How do you dress for work?

wandajune6 · May 2014

I work for a start-up. We used to work from home but now we share space with several other start-ups. We see lots of jeans, t-shirts, and yoga pants from fellow entrepreneurs while the people who work for the program live in jeans and dressy tops. We dress up when we're having guests or leave for client meetings but it's a casual environment. Given that I've had to wear suits for much of my career, I love the change!

We had a casual guest come in today so I dressed up: dark jeans, a dressy tank top, black cardigan sweater, a necklace, and dressy-ish black wedges. I even wore makeup, something I rarely do. I surprised people around the office which made me think:

How do you dress for work? What do you wish you could change?

grumbledore · May 2014

I wear black slacks/skirt, a top and a sweater pretty much every day. Sometimes I wear a dress with a cardigan or blazer. I rarely accessorize much at work. I alternate pretty evenly between heels and flats. Makeup is non-negotiable for me.

We can't wear jeans. I wouldn't be sad if I could, but I would probably still only wear them once or twice a week. I like dressing up.

JennyColada · May 2014

I normally wear jeans, sneakers, and t-shirts.

I'm a retail manager for Vans, so I just wear a lot of their product.

I LOVED when I worked for Steve Madden, because I could wear jeans and t-shirts and sneakers, but other days I could dress up in cute skirts and heels (the only requirement was that you wore Steve Madden shoes). I dislike that now I'm kind of encouraged to NOT dress up, but I also like not having to dress to the nines every day.

HisGirlFriday13 · May 2014

Most days, business casual -- nice slacks, heels, skirts, blouses, etc.

On important days (political lobbying days, fundraising days, board meeting days, etc.), I wear a suit (skirt or pants, depending on weather/time of year).

Tomorrow we're having a casual Friday -- YAY!!! -- which rarely happens, and we get to wear jeans, and you can bet I'll be taking advantage of that. Nice jeans, but still jeans.

I like dressing up. I look much, much younger than I am (routinely get carded, and I'm in my 30s), so wearing dressy clothes helps people in the field I work in take me more seriously than otherwise they might.

jdluvr06 · May 2014

Mostly jeans and t shirts. If investors come in I dress up a bit.

SmileDamnit · May 2014

We have a casual office so I wear jeans most days or summer dresses when it gets warm enough. I'm lazy so I'll only put on makeup if I'm feeling super ambitious or doing HH/going out with FI after work.

If we are interviewing &/or have scheduled visitors/vendors in office, then we'll do business casual. Same for Board of Regent meetings. Once a year, we put on a big conference for our members and then I looooove to dress up.

pinkcow13 · May 2014

My job is business attire, but it is easy to get away with business casual. In the fall/winter I wear suits, but I like to wear stylish colorful suits. Red jackets with black pants, Or a black suit with a bright pink shirt. Or I will wear cardigans with black pants. In the spring/summer I tend to wear a lot of dresses and skirts, rarely I'll wear pants. And I like wearing colorful items around this time.

phira · May 2014

I am a grad student. I previously worked as a research technician. I also often work as a teaching fellow (a glorified TA).

I try not to dress like a "typical" grad student, although most grad students I know tend to dress like regular humans. I usually wear jeans, flats or sneakers (riding boots in the fall and winter), and T-shirts/tank-tops (tanks I wear with cardigans/sweaters). I try to be a little fashion forward--I'll change up between skinny jeans and bootcut, and I'll try interesting color combos.

I have to wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and bracelets/long necklaces are difficult to work in.

VulgarGirl · May 2014

Our only attire rules at work are, yes you must wear clothes and if you wear PJs or a suit, we'll mock you.

I'm a tattoo artist, so we're very casual. I'm wearing hot pinks shorts, a black halter top, and day of dead sandal wedges right now. And that's a pretty usual work look for me.

Occasionally I look at FI's side of the closet her business casual clothes fancy grown up clothes and wish I could wear something like that to work, then I remember summer sucks here and I can wear shorts and get over it pretty quickly.

chibiyui · May 2014

I usually wear dresses and skirts/dressy ish tops. Occasionally the store I work at has dress down days, pay 5 bucks for a charity and you can wear jeans. I always participate cause jeans are comfy. I still wear dressy tops though.

I like dressing up, I wear skirts and dresses cause finding dress pants that actually fit, have belt loops, and pockets is nearly impossible. I wear earrings and coordinating necklaces almost every day.

