Elegance – the art of doing the same thing differently
Even in banking circles, dress codes are being relaxed, as an article in
20 Minuten reported back in 2018, when they wanted my opinion on the matter. A friend of mine remarked that the bank’s team photo looked more like a cult’s group shot…
A relaxed dress code can’t simply be reduced to a pair of regulation trainers, shirt untucked, so that it somehow still comes across as elegant and professional. The 167 comments under that article, though, prove this subject is rather bigger than a pair of trainers. Practically every opinion under the sun is represented, from ‘clothes don’t matter one bit’ to ‘nothing works without a suit’.
Going by today’s supposedly ever-present trainer culture, you might well get the impression that dress codes and clothing rules are dead. We’re not quite there yet, though. Right now, however, clear steps in that direction are becoming visible.
https://www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/Jetzt-kommt-der-Banker-in-Turnschuhen-24172172
Clothing is something that affects every one of us! Every day we make a fashion decision, whether we want to or not, and in doing so make a clear statement about who we are. And that’s exactly where the challenge lies! Freedom in choosing what to wear doesn’t make dealing with it any easier. What’s a creative act for one person is, for another, the most dreaded hour of the day, standing in front of the wardrobe, and for that reason alone a dress code can be a real blessing: it takes a lot of decisions off your hands and offers reassurance, even without an innate creative streak, to get through the day looking appropriate. It’s telling, too, that companies which tried relaxing their dress codes have sometimes had to revert to stricter rules; it turned out that a more individual approach to clothing, combined with a professional appearance, is rather more demanding for the individual than expected…
On the other hand, more and more voices are arguing that strict dress rules in the New Economy business world are no longer fit for purpose. Today’s knowledge worker wants to rise to the top on the strength of their ideas, not because of an expensive suit! And among women too, there’s a discernible shift towards a more individual, ‘suit-appropriate’ business look, without leaning on the male-dominated world of suits.
We might ask ourselves whether appearance is really the deciding factor. A convincing presence is always an interplay of character, personal style and manners. When these are all in harmony, people are far more willing to believe in an idea or buy a product – that’s simply a fact! But no outward impression can survive if it’s followed by a substandard concept, product or service. That much is equally clear!
The topic ‘How should I dress correctly for business today’ was also recently discussed at the Swiss Commercial Employees Association:
The textile industry is clearly trending towards more relaxed business wear; classic tailoring is learning from sportswear. Many shirts now contain a stretch blend or are made from technical fabrics; suits are lighter and more elastic than ever, and some are even cut from the same fabrics as tracksuits. That said, suits like this make (high) demands on figure. Not every body type is cut out for such a fashion-forward take on the suit. Some people, frankly, just look ridiculous in them. Classic suits, by contrast, are far better at smoothing over physical imperfections. And trainers with a suit are still by no means for everyone. I don’t think we’ll all be holding our meetings in tracksuits in ten years’ time. But a more relaxed, comfortable and nonetheless elegant dress code does look set to take hold: it’s called smart business, and it’s often simply about finding beautiful pieces that suit your personal style, putting together combinations that work, and building a slightly more varied yet still functional wardrobe. In a style consultation or a personal shopping session, these skills can be learned or refined, and the right addresses discovered along the way. So, as uniform dress codes get pushed aside, there’s plenty of hope for turning that dreaded morning hour into one you’ll wake up smiling about!
That said, I don’t think it’s a good idea for companies to handle the shift to a more relaxed business dress code simply by issuing a pair of regulation trainers and ditching the tie, as the picture in 20 Minuten shows. This kind of step needs careful guidance if a company wants to preserve its corporate image and stay credible! My own motto here is: elegance – the art of doing the same thing differently…