Is "Dress For Success" Still Mandatory?

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  1

  United Systems

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is ???Dress For Success??? Still Mandatory?

  Yes, Dress for Success is mandatory. It's just that the definition has broadened. There are times where a suit makes sense, but it doesn't have to look like you bought it at Dillards or Sears for that matter.
  
  People need to YOUNG-UP!!

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  2

  Brian17

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Dressing for success don't necessarily mean that you are wearing a traditional suit!!!
  
  I have a nice selection of Hugo Boss cloths that are a little too slick for the golf course, but can identify me as a well dressed casual go-getter!

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  3

  DrBruin

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  Dress for Success

  I do a lot of business in Europe, and on the continent the look is definitely more casual. Men wear fewer suits and ties, although they still look sharp. In the U.K., particularly in the industries where I work, the traditional suit is more common, but still much less the standard than it was 20 years ago.
  
  I think we're in a transition phase and the west coast, southwest, and parts of the southeast are leading the way to a less structured, less formal way of dressing.

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  4

  Jim@...

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  If you don't "Dress for Success" then what?

  I've watched literally thousands of films set in the future. The best designers that money could buy created and stitched and sewed the business attire of the future but the results ranged anywhere from slightly warped and silly all the way to outrageously embarrassing and hilarious.
  
  So what's next? Are goal-oriented motivated adults supposed to labor in what appears to be rumpled, formless and faded exercise outfits? Golf attire? Swim suits? Overalls? So far, I've seen nothing that I would not be ashamed to wear this side of a drunken orgy in a mud pit outdoors in a raging storm. Most I would not wear if I worked in a chicken processing plant.
  
  Show me some decent clothing that is attractive, makes me look better than I do naked, with lots of room for style and creativity, in a wide range of affordable prices. Then I'll put my Dress for Success book back in my bookselves, remembering where I put it, just in case.
  
  Until then,if I am in business I prefer to look like I mean business.
  
  Jim Johnson

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  5

  schoonie

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Whether you dress in the suit and time or if you have on jeans and boots, neatness, clothes that fit well and a good sense of locality are always necessary. A bolo tie was mentioned in the column. Bolo ties mark you as a sure'nuf outsider, a dude where dudes are not needed. But a sharp, well-fitting suit and matching tie and shirt and shoes and socks aren't out of place now or ever.

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  6

  ncgoodine@...

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Dress for Success

  If one defines straight suit and tie as "dress for success" then YES... it is going the way of the dodo.
  Dressing appropriately for the type of business one is in is the better way to go. Just as an over-50 businessman won't (shouldn't) wear boarder style clothes, nor should a 23 YO CEO wear a 3 piece suit.
  
  ... and yes, all the rules seem to go out the window with respect to women's dress... I used to wear suits when I started because it was the norm. Along the way things relaxed a little as I moved out of conservative work-places.
  Now that I own my own companies, I do not wear suits unless the people I am doing business with do. My staff, as long as they are well dressed (men and women) are not required to wear a suit of any description. Jeans? Only if it's appropriate to their work day.

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  7

  ozjames70

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is dress for success on its way out.

  No. Dress for success is not, although the definition of what is smart business attire is changing and can vary quite significantly depending on where in the world you are at any point in time.
  
  James

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  8

  Randolpho

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Here in the mid-west, dress for success means different things according to a) the industry or type of business you are in and b) the situation. There are times when a suit is clearly needed--meeting C-suite heavies to strike a deal, seeking a loan or financial backing for a project or enterprise, meeting community leaders, in some places overseas (Japan, Singapore), etc.
  Day to day, in the manufacturing business I work in, office wear is business casual. Nice, pressed khaki trousers, a pressed long-sleeve shirt. No ties, suit or sports coat needed. Nice looking comfortable shoes. Something you would not be embarrased to be seen in should a client or prospective customer 'drop by'. Out on the factory floor and warehouse, neat, clean clothes, with an eye toward safety are de rigueur. For meetings with clients, especially on their turf, I try to dress up just a bit--nicer dress trousers and shirt, dressier shoes. Never know when you might run into one of their C-suite types--in our industry, usually in their 50's and up--who might not appreciate my being overly-casual or 'with it', especially in their territory.

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  9

  DonDuguid

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is dress for success on its way out

  Purely for a sales professional; dressing in such a way
  as to 'fit in' and demonstrate rapport is the most
  critical aspect. I had a great rep working for me who
  sold to both city traders and colleges/universities.
  When calling on the traders, he dressed as they did,
  had the Rolex watch and drove his fancy sports car. If
  he was then calling on the university in the same area,
  he would park round the corner, change his jacket for
  a cord one with leather elbow patched and change his
  watch for functional, old cheaper one and use a
  classic, old-style briefcase. Similarly, as mentioned by
  others, when working across multiple cultures, as we
  do here in EMEA, how you dress does have an impact -
  you never get a second chance to make a first
  impression. If in doubt, dress up, it is easier to take a
  tie and jacket off than to put one one. You can always
  tell the more casual client that you've just come from
  another that insists on an out-dated dress code!

