Clothes Don’t Make the Man
It has been hot as hell here the last couple weeks. On the way back from lunch one day this week, I came across 6 older businessmen in suits on a street corner. In the midday sun, the temperature was near 100 degrees with the high humidity of a Nashville summer. They were sweating like stuffed pigs and I could only imagine the level of discomfort they were experiencing.
When I first started blogging, I created two blogs – one for my political thoughts and edgy rants, and one for my more “normal” thoughts – this one. When I decided to merge the two, I removed most of the more “edgy” rants and political pieces. One of these rants was on dress codes and formal work attire. Needless to say, I was a bit critical of companies (and those within said companies) who thought that a tie or suit was required. The gist of my rant was that those who judge or expect to be judged by their business dress are not those whom I wish to associate with.
Not that I have an issue with someone who enjoys dressing up (crazy people do exist) – I mean, dressing up for a special event can be fun I guess. But for most, a suit (or a tie, or even “business casual”) represents a level of respect that is demanded or expected. Many “old-schoolers” consider that the lack of a suit demands less respect. They judge based on what you wear. This, to me, is perverse. Not only do I not want to demand respect from something so superficial as my clothing, I don’t wish to impress said folk who demand it in this form.
Any respect that I may receive should be earned through deeds, not by my clothing. Anyone shallow enough to require such clothing to even allow the opportunity to be respected is someone for which I could care less if I had their respect. Unfortunately, I still have to feed my family, so sometimes you have to do whatever it takes – but that doesn’t mean I like it or can do much more than feign respect for those who require it.
Ultimately, in many companies, archaic dress codes engender more disdain than respect. Those who implement these policies are generally more concerned with perception than performance, and it’s likely a sign of a company that’s not only not progressive, but one which is on a path to obsolescence. The brightest and best don’t want to be judged by their shell – and won’t stand for a company which measures them by such a standard.
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I see you are hot and irritated so I will respond gingerly to your comments.
First, don’t take it out on the older generation (6 older businessmen sweating like stuffed pigs…perverse “old-schoolers”…and the archaic dress codes you apparently give us credit for). We left you a better situation than we inherited. We got rid of, for the most part, business hats, suspenders, sticky heavy suits and socks, bow ties, extra wide ties, and much more. It was your generation that tried to bring some of them back. And, by the way, we invented casual day and even casual week, and casual ‘any time anyone could think of a reason day’. We didn’t want to do it all but the “younger generations” seem to like it better that way.
It’s obvious that the internet phenomenon created a new wave of dress and action. The fact that shorts, t-shirts, tennis shoes and anything funky became the norm along with a carefree and careless attitude which was supposed to fertilize the brain and transport the mind out of the box. With all that support it’s amazing that so many of the companies couldn’t survive. Maybe the second generation of internet activities brought a little more structure.
I’m glad to see you dress up from time to time. If your Doctor, Lawyer, Minister, Finance Planner, etc. wore cutoffs and a whirly bird hat while giving you service or counsel would you have the same level of confidence in them? Would you find comfort with a boss or employee who is generally dressed in a sloppy haphazard manner?
I agree with you. Lack of a suit and tie does not demand less respect. Everyone has to earn that. But there needs to be some level of decorum. For a lot of people business casual means flip flops, shorts and a t-shirt. If you are okay with that than that’s fine. If not, you too will have to set some rules, especially if you have customers for which you compete with others for business. They may judge you in part by what they see.
Make the most of it. Many of us old people wear what we want and really don’t care what anyone thinks. And guess what, for that we are often called old farts. I’m glad you are on our side.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
First, “casual” days, casual weeks, and everything else were not created by old-schoolers out of any thought of progressiveness. They were dragged kicking and screaming by HR departments who could no longer fill positions with every intention of repealing them if they could. Tighter labor markets in less progressive areas have proven this to be true.
Also, never did I condone dressing sloppily or haphazardly. Who defines decorum? Steve Jobs once threw an applicant out of an interview because he came to the interview in a tie. He associated it with stodgy IBM and valuing decorum more than intelligence and creativity. Maybe he should define it?
In Silicon Valley, a bunch of suits showing up will more than likely end up with the suits packing. They judge you on a different standard. Is that any better? What if the decorum was t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops to be taken seriously? Boy, some of the old-timers would be up a creek then wouldn’t they?
While old-schoolers like to dredge up the .com bust as a point of fact in the failure of more progressive offices, attires, and work schedules, this is a straw-man. The .com bust was about bad planning, not a more life-focused approach to staffing. I guess Google has been a total failure too. I’ve heard they have pretty strict rules on attire and a pretty button down office environment…
By the way, when I see a minister dressed to the nines, I’m very unlikely to take them seriously. When my preacher shows up in jeans and a t-shirt, my level of respect increases immensely. God certainly doesn’t judge by the outer man. Thankfully, most of the churches in the former category are disappearing like the northern ice cap, while the churches in the latter are growing by leaps and bounds.
Anyway, this is the new world old farts!!! Get used to it…
August 4th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Oh, I don’t know about irritated, but I’m certainly hot. Gotta live life on fire, or how interesting would it be?
August 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Wow it is hot outside and on this blog. I find both your arguments interesting. Yes I would not like to go to my doctor and see her dressed in cut off shorts, tank top, and a baseball hat. She does not have to be dressed in a fancy suit or dress either. Do I care that my bank teller, lawyer, etc is wearing a dress or suit? No not really. Do I want them looking raggedy or like a hooker? No The truth is sometimes a dress code comes in handy. That is why more and more schools are going to uniforms. I don’t think this is such a bad idea. I remember kids in my class that could not afford the latest pair of jeans or shirt or shoes. I would think uniforms would help children to all feel a little more equal. We put way too much already into what we wear, drive, live, and etc. So does anyone need to wear a suit? No Does anyone need to wear raggedy clothing? No (inless you are doing yard work) The truth is a job well done is allot more important than what you are wearing.