Apparently 'casual' means something different in NYC

I'm reviewing the new book _Wear This Now_ for a writing gig, and as I began to flip through it I saw a section telling you what to wear to "a job interview at a casual workplace." Here are their three suggestions:

"1. Printed skirt + silk button-down + leather portfolio
2. Colorful sheath + arty necklace + pumps
3. Layered bangles + ponte pants + blazer"

To borrow from The Princess Bride, I do not think casual means what you think it means...

13 years ago

General

13 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Thistle

Veteran

Yeah, it definitely means something different in different places. I used to be an auditor, and at one client in northern WI, business casual meant no blue jeans (colored jeans, including black ok). Another client in downtown Chicago business casual meant formal slacks, button down shirt and ties for the men. Basically, a suit minus the jacket. Both clients told us they where business casual.

13 years ago

RunningSue

Active Member

When I moved from DC to Seattle in 1997 I went in to culture shock! I went to job interviews in a dress at Amazon.com and the 'kids' who interviewed me were in shorts, t-shirts, birkenstocks and had bean bag chairs in their office. I had gone from suits and dresses to casual. Maybe things have changed since then but I know my work wardrobe changed significantly when I moved here.

13 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Oh, "business casual," the phrase that has no meaning. Yeah, on reading a bit further, there's definitely a big city east coast vibe in this book, and casual for them means anything that's not a suit (in a work context). Thistle, lol at the black jeans being dressy - I've so lived in towns like that. And Sue, I'm there with you - in the Bay Area I think a lot of people think dressy means any outfit that doesn't have flip flops or yoga pants.

13 years ago

jayne

Veteran

too funny. I wouldn't even put the word Business into the work style used in most IT companies.....let's be honest, it is just casual!

13 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

Uh, I would absolutely wear something like the outfits on that list for a job interview at a workplace described as "casual." (Except no ponte pants for an interview, ever!) But I'm a lawyer in Los Angeles, so take that FWIW...

ETA: by which I mean it depends on the industry as well as the location, I think. Lawyers and bankers everywhere are going to dress according to that description, even in a so-called "casual" office. Computer coders, nosomuch!

13 years ago

Anonymous

Business casual is such a blanket concept these days, even within the same city. I do first level screening interviews from time to time, and I pretty much expect a suit or some incarnation of it. Then again, I'm in a pretty dry, non creative field.

13 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I'm surprised about the comments re: bay area and IT. I work for such a company, and I've watched over the past decade as the "casual" dress code has gravitated away from jeans and more and more towards suits, dresses, even ties for the men. On trips to HQ I've felt under-dressed if I did not have a suit jacket or blazer on. Would only wear jeans on Friday, and they'd have to be dark wash, crisp, polished. Our branch here on the East coast is also gravitating towards more dressy, but at a slower pace.

13 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

there was an article in the wsj circa 2009-2010 about how the financial crisis affected work outfits. even west coasters started to dress like grown-ups. *absolutely no offense intended*

13 years ago

Jjsloane

Veteran

I'm with MaryK on this. Maybe it's old school, but for me an interview means a suit or bare minimum what you listed at first regardless of whether the work environment is casual or not. What one wears once you have the job is different. I always feel more work appropriate if I am dressier than not. Our "business casual" environment runs the gamut and some push the casual part a bit much IMO (flip flops in any carnation do not belong in the office) I wear a jacket or structured cardigan with dresses, skirts or slacks everyday. I feel more professional and like I get more respect than others who might not be dressed so. On Fridays when we can wear jeans I still wear dressier jeans (trouser, dark wash etc.. no distressed or bf styles) and usually a jacket. Of course others wear sport jerseys and whatever else. I'm on the East Coast (DC area) and most of the men wear button down shirts and ties everyday, VPs wear suits. The younger ones same thing no tie, although a few are polo shirts and trousers.

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

For sure casual means different things all over the world. Generally, casual dress in places like Tokyo and Hong Kong and Western Europe are *much* dressier than what casual means here on the West Coast of the US.

13 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Out west here, doing the Silicon Valley thing, I've had people not just tell me not to show up in a suit, but beg and plead.

I show up in a non-suit suit - Target cotton thing with contrasting seams. That usually strikes the right note.

13 years ago

sinead

Active Member

My daughter moved to Manhattan from Seattle and loves the dressier, more polished style there. When she visited this summer for a month, she had a hard time with the super casual style here (even though she grew up with it) and deemed it "kind of depressing". Ouch.

ETA: One thing, though- we live close to a high school and not far from the University of Washington, so I think the student style of jeans and sweatshirts- or pajamas!- kind of skews her view of the city. This past summer, I saw more cute white jeans outfits and pretty summer dresses than I've ever seen in this city. Give Angie a few more years and she'll get these students into shape!

13 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Lol, sinead. I have to agree and I was born and raised here too. There was a time when it wasn't like this. It's gotten beyond bad.

13 years ago

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