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Defying environmental norms/dressing in a super casual work environment

marianna

Veteran

In January I started a new job at a dot com company. As with most dot coms, the dress code is SUPER casual - SO casual that on my first day of work, HR said the only rule is "no sweats." People generally wear jeans and the company hoodie to work.

Before starting this job, I worked in fashion retail, and the dress code was business casual, so I always dressed up. At first I was excited to be able to wear jeans to work, and it is nice - but now I'm feeling a bit hindered stylistically. I've been wearing jeans and nice blouses/sweaters everyday and now I'm starting to wonder how people would react if I started to dress up a bit more. For example, I have a lot of statement necklaces that I haven't touched since starting this job, in fear of looking too dressed up, or out of place.

So I guess I'm just looking for advice - does anyone else work in a super casual environment and dress up anyway, and how do your co-workers react?

Dressing

24 replies

Latest reply was from marianna

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

First - congratulations on the new job!
I am working in high tech company as a software developer and yes, it is that casual here too...but you saw my WIW posts. I don't care how casual and sloppy they dress, I dress they way I like it.
Also have a look how the management dresses? Our CEO always wears nice trousers and shirts even though techies are in jeans and tees.
You can start adding just one dressy piece to a casual outfit: statement necklace with a simple top and jeans for example.
Good luck in defying the environmental norms!

MNsara

Veteran

Another congrats on the new job! and a silver lining is there's no pressure to run out and buy all sorts of expensive work clothes

My work environment isn't *super* casual, but a year or so back, it was bordering there. When I stepped up my style, I got quite a few comments and some compliments, but I was clearly more stylishly and 'better dressed' than the vast majority. Some of those same commenters have since upped their style as well!!!

For instance, they went from non-descript sweater over non-descript jeans, to nicer pants, with a complementary sweater AND scarf!! or with a top AND jacket!!

I think you'd just have to be prepared to take some comments, and hold steady doing what's right for you. You might rub off on a few, or you might become known as the one that is way dressed up (but that's NOT a bad title Just pre-plan a few polite replies to their not-always-thought-out comments . . .

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'm very familiar with what you describe. I dress to please myself, so if I look nicer than everyone else, so be it. There's nothing wrong with adding some class, style, or elegance to your environmental norm.

Isabel

Veteran

Congratulations ! I hope, most of all, that you will be happy there.

Many years ago, I worked in a super casual place. So casual that wearing sweatpants wasn't a problem. I "dressed" up.

Start slowly, start with jeans and a statement necklace. Then maybe jeans, a statement necklace and a great pair of shoes. And so on. I found that people were really great about it and the other women then started getting a little dressier too. I also think that your personality will go a long way. If you were cold, then people might think negatively. But you are not.

I do agree that you should prepare for some comments and have some replies like Sara said !

bj1111

Veteran

you may start a trend!

as sveta says, go slow one item at a time so as not to scare the animals, um, techies.

MsMary

Veteran

It sounds like you have all the great advice you need, so I'm just checking in to cheer you on! I wouldn't be surprised if you inspired the whole office to step up their game!

Kyle

Veteran

I hope you will just be your wonderfully fab self, and I hope you love your new job. Congratulations, Marianna.

cciele

Veteran

Congrats on the job! You have a great sense of style and I hope it rubs off in your workplace

ironkurtin

Veteran

Whenever someone commented positively or negatively on my outfit, I just smiled and said "(name of department)" - REPRESENT!" It worked very well.

Beth

Veteran

First of all, congratulations on your new job!

I also challenge the norms at work (at an elementary school it's not hard to do). I started by slowly building up the "dressiness" by adding accessories first, just like the great advice you've already been given.

But you know, life is too short not to wear what you like, and you have so many fab looks that as your coworkers get to know you better, I think you should just wear what you want, darn it.

On the occasion somebody mentions what I'm wearing, I just grin and say that since I have to get up at the crack of dawn and spend the day at work, I might as well wear something I love.

Thistle

Veteran

Congratualtions on your new job! I hope you are enjoying what you are doing.

I work in a business casual environment. Not as casual as yours, but standard dress code seems to be kahkis and a polo shirt. Senior managements takes it up a couple of notches, but as there are no women in the C-Suite where I work, and I am the only female manager, it can be difficult to assess.

