Los work dress codes They are today more flexible and informal than ever. Suits, ties and stilettos have been relegated to work environments very formal, like banking or law.
And even in those areas, the smart casual, the style “elegant but casual”, is gaining ground: Suits without a tie combined with sneakers or with white t-shirts, chinos or dark jeans for men; colored or printed blazers and jeans or dresses with comfortable shoes for women…
And, in those sectors that already dressed casual or sporty, what is now imposed is ultra-casual fashion, comfortable and without rules, where jeans, T-shirts, oversized shirts, ankle boots, sandals fit… Variety and comfort What this code change brings suggests that it has been received with open arms, since allows you to express yourself more freely and personalize yourself through clothing. But it is not like that for everyone.
With the suit it was easier
The breaking of rules has created new expectations about how to dress for work, and for some people, that puts added pressure to fit in at their company. Because the suit and the formal codes They facilitated this fit, it was easy to dress like the rest if one did not want to stand out either for better or for worse.
But ultra-casual fashion complicates it. Colors, fabrics and accessories expand the possibilities of personal expression but also the risk of attract attentionthat clothing distances people from the team.
«Now there is a concern about how to dress to go to work; you have to think about how you want to present yourself in front of others in a work space, and there you have to harmonize practicality, comfort and your essence as a person con the essence of the brand or organization in which you work,” says Marta Marín Anglada, professor of Aesthetics and Fashion Communication at Blanquerna-URL and trend analyst.
And he explains that the proof that freedom of dress is a problem for many employees and executives is that, in some countries, such as the United States and Australia, a problem has already emerged. new professional profile: the stylist specialized in creating capsule wardrobes (a set of basic and timeless garments that combine with each other) for the work moments of a person’s life.
The stylist specialized in creating capsule wardrobes. Photo: Unsplash«We care about the image we project to others; some more and others less, but we are all interested; when everything was very regulated You might not like it, but it was easier; now you have to dress to be you but without generating glances that make you feel uncomfortable in your workspace,” Marín justifies.
Norbert Monfort, collaborator of the Department of People Management and Organization of Esade and advisor to companies from various sectors, assures that, “in Spain, we are facing a total change of work attire in many cases driven by the top executives (CEO) of the companies” as a way to democratize, to transmit openness, commitment with diversity and with flexible work environments.
“You can’t talk about diversity and dress everyone like clones because, in the end, the clothingin the workplace or in the personal sphere, it is a silent language that transmits messages about me,” he justifies.
And that is why he considers that one thing is to leave behind the rigid codes about professional attire and another “anything goes”, especially when working with clients or with the public and you have to convey a certain professional or corporate image.
A certain professional or corporate image must be transmitted. Photo: Unsplash“We have to define and set limits,” says Monfort, who is in favor of companies “defining dress codes that, without eliminating authenticity and individual expressionallow us to maintain the professional essence and the sense of belonging”
Carlos González Reyes, professor of Economics and Business and Master of Human Resources at the UOC, believe that those codes they don’t have to be formally written but they do have to be transmitted through the personnel departments.
some red lines
Neither ripped jeans nor sequins
The legislation allows companies to impose a dress code as long as that policy do not infringe the rights of employees and? the rules are reasonable and non-discriminatory, that respect cultural and gender diversity.
However, fewer and fewer companies do it and, in parallel, more fashion brands and clothing sales platforms offer advice on how to dress in the office and ideas de outfits business casual (relaxed or informal professional attire) specific to attending a meeting, giving a conference or attending an interview.
The proposals are varied and are even adapted depending on the season of the year. And, although there are more and less daring ones, they agree on fix some red lines about clothes that, no matter how casual the work is, should not be part of work attire.
«It is not about imposing a single code but rather offering clear frameworks; Human Resources should not be the fashion police.» Photo: UnsplashThe pants ripped jeans They are clearly one of them, for both sexes. T-shirts and shirts with a lot of neckline, with sequins or shiny fabrics are also discouraged; “bulky” sports shoes; tracksuits and very sporty clothing, and t-shirts or sweatshirts with messages that may be offensive or contain certain political connotations.
«It is not about imposing a single code but rather offering clear frameworks; Human Resources should not be the fashion police, but rather a facilitator so that the clothes we wear are aligned with what the company wants to convey. It coincides with Marin and Monfort in what one can dress aligned with those requirements without losing its essence. “It is our work that should draw attention to us, not our clothing,” he says.
He also makes it clear that dressing without a suit does not erase the roles «because authority is not built from uniforms but from empathy and coherence.”
However, González believes that they should be respected “certain limits” when dressing in order to maintain the image of professionalism, limits that, he says, “are set by common sense.”
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