[Closed] Suits or casual to the office?

No espadrilles.

We're allowed 'business casual' where I work (polo shirts etc.) although I'm one of the few that doesn't wear a normal shirt + suit trousers (not many wear ties though). The HR witch occasionally makes comments about me looking scruffy but that inspires me more :p If I'm meeting clients I'll obviously switch to a suit. I guess you do feel a bit more professional but personally I'd rather feel comfortable (and not have the hassle of ironing shirts).

Just checking. Is that a statement or a question, dd?

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Did you see one of these? 8)

Whatever isn't too dirty. I might manage an open neck shirt and smart jeans if we have a client meeting.

Does that mean I have to stop wearing them then? 😥
Obviously the espardilles set it off nicely.
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we used to have to wear suits and ties but the blokes rebelled and threatened to sue the organisation for sexism in kind - ie smart for a man meant shirt and tie smart for a woamn did not mean a blouse and the could get away with at-shirt. We built up quite alot of evidence befor echallenging them. Women here still get away with more casual clothes than men and more extravagent hair colours than I would be allowed.
Smart casual

I hate 'smart casual' as a dress code as it can mean anything. I've changed from an office of fully casual to a 'smart casual' and I now wear a suit. It means a bit more thinking about having to have a shirt and matching tie ironed and ready where as before I could just use any old tee shirt if I was struggling with the washing. But otherwise it's fine and I quite like wearing a suit.
I keep the suit at work along with a selection of ties and transport the shirt and underwear in my backpack.

Smart casual is a bollocks term and idea. If you are meeting someone whom you wish to create a good impression you dress smart. What smart is depends on who they are, what your type of business is e.t.c you will know the level of dress; a suit or maybe just smart shirt or maybe good fashionable ware depending on you industry. Either way it will be smart for your industry.

If someone feels the need to dress smart at all times while at work and they find it makes them act more professionally that is fine, but if you don't need that wearing shirt and "proper shoes" makes bugger all difference.

I ****ing hate smart casual. Either smart or casual.

What's the problem with ironing shirts? 2-3 mins max!

That is 2-3 mins you dont need to do and I have to buy those shirts just for work why should I?

Suit and tie!

What's the problem with ironing shirts? 2-3 mins max!

That's 2 or 3 minutes per day. Which is 1/4 hour per week.

Just think how much washing up she could be doing in the time she's wasting ironing my shirt.

I normally wear smart trousers & a shirt. Rarely a tie unless an interview or important visit or similar.

Having said that, I'm convinced I'm more productive if I wear jeans & t-shirt!

suited here. I leave a suit and a collection of ties and (mostly unmatched) cufflinks at work and cycle in, with a shirt folded in a bag (creases drop out in half an hour). All the angst of deciding which tie to wear is done on work time.

I flit between the various options. For example, today sees me in a rather dashing suit (Blue with a pale blue pinstripe in case you're wondering. Oh, and turn ups, of course!) and tie. Tomorrow I've got a rather interesting meeting in the morning so it will be a more sober grey suit, but probably a slightly raffish shirt and tie. Thursday? Well, probably just a shirt and a pair of chinos.

Friday? Back in a suit, as am taking clients out to lunch. Then working from home for whatever is left the afternoon, when I shall be wearing a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt

Dress appropriately to the occasion.

Suit everyday for me customer facing, so it's the law - why???

Jeans, tshirt, grey hoodie, and trainers.

I NEVER WILL /WANT TO WORK IN AN OFFICE.

I don't mind wearing a suit, I'm meeting people most days, and it's standard get up round here, couldn't get anywhere not wearing one.

In line with what someone said earlier about everyone having their own idea of smart, some people wouldn't be seen dead in a single cuff shirt, or one with a pocket.

It grates having to shell out for a new suit, but I've found that relatively cheap ones from Marks and Spencers fit me very well, so cost/day isn't that bad.

And even though I have to iron a shirt for every day, I never have to spend time deciding what to wear, so it balances out.

some people wouldn't be seen dead in a single cuff shirt, or one with a pocket.

Only acceptable if you are a bus driver.

Ironing shirts ? I have hired help to undertake such tasks 🙂

All this talk of working in an office is making me feel sick and depressed. Then I remember I don't any more - thank god for that.

The UBS Dress Code: Do's and Don'ts
Do's

For women:

* Wear your jacket buttoned.
* When sitting, the buttons should be unfastened.
* Make sure to touch up hair regrowth regularly if you color your hair.

For men:

* Store your suit on a large hanger with rounded shoulders to preserve the shape of the garment.
* Schedule barber appointments every four weeks to maintain your haircut shape.

