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Why do we dress up for work?

Published on January 7, 2011 by

A group of people in business attireCasual Fridays are pointless. No they aren’t. They’re the one day of the week I can dress down and wear jeans. Why not dress down the entire week? Because the other four days are reserved for business attire. Why? Well, research shows that people generally feel better about themselves if they dress for success which, in turn, makes them more productive. You’re a moron.

Seriously, who came up with “business attire”? Was it a couple of cavemen sitting around a fire?

OGG: Hey Urg, you know what be a good idea?

URG: The wheel?

OGG: No. Well, maybe. But me thinking we start making people dress a certain way for work.

URG: Ooh! Ooh! And clothes they wear determine productivity and success.

BOTH: Brilliant!

Rubbish! Why can’t I be professional in a t-shirt and a pair of jeans? Because that’s not professional. No, it’s because the two douchebags from way back when defined what professional and unprofessional should look like, and every bidness douche since then simply went along with the idea that dressing unprofessionally would impede one’s ability to be productive and successful. That’s a long sentence. Zip it.

I bet if you removed the concept of “dressing up” from your brain, put on clothes like you would for any other day of your life, and then went to work you would see that dressing up has zero impact on your ability to perform your duties. For real, when I go to work I don’t do a better job if I’m wearing a tie around my neck or pants on my legs. Heck, I’m not wearing pants right now and my I’m managing to work just fine. You’re not wearing pants? As a matter of fact, no.

Wake up people. It’s time we got rid of the “dress up” requirement. At no point in our lives should we be required to dress up. Not for weddings. Not for fancy dinners at Chez Food. Not for church… Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! WWJD? He’d throw on a robe, slip on a pair of sandals, and perform miracles. Good point. Exactly. Jesus didn’t dress up for work each day and I’d say he did all right. Granted I’m not the Son of God, but if a guy who saved the world (for Christians anyway) didn’t dress up for work why should I?

Are you suggesting people wear robes and sandals to work? If it makes them happy, why not? Our jobs should not be evaluated by our clothing. What about goga pants? As long as I don’t see a single camel toe or a coin slot, I’m game. What about pajamas? What about ‘em? What about…Look pal, as long as you can do the work it shouldn’t matter what you wear.

Employers, stop judging your employees and evaluating their performance by their clothes. As long as your employees (those are the people who make you look good and make you money) do their job, let ‘em dress as they wish.

Why do we dress up for work? Share your thoughts below or send me an e-mail at TiTy@y2kemo.com.

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  • Guest

    I disagree with a lot of what you say. (Though I do agree with some of it as well.) I am a vocational trainer (I train people to find jobs and perform well at interviews, etc.) and I work in formal attire.

    I can not express how many men can not help but smile when they put on new formal or business clothes. Men, you may not think you do, but many men–almost all of them, in fact–enjoy what they look like, when they see themselves in the mirror.

    Working primarily with wedding groups, I have the opportunity day after day to see what grooms look like in their tuxes, and I guarantee you that a “Bond, James Bond” feeling (if not that verbatim) passes through the groom’s mind–and he enjoys it. When he goes the extra step and puts on that bow tie, he feels more composed about himself, stands a little straighter, and smiles a little bit more.

    Now, I understand that men do not wear tuxedos to work every day, but a well-cut suit can have the same effect. A tailored suit can make a man feel as awesome as any other clothes, and that is the look business in the corporate world are encouraging. I think every reader who looks at the picture at the top will notice how sharp every person in the photograph looks–and that is a look that is attainable for all of us.

    I also promise that when I look sharp at work, I work more efficiently and I am a role model (and model) for my shoppers. But I am at home, working on an article about acing professional interviews, and I am in relaxed jeans with an old biking shirt while a loose-fitting bandana is slung around my neck.

    Therefore, I would argue some of your points, saying there is still a time and place for business attire, but it by no means determines success. As for church, putting on that suit shows that you care, not that you just decided to show up.  Plenty of people would argue with your point, saying that if you are at church, that shows you cared enough to show up. But there is a very traditional mentality around fancy dinners, church, weddings, and funerals. That mentality is encouraged by the fact that we dress up. I see no reason why it would fade anytime soon. But, if you want to show up to your spouse’s funeral or you child’s wedding without pants on, be my guest.

