For most of my career, a suit and tie were the only options for work attire. You could wear a smart blazer and trousers on a summer Friday, but in the late 1980s, this was not appropriate. Should you ever wear suede shoes, there were still plenty of co-workers to remind you that you “don’t wear brown shoes in town”. Women had more freedom but there was also a clear understanding of what was business attire and what was not.
Some collaborators struggled to express themselves. Men wore loud ties and bright socks, and when the former were widespread, a vast amount of real estate was available to those who ingratiated you with their proclamations of individuality, even if that individuality was mostly in the tie rack. have been bought A similar chain called Sockshop offered expensive hosiery, mostly at railway stations, a vital service for all those who suddenly realized they had left home without their turquoise shoes.
You can certainly get away with gray in the city nowadays, even with a navy suit. I still wear a suit, though mostly without a tie, but occasionally slip into a blazer and trousers. But then again, I’ve reached an age, seniority and, ahem, waistline where style statements are no longer a priority.
Journalists then mostly wore clothes to fit their beats. Business journalists looked smarter than environmental journalists. Fashion writers were fashionable, although sports reporters weren’t always sporty. This is because your work clothes, even if you chose them yourself, were uniform. You may have been allowed a bit of personalization, but their main purpose was not to give others a glimpse of your true self. The less customer-facing your role is, the more latitude you have. Uniforms were less formal for a creative industry, but there was still a code—even if it was a hoodie.
There were many benefits from this. For one, you never had to worry about being overdressed at work. Now the reverse is often true. Meanwhile, the loss of a tie is a particular tragedy if you have a wide physique that benefits from being broken up by a splash of color.
The news came to my mind that one law firm, Vardags, told employees to stop dressing like bankers or estate agents and instead be “as wildly fabulous as you feel.” Employees should “express themselves fully”, “bring their personality to work”. The code was “More Like Annabel”, the swashbuckling private club. The firm says it specializes in divorce and family law for “high net worth” individuals, so in fairness, it might want to reflect the look of the wealthy preparing for a midlife crisis.
After letting the enormity of this sink in, the memo said that the look should still be “formal, yet absolutely top-end and appropriate for the luxury market with which we engage, without undermining your pride as a professional.” don’t”.
Or to put it another way, employees should express themselves only when their overall personality is formal, dignified, classy, and maintains dignity. I suspect this will happen in reality, not least because the people engaged in the legal battle largely don’t want to be represented by someone who looks like they came straight from Bella Hadid’s Halloween party. Should I ever need a lawyer, I would prefer one who represents my needs and not theirs. I want them to wake up in the morning focused on how to win my case, not what shade of fuchsia goes with a cobalt shirt.
And besides, who wants this crap? It’s one thing to have no dress code and let people rock in jeans, but a style guide that makes spectacular demands on where to go on a Monday morning Central Line is hardly a salvation. President Obama famously wore only blue or gray suits to reduce unnecessary decisions in his life. The uniform was a welcome break. Not everyone can become president but simplicity can be a sign of seriousness. At least give me self-restraint on self-expression any day at work.
On the upside, I can see a market opportunity. In these days of fabulousness at work, a simple sharp suit may be the only way to stand out.
Follow Robert on Twitter @robertshrimsley and email it [email protected]
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