Clothes DO make the Manager!

The majority of management companies employ a “business casual” dress code; yet there is still a struggle in getting staff members to follow that code. Why is that? It occurred to me that if a person doesn’t know what traditional business wear is, i.e., business suits, they have no reference point for “business casual.” Today, companies are on-boarding more young people that just don’t understand business dress, and, how could they? Dress codes in schools are non-existent, and 3 years of Covid Culture made pajamas seem like work-wear. So, particularly in young staffers’ eyes, there is no reason to consider the difference between what they are wearing at home, and what they should be wearing in an office. This matters a lot when clients are involved. We are a professional business and how we present ourselves in the office, at meetings, onsite appearances and everywhere else is very important, because as you present yourself, so shall you be treated. If you want to be treated as the professional you are, you must dress the part. Below are some basic “rules of thumb” for those staff members who are “business-attire challenged”:

The 2 Universal Truths for staff about the office dress code

1) The Boss sets the tone. The first thing you want to ask yourself is, what does your boss wear? I call this the “look up!” method of determining the dress code, as “business casual” does mean different things at different organizations. Does the boss wear dress slacks and a tie? Skirt and blouse with heels or flats? Khakis and a polo shirt? Slacks and a sweater? Nice jeans with collared shirt? Do they wear a blazer or sport coat? Whatever is the most casual thing the boss wears is the most casual thing you should wear. Ever.

2) No T-shirts, tank-tops or flip-flops. Ever.

Universal Do’s

Be neat, clean and well-groomed at all times. Clean and neat hands and hair. Clean and pressed clothing. Clean shoes. Combed hair, brushed teeth. Beards trimmed. Personal neatness projects the same in work product, and that builds customer confidence in the organization, and in you.

Wear clothing that fits. Stop squeezing yourself into clothing that fit you 25 pounds ago – it may be accentuating body parts better left un-accentuated; and it certainly doesn’t make you look slimmer, in fact, it makes you look clueless. Be honest with your clothing and how it fits your body type; besides why go through all that agony? It is what it is.

Be the best-dressed person at a Board meeting. Always attend in-person Board meetings in office attire, as you want to always be dressed a notch above your clients. It shows your respect for them and respect for yourself as a professional; which gives you credibility.

Universal Don't s

Don’t wear provocative clothing. Button up those shirts and blouses and avoid pants that are overly tight, and no short, short skirts. Very unprofessional.

Leggings? Cover that booty! If you choose to wear leggings, make sure your booty is covered by your shirt, even if that booty looks good and you worked hard to get it there. Why? See below:

Dress leggings up, not down. Leggings, though more and more acceptable as office attire, still have a casual look to them, so dress them up with a nice sweater or tunic-type top; not something you found floating around your gym bag. Our clients have certain expectations, and leggings can scream "YOGA CLASS!" or, they can represent an understated professionalism.? You are a professional, so you must dress like one. Two things to remember here: Dress those leggings up, and cover that booty! Remember, you want to command respect, not demand attention and/or be a distraction.

Cover tattoos that are in any way offensive with clothing and/or make up. In addition, tats that are in more “edgy” locations – neck or face – may be off-putting to some clients. Try wearing a higher collar and/or using make-up.

Ripped and torn jeans. If your firm allows its staff to wear jeans in the office, wear jeans that fit appropriately, are clean, and without those very fashionable rips and tears. Those are great for casual get-togethers, but not for the office. Some of those holes leave little to the imagination.

Keep clothing with political and social images out of the office. This is not a free speech issue; it’s a business issue (your company or state may have specific policies or laws). Community management is a public business where we interact with clients and coworkers; any time a political statement is made, you are alienating half your client base and half your coworkers.? You don't want to cause disruption with your coworkers or your clients, and you don't want to be considered THAT "high maintenance" employee. Click here for more legal reading.

The last but-not-least reason: How you dress reflects your level of understanding of the importance of personal presentation. Eventually, it will affect your career one way or the other; i.e., to your advantage or to your detriment. Seldom if ever will you see senior management staff dress poorly or inappropriately for the situation, and that is no accident. If you want to advance to the executive level, or to a nice onsite position at a prestigious community, you’ll need to dress the part to get the part.

The Wrap

HR departments are forever bemoaning that people, in particular, but not exclusively, younger people, don’t know how to dress appropriately for work. When the dress code is “business casual,” many staff members think that means cargo shorts, flip flops or yoga pants. If we want to combat this cultural and social issue effectively, we need to spend time emphasizing why we want to present our best selves in the office and to the clients. The importance of this issue may be obvious to our more senior industry folks, but many people just don’t correlate their presentation with their professionalism, how that affects their credibility and their careers. We need to meet our new people where they are, and lead them to where they should be. “

You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” – Ken Kesey

c. 2024 Julie Adamen, Adamen Inc. all rights reserved