    • http://y2kemo.com y2kemo

      It’s not often I encounter a well-crafted rebuttal. I particularly liked the “no pants at a funeral” jab. Excellent really. Props to you.

      You bring up a great point, dressing up and feeling good about being dressed up is a mentality. A learned and conditioned mentality. While you are correct in stating that most people do feel confident and proud in a tux or a suit it is because they have been taught to feel that way by generations of people who bought into the two cavemen’s idea.

      If I don’t wear pants to a funeral I’ll let you know. :)

      • Srkshop

        You can come pantless to my funeral if you want.  I will be dead and don’t care.  Also, if that is what makes you happy, then I want you to come to my funeral pantless.

      • http://y2kemo.com y2kemo

        I’d be honored

  • ChrisfromLINY

    I couldn’t agree more. I am a teacher with a masters degree. I went for in for a quick interview at a tutor agency which I was already hired for in another town and when i got there on a 100 degree July day in a tshirt the woman asked me what I was there for I told here and she said be right back. When she returned she said would you like to reschedule? I said why would I want to do that I’m here for my scheduled time. She said this is a professional interview. I said oh really then why aren’t you paying me professionally for the job? The job was for $10 an hour , mind you I have a masters degree and this is for part time tutoring work. She responded and said if that matters to you. I said as a matter of fact that matters a great deal to me what you will be compensating me for the position. Does Mc Donalds require you to wear a suit to a $10 interview? So the bottom line is am I going to put a suit on for a job I might make $80 a week at and then get taxed on. Hell no I don’t need the job that bad. Plus the fact that it was 100 degrees and I was already hired at the other location give me a break! 

    Even the President… why does the guy have to wear a suit every day? I happen to be a extreme sweater when the weather is warm and as a teacher (currently sub) I have to wear a neck tie every day to work basically because it is expected even though there is no requirement saying so everyone does. I sweat like crazy on warm days and wearing that attire actually hinders my ability to perform my job as I become very uncomfortable and have to wipe the sweat off of me with a towel. We don’t have air condition in public schools. By the way there is also a major discrimination between sexes. Women at work all wear sandals and open air shoes all the time. God forbid a man showed up to work with sandals on a hot day, we would be crucified and sent home. It is all bs and I couldn’t agree more. I think people should dress how they feel like. I don’t think you should be a slob but hell if its clean and productive who cares! 

  • jazzyjeff

    i disagree with everything you said, if you go the bank and lets say your a millionaire would you rather a guy who looks ragged, torn up levis, 20 year old pink floyd t shirt to take care of your money or the guy who is sharp dressed and in a suit??? and your Jesus comment, totally irrelevant you do relalize that back then they didnt dress up OR have casual days, you wore a cloth, oh this was WAY before there were name brands of clothes,                                                                                             

    • http://y2kemo.com y2kemo

      Thanks for your input. Your opinion is greatly appreciated. Regarding your question about where I would prefer to do my banking…I’d be happy to let someone who’s passionate about 70s rock take care of my bank transaction because I’m trusting the institution to employ qualified individuals. If the bank allows their employees to do business in ratty clothes, great. And the Jesus comment was only partially irrelevant. He could have gone the way of his persecutors and dressed in armor and/or a nice toga, but he opted not to.  

  • Macmal2

    people you have to understand that we dress up in a suit because thats what our “founding fathers” showed us? therefor we are being controlled in a way. Don’t you see? clothes are clothes? Why should we be over looked on how we dress? If you really think about it, the only important factor that a boss should have on his/her mind is your personilty because, thats the main factor that brings in the money. People need to pay more attention on being happy and, if your happy with what you wear then so be it. But i will say this; as of now in this day and age you should go with the suit because too many people in this world live by what socity tells them and, those people are the same people who have the power to hire you or drop you. And for what i thik about the jesus subject… they didn’t care about what they had on (adam and eve?) < they were happy? Time just change into people who want a say in things so they came up with dumb rules? so really when it comes down  to how we dress, its the random people (most likely with alot of money) who have power to determine the outcome which is why our government doesnt wear wigs anymore. Yes some men get happy when they put on suits? its because thats how we are trained to act because again we are going with what socity feels we should. Just be your self .. thats what really matters? Im a teen and i have a better understanding on this subject than most of the people who wake up everyday?

    -mack mal

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