CamiSelene · May 2014

Usually black or grey slacks (or capris in spring) with a nice top/sweater, dresses, or black leggings with a long top (my "long" tops are usually supposed to be dresses but I'm so tall that I would be bearing all for the world to see if I wore them as such).... Apparently I wear a lot of cardigans too (curse of the teacher! Lol). I once asked FI what kind of dress he thought I might have for the wedding and his exact words were "knowing you, something with a cardigan" ETA: I'm always in flats, flat bottomed boots, or runners and always cheap ones at that because I'm on my feet all day and am usually guaranteed to get paint or some other substance on it from the little ones.

KeptInStitches · May 2014

Polos, jeans, closed-toed black leather shoes. I'm in the lab a lot, and I need to be safe.

lyndausvi · May 2014

I work from home. I normally put on jeans or leggins and a nicer top. I never put on makeup or really do my hair per se. I do try and look presentable. I've never stayed in pj's or anything.

My summer part-time job I wear a Nike golf skort and a golf shirt (drive a beverage cart for a golf club).

phira · May 2014

lyndausvi said:

I work from home. I normally put on jeans or leggins and a nicer top. I never put on makeup or really do my hair per se. I do try and look presentable. I've never stayed in pj's or anything.

My summer part-time job I wear a Nike golf skort and a golf shirt (drive a beverage cart for a golf club).

When I work from home (like, working on a paper or something), I always get dressed, put in contacts, brush my hair, etc. It's work; I have to feel awake and everything!

smalfrie19 · May 2014

My office is pretty casual, but I am at the front desk, so I am limited to black jeans, sweaters, blouses and my dresses. I always either wear make up, or my glasses (to outline my eyes). I am always in flats or heels, never tennis shoes or sandals.

Gerbertmcway · May 2014

Jeans, tshirts, hoodies, and work boots. My hair is in a ponytail or bun everyday. Occasionally if I want to feel ~fancy I'll throw on a pair of earrings. It's great! Sometimes I wish I had the ambition to dress nice or do my hair, but I work in environmental science and do mostly fieldwork so it would be a giant waste.

cupcait927 · May 2014

My office is business/business casual. In the winter I'll do dress pants and cardigans or button down shirts. In the summer I'll go a little more casual with dresses and skirts but still look professional. If I'm going to a client meeting or we have a client in the office, I'll wear a suit. I really need to work on updating my wardrobe so that it's a little more polished and fashion forward but I'm hopeless when it comes to shopping. And I'm poor. Buying a house and paying for a wedding in the same year is rough on your bank account.

theartistformerlyknownas · May 2014

I work in advertising so it's jeans nearly every day. Today I'm in a black t-shirt, rolled-up jeans, and ballet flats with my hair in a side braid. Sometimes if I have to go to the client's building I'll wear dress pants, but not all the time. If anyone wore a suit here people would ask if it was for an interview or a funeral.

SapphireCounselor · May 2014

I work on a college campus so I probably dress up more than I have to. I usually stick with business casual except on Fridays. We all wear jeans on Fridays.

daria24 · May 2014

I work in an industry that doesn't give a fuck what anyone wears. Everyone wears jeans usually, or cargo pants in the field. When the weather gets better some of the women wear cute dresses. If you show up dressed too nicely we assume you are going to an event after work. If anyone shows up in a suit to an interview we laugh and laugh and laugh.

thisismynickname2 · May 2014

We're allowed to wear "casual" which basically means clothes that aren't ripped, stained, too revealing, stuff you'd wear to bed, stuff you'd wear to the beach, or stuff you'd work out in.

For me, that means a daily uniform of jeans, nice shoes, and tops/cardigans from the likes of Ann Taylor.

I dress up on days with important meetings, but damnit, sometimes I just wanna wear sneakers and a hoodie!

What I hate is people with poor taste. I have seen some eye-raising outfits that while technically aren't against dress code, just look.... wrong. Also, I hate seeing sloppy people. Do you hate your job so much that you just don't care what you look like? I guess so!

I also wish overall people would take more pride in their appearance, because we share a building with a major consulting firm, and it's plainly obvious who works for which organization in our building. I'm embarrassed some days when I'm in the elevator with all the classy people.

emmyg65 · May 2014

Banana Republic-y, I guess. Shift dresses (or fit n flare), slender-cut pants, blouse and sweaters, pencil skirts. I usually have fun with my shoes and I wear bright colors often. I work at a university and I kind of overdress for my environment. But it makes me feel more put together and professional. Plus it's fun!

penguin44 · May 2014

I'm in engineering, so I wear jeans and a nice top every day. Always with flats. I usually wear a little makeup, but if I wore a lot people would look at me funny. I work with mostly men. Some people are a lot more casual than me with sandals, t-shirts, and leggings, but I'm new so I try to look presentable.