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  10

  JV@...

  01/22/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Dress for Success

  The great thing about today's business environment is
  that NOTHING is mandatory.
  But if you are really interested in succeeding, adopt a
  style that's appropriate to the business culture - and
  dress just that little bit sharper.
  Then you'll stand out - but not separate yourself from
  your environment
  
  JV from l'Attitude in Cairns

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  11

  simon.connell@...

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Dress for Success

  still dressing in outfits that are pretty much identical to what businessmen were wearing in 1875?
  
  I'm no clothing historian, but I suspect clothes have changed substantially since 1875. Business dress is shoes rather than boots, we no longer wear hats. The business gent of 1875 would have multiple outfits depending on the time of the day or evening - including far longer jackets than we would wear with a suit now. The necktie is also a 20th century concept.
  
  What I'm trying to demonstrate is that business dress continually evolves - the lounge suit that's ubiquitous today would have been too casual a hundred years ago. The lightweight fabrics, and the open-collar shirt with a suit would have been unthinkable in the office 25 years ago.
  
  However, some form of refined dress that differentiates our leisure hours from our working hours will always be required.

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  12

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Quote from simon.connell: I'm no clothing historian, but I suspect clothes have changed substantially since 1875.
  
  The changes you list are minor compared with differences from, say, 1775. When was the last time you wore a powdered wig to work?

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  13

  Coach-Lee-428

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Dress for Success

  Let's return to the purpose of business and that is to attract and maintain loyal customers. Depending upon your customers, your clothing style will differ. Also, the geographic nature of where your customers are will also determine your dress for success.
  
  People buy from people they know and trust. Given that non-verbal communication including our selection of clothes speaks volumes about our education, our social economic status, etc., then individuals must have awareness of what they are communicating.
  
  Finally, from my experiences and observations, casual attire in the workplace (for the most part) promotes casual performance. Leanne Hoagland Smith

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  14

  profmurph

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  First Impressions do count!

  Anyone ever hear of non-verbal cues? First impressions leading to judgements about salesperson? The tattooed, earring wearing, open-shirted, salesperson selling differentiated products to managers/executives, will make no sales. Hope you are successful wearing golfing clothes selling to business.

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  15

  peter.dilger@...

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Idress for success

  This goes against one of your previous articles where you stated spend money on expensive suits, watches and haircuts as this will impress your clients

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  16

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Quote from peter.dilger: This goes against one of your previous articles where you stated spend money on expensive suits, watches and haircuts as this will impress your clients
  
  Nope. Expensive is always good. What's not good for some folks, like young CEOs, is conservative. In fact, if you're going to "dress down" a bit, you need to spend MORE money. Example: a cashmere undershirt worn under a casual suit should cost more than the shirt/tie combination it replaces. More on this next week.

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  17

  Sid Herron

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is "Dress for Success" Still Mandatory?

  A couple of earlier comments touched on this, but since I was one of the strongest proponents of the "Dress for Success" angle in that earlier post, I thought I should reinforce here that the most important thing is to know your customer, and dress appropriately for the situation.
  
  The dress code in the executive suite has, in general, become more conservative in the last three or four years. Of course there are obvious exceptions, and if you want to be successful, you'll figure out what those exceptions are, and dress appropriately.
  
  But I will stress again that, as a B2B salesperson, I don't necessarily know when I get dressed in the morning who all of the people will be that I may interact with over the course of the day. So I will err (if you want to call it that) on the side of conservatism. If I'm overdressed, I can always take off the jacket and loosen the tie. But if I happen to get the chance to be introduced to the CxO, I don't want his (or her) first thought to be, "Who the hell is this scruffy character?"

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  18

  andreygorelik

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Its all about your Audience. There are places where a suit is not allowed unless you are a direct part of the executive team, Chryslers "Mahogany row" for example. But at other times not wearing a suit can take away from your credibility. But ultimatly, a traditional suit will always be in style.

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  19

  mlkunz

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  I've enjoyed reading the comments. I find it interesting that no one I've read so far has referenced the book that started all this: "Dress for Success" from 1975. Yes, it's been updated, but I think the reference is typically to the formula that everyone bought into after the book became so well known. It seems most of us agree there are fewer formulas involved now. We are sensitive to context in terms of what clients and colleagues alike expect and hope us to project about ourselves through our choice in clothing and personal style. And we have our own intentions to consider in terms of what we want to project.
  
  I'm personally very happy about that. The fewer formulas involved, the better. People aren't formulas, we're humans. We operate solely in contexts.
  