Don'ts

* Eating garlic and onions
* Smoking or spending time in smoke-filled places
* Wearing short-sleeved shirts or cuff links
* Wearing socks that are too short, showing your skin while sitting
* Allowing underwear to be seen
* Touching up perfume during or after lunch break
* Using tie knots that don't match your face shape and/or body shape 😯

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019783931381042.html

I work in an office, but also spend a fair bit of time out on our sites, I always wear jeans for work and usually pair them with a company branded polo shirt and hiking boots. If I'm in meetings all day then I'll wear a smart shirt and shoes, but the jeans still stay. It's a balance of comfort and practicality for me.

Jeans, tshirt, grey hoodie, and trainers.

Sounds like the kids round our way. Do you vandalise cars for a living? 😉

Don'ts

* Wearing short-sleeved shirts or cuff links

these big corporations own your life, they will be telling you when to take your holidays and giving you a pocket device so you are contactable 24/7 next.
oh they already do.

Currently sat in the office in an merino base layer, zip off baggy shorts, (roadie) legwarmers and spuds. Might stick the legs back on the shorts when I go down to Sainsburys at lunch.

Black jeans and a black shirt for client meetings (I'm an arty/designery/technical type). Black company logoed poloshirt, black combats (shorts in summer), steelies and a climbing helmet for site work
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Can't remember the last time I wore a suit at work. We occasionally get dress codes for specific jobs along the line of "runway chic" (WTF???) which translates into black shirt and jeans for me...

I'm working in an office in t-shirt and jeans (and smelly trainers used for cycling into work and the gym). It's what you do that's important not how you are dressed 🙂

God bless internet based companies and relaxed dress codes - I spent years wearing uniform at school, why do it at work too.

I could wear chinos/polo but prefer suits - nice not to have to wear a tie.

We get dress down every Friday though.

Dirty jeans, muddy hiking boots and a t-shirt with holes in it.

As a senior developer, you have no credibility if people think you have time to iron your socks or whatever it is you people do. The likelihood of getting shown off in front of clients increases proportionately with the perceived duration since you last brushed your hair.

I turn up in a flash suit once in a while just to remind them that any scruffy git can wear a suit and it is not the threads that make the man.

trainers, jeans, t-shirt + hoody or jumper or a shirt but never tucked in.

don't even bother with a suit when meeting consultants or other important type people... my reputation speaks for itself and most of them are so shocked i cut the dreadlocks off they don't notice what i wear.

shorts and t-shirts in the summer, hoping to bring a bike into work and go for regular rides with a patient too this summer... there's a new 4X type track in Reading now!

wear cuff-links with short-sleeved shirts, which would be a challenge anyway...

Trainers, T-shirt and Jeans here (no dress code).

i don't even own a suit.

Just open necked shirt and trousers here. I get hot really quickly with a tie around my neck, I must have been hung in a previous life. I mean, obviously I'm hung now.

Work at FTSE top 5 company head office, wear jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, casual shoes. We used to have a "business casual" dress code but then new HR director decided it was pointless.

I'll put on a shirt if meeting a big customer (but as I do it as a technology expert I can get away with being slightly less well-dressed than the sales and account mgt people).

Around Christmas time Chief Exec was in jeans too.

I wish they'd do suits with built in knee pads that I could wear to work. 🙂

I also wish we could go contintental so I could wear junglerees.

Currently wearing jeans + t-shirt and sat in the office 🙂 Working freelance/near enough self-employed has its many benefits 😀

The STW IT Support Collective (most posters here), along with the media world and most civil servants will shun any idea that what you look like on the outside may be taken as a reflection of what you are like on the inside. However, it is human nature to make some level of judgement (whether you like it or not) from appearances - it is how we learned to survive.
The t-shirt wearing types will make smart comments about 'not being clever enough' or 'being judgemental', but it is human nature. I dress differently at different times. If I am riding a bike, I won't wear a suit. However, if I am in a meeting, I probably won't wear lycra. Am I a slave to conformity, or do I know how to use human nature to my advantage? Your call.

Am I a slave to conformity, or do I know how to use human nature to my advantage? Your call

Only one way to truly find out fella. Looks like lycra for your next meeting. Let us know how it goes 😉

TooTall - Member
The STW IT Support Collective (most posters here), along with the media world and most civil servants will shun any idea that what you look like on the outside may be taken as a reflection of what you are like on the inside. However, it is human nature to make some level of judgement (whether you like it or not) from appearances - it is how we learned to survive.
The t-shirt wearing types will make smart comments about 'not being clever enough' or 'being judgemental', but it is human nature. I dress differently at different times. If I am riding a bike, I won't wear a suit. However, if I am in a meeting, I probably won't wear lycra. Am I a slave to conformity, or do I know how to use human nature to my advantage? Your call.

This is only relevant if you are meeting clients / customers. If it's the same people who you work with they will know you and your quality of work.

Suit and tie to work is a very British thing. Plenty of other countries don't have such ideas, e.g. suits are fairly rare in Denmark.

TooTall - you should go work in Silicon Valley for a few months, you just don't see suits out there.