SapphireCounselor · May 2014

thisismynickname said:

We're allowed to wear "casual" which basically means clothes that aren't ripped, stained, too revealing, stuff you'd wear to bed, stuff you'd wear to the beach, or stuff you'd work out in.

For me, that means a daily uniform of jeans, nice shoes, and tops/cardigans from the likes of Ann Taylor.

I dress up on days with important meetings, but damnit, sometimes I just wanna wear sneakers and a hoodie!

What I hate is people with poor taste. I have seen some eye-raising outfits that while technically aren't against dress code, just look.... wrong. Also, I hate seeing sloppy people. Do you hate your job so much that you just don't care what you look like? I guess so!

I also wish overall people would take more pride in their appearance, because we share a building with a major consulting firm, and it's plainly obvious who works for which organization in our building. I'm embarrassed some days when I'm in the elevator with all the classy people.

I am so jealous of your dress code.

buttercup1958 · May 2014

My job is "business causal" but most people are on the causal side. I tend to dress up a little more, it makes me feel good! I wear dresses, blouses, nice jeans, slacks, low heel boots, flats, and sometimes shoes like wing tips. I love accessories too so i always have my watch, my ring, a necklace, and earrings on. Plus I have bright colors and prints, it makes me feel so happy. I'm sure a lot of my coworkers think I'm silly since I dress up a little more but I feel like I'm taken more seriously than if i was just in a tee shirt and sneakers. I'm 20 and I work in a museum right now. Unless I'm in the lab then I wear crappy stuff so nothing gets ruined ha

VulgarGirl · May 2014

lolo883 said:

I work in advertising so it's jeans nearly every day. Today I'm in a black t-shirt, rolled-up jeans, and ballet flats with my hair in a side braid. Sometimes if I have to go to the client's building I'll wear dress pants, but not all the time. If anyone wore a suit here people would ask if it was for an interview or a funeral.

FI says in her office only the attonerys wear suits and even then, usually only when they have to go to court. So when people show up in suits they get asked if they're going to court that day. Funny thing, one of our artists showed up in a suit one day, we asked the same question. And the answer was yes.

beachyone15 · May 2014

@emmyg65 I work at a university too! I also feel like I dress up more than others.

On Fridays we can wear jeans but I still dress them up. You'd be surprised how many people wear t-shirts on Fridays. I just can't get on board with that at the office (even though I love t-shirts).

tcnoble · May 2014

I'm a teacher but my principal is super laid back and casual herself, so we are allowed to be too. We have school t shirts that we are supposed to wear on Thursdays and Fridays... Tuesdays are Team Sports... so basically Monday and Wednesday I'm left to my own wardrobe selection and usually wear nice jeans with a dressy top, as it's gotten warmer more sundresses... we can wear sandals (no flip flops) or basic sneakers. We can wear jeans 5 days a week just obviously not distressed with holes and whatnot. Pretty nice compared to some schools that I know where they hardly get away with jeans on Fridays.

beethery · May 2014

I work with my parents, so I have the ability to wear whatever I want as long as it isn't PJ's or doesn't cover my tattoos.

At other jobs I had to dress like I was going to a corporate interview every day as long as the boss was present. I hate having to dress like that. Yoga pants, flip flops, and FI's hoodies fo life!

WinstonsGirl · May 2014

I teach PE, so I wear Lulu everyday (or some variation). I've pretty much given up shopping for nice clothes, cos I never wear them, so it's a waste of money. We're allowed to wear jeans on Fridays, but occasionally myself and the other PE teacher will dress up nice since everyone else is dressing down. My old school didn't care if we wore jeans. My Principal there said "we have bigger things to worry about than what our staff is wearing". She also knew we wouldn't dress like slobs.

DH is an Engineer, so he's in jeans and shirt 99% of the time. He's about to become an owner though, so he's starting to wear more casual button down shirts over t-shirts, as he's feels it's a bit more professional that what the rest of staff is wearing.

jenna8984 · May 2014

@lyndausvi I think you're nuts. I'd love to work from home in my pjs hahaha. I get to take my laptop home only on snow days and you best believe on those days I'm all cuddly with my robe and slippers and blankets!

But business casual at the office. Sometimes I'm really fancy like a pencil skirt, button down top, sky high heels and other days I just do skinny corduroys, fitted tee, and flat ankle boots lol

How do you dress for work?

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