  On the other hand, clothing choice IS huge, and no one can deny that. Michelle Obama's press coverage following the inauguration was largely about her fashion choices and what they mean. What more can you say?

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  20

  dennis.wengert@...

  01/23/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Dressing for Success

  'Business' attire should not distract from the wearer's ability to accomplish their business-related goals and objectives. That means one's attire should be adapted to create the best opportunity to be productive without being either offensive or obnoxious. Even more important than dress is a firm handshake, looking others in the eye when speaking with them, being able to put one's thoughts together in a logical manner and working and acting confidently while on the job.

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  21

  rukiddnme

  01/26/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  I think people forget what dressing for
  success actually means. Not if you where a suit
  or not, it is the attention to detail. I see
  this all too often in my office. Casual Friday is an excuse to wear their Cabo San Lucas
  button up. We do not have to wear suits, yet I
  choose to wear one without the tie mostly. It
  shows that I really care what I look like. It
  shows that I put effort into what I do whether
  it is the work I perform or how I dress. Some
  may argue that how you dress has nothing to do
  with what you look like. However, I would bet
  dollars to donuts that is the exception to the
  rule and not the rule. If someone can not even
  take the time to look in the mirror and dress
  the part, then what attention to detail will
  the put in that next project you have them
  working on?

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  22

  jpfindy

  01/26/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Randolpho hit is and others did including Coach-Lee. Here is my two cents : yes, it depends on the industry, the culture. I still think in the midwest, if you work in finance, law, insurance, you will not offend or look silly in a $1000 suit. But you could lose a sale showing up casual to a call. There are all sorts of on-site client meetings, or industry conventions, meetings, etc., where biz-cas is fine. I also agree with wearing as good of clothing as one can afford. At the end of the day, I do think a very high quality blue blazer with shirt, tie , slacks is dressy enough for most situations, and can quickly be dressed down by discarding tie and or jacket. Hey, if I am a successful 23 year old CEO ( tech company, surf boards! whatever) I might dress however I feel like within reason. And , I do realize when in the airport the "suits" smack of mid-level exec or sales person...and the open collared tan faces wearing $450 loafers scream " I am in charge"....but....if you really are not in charge, be careful. There are still a fair amount of old school execs you are calling on out there. THEY may be in the office in Polo and boat shoes. But, you show up to do biz and they may secretly think you are arrogant. In the end, know your industry. Know your prospect's industry.And if someone is that put off they do not want to do business because I DID wear a suit...well, maybe some folks cannot be pleased. Move on.

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  23

  jpfindy

  01/26/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Randolpho hit it and others did including Coach-Lee. Here is my two cents : yes, it depends on the industry, the culture. I still think in the midwest, if you work in finance, law, insurance, you will not offend or look silly in a $1000 suit. But you could lose a sale showing up casual to a call. There are all sorts of on-site client meetings, or industry conventions, meetings, etc., where biz-cas is fine. I also agree with wearing as good of clothing as one can afford. At the end of the day, I do think a very high quality blue blazer with shirt, tie , slacks is dressy enough for most situations, and can quickly be dressed down by discarding tie and or jacket. Hey, if I am a successful 23 year old CEO ( tech company, surf boards! whatever) I might dress however I feel like within reason. And , I do realize when in the airport the "suits" smack of mid-level exec or sales person...and the open collared tan faces wearing $450 loafers scream " I am in charge"....but....if you really are not in charge, be careful. There are still a fair amount of old school execs you are calling on out there. THEY may be in the office in Polo and boat shoes. But, you show up to do biz dressed likewise and they may secretly think you are arrogant. In the end, know your industry. Know your prospect's industry.And if someone is that put off they do not want to do business because I DID wear a suit...well, maybe some folks cannot be pleased. Move on.

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  24

  pfasulo

  06/04/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  I own a successful Sales Training company. My sales reps and sales trainers travel the nation, and we have done numerous studies on this.
  
  Our statistics show that in EVERY state (other than California), when the sales reps were sent to visit clients wearing traditional suits and ties- sales increased 18 percent versus selling to the same clientele while dressed in business casual attire.
  
  The myth that a blue-collar company will be intimidated and will not buy from the slick sales guy in a suit and tie is just that- a myth! We were seeing results that sales to mechanics shops, Jiffy Lubes, painting contractors, computer geeks, graphic design firms, and other artsy types actually were higher when the sales reps wore the traditional suit and tie.
  
  Don't believe the hype from the lazy and sloppy. The truth is: People want to buy from "successful professionals" not slobs.

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  25

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  06/04/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Is

  Re: Note 24:
  I think that maybe the reps for a sales training firm might not be 100% representative of every situations. In the semiconductor business, for example, the sales professionals are often engineers with EE degrees who work closely which clients on specifications for custom circuitry, intellectual property, etc. I'd be very surprised if they "dressed for success" because, in engineering land, a suit carries a negative semiotic.