember (names omitted, you know who you are) _______, that charming trader with the great socks and watches, _______, the treasurer with great bank relationships who had  the most amazing handbags, _______, the pipeline scheduler who managed so many in-line barrels while wearing great shoes and _________, the banker who signed that colossal deal while sporting the  super-preppie bowties. I can’t recall the name or job of Stinky Shirt Guy (s), Halter Girl, Wrinkled Dockers Dude or “Whitesnake”. While they may well have been good at their jobs, the way they presented themselves overshadowed everything else about them.

Don’t distract people from your abilities by how you present yourself.