I would say start small and see how you feel. My $0.02 is you should like how you look, but your clothes shouldn't distract you. If you are so self concious over what you are wearing, it is hard to be productive.

marianna

Veteran

Thanks for the advice! I obviously want to fit in, especially because I'm still the "new" person. But I miss wearing all my clothes! I'll have to find a balance that allows me to feel comfortable at work but also stylish.

Beth

Veteran

Marianna, I'll bet as you continue to settle in the job, you can sneak more dressy items on and they won't know what hit them.

Kristin L

Veteran

I think starting small would work best as well. Good luck!

Anonymous

No advice but Congratuations on the new job. I know you'll find your fashion groove in the weeks ahead.

hedgiehog

Veteran

Congrats on your new job. I have a good friend with the same quandary. She works in an IT office where the dress code is casual. She says that lately, she feels blah and has attributed that feeling to her lack of style. She and I went shopping a few weeks ago to add some items to her work capsule that were more dressy than her norm. When I asked her what sort of reactions she received she said they were all positive and that some colleagues even asked her where she had bought some of her pieces!
She also told me that some other ladies have also stepped up their wardrobes. So I say be your stylish self! You'll feel better in the clothes you're most comfortable in.

Charmian

Veteran

First off, congratulations on the new job! How very exciting!

As for the question itself: defying the casualness norm at a dot-com is a problem I struggle with myself.

A few months back, I switched teams and wanted to re-establish my technical credentials before my fashionista ones. The compromise I struck with myself was to wear the techie uniform (ie, tees, jeans, sneakers) in a fashion-aware way. Style@workplace is very personal, but for me that meant the sneakers were converses (I will be investing in a second pair soon), the jeans were in a modern-but-not-trendy cut (slim straight leg, and boyfriends are on the shopping list), and I tried to incorporate Charmian-appropriate trends. Eg, geometrics, subtle pattern-mixing, white on white (jeans), etc.

Accessories are really my saviour here: I can still wear the techie uniform, but once I add in a patterned scarf or a color-blocked belt the whole ensemble starts to feel much more "me".

I also try to push the casualness boundaries just a little -- I wear my ballet flats maybe once a week, and I even slipped in a silk blouse a few weeks back. As time goes by and I grow more confident in my track record, I'll push them more often, and harder, until I get back to my old look.

Good luck!

Prudence

Being in a casual office can be a blessing. You have the option to "dress up" when you want but there is no pressure on days you just want to curl up in something snuggly like a big sweater. Also, mixing smarter more business-esq pieces with more casual pieces (like a suit jacket and jeans) can look very cohesive and be comfortable.

Having options is always more fun than being restricted to a standard. Explore your creative side!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I have never really worked in a truly casual environment (Rack doesn't count, since we were encouraged to dress up our tees with statement necklaces, hats, whatever), but I would have thought that the purpose of a casual dress code was to make the workers more comfortable. If you are comfortable in a cut above the rest, and if that makes you more productive, then what can be the harm? I can't imagine you dressing up to strut in like you own the place and make everyone else seems small, you know? If people ask questions, say it is for fun!

Charmian

Veteran

@Rae, it's not quite that straightforward. The farther you stray from the traditional stereotype, the harder it becomes for your peers to visualize you as one of them. Here's a quick gut check, using my field as an example: visualize a lesbian, African-American, female software professional, dressed impeccably. Now visualize a hetero WASP male software professional in a hoodie and jeans. Which image came faster?

The greater the cognitive dissonance, the greater you and your peers have to fight to accept you under that identity. For example: I'm female, I'm friendly & articulate, I'm soft-spoken, and I'm a software engineer. Sadly, when people look at me, they don't immediately assume "software professional", which means I also get talked over in meetings, skipped for promotions, and assumed to have no (valuable) technical opinions. Now, this is less of an issue with people who know me and my work, so I try to make it as easy as possible for my peers to see my as a technical female first.

jayne

Veteran

Love your insight Chairman. It is very true. The techie norm being jeans and a hoodie means that new people who come in, wearing suits skirts, or pumps, get evaluated as part of the power point team, thus not able to add read value. It really isn't any different than bankers in UK giving a comment on a man swearing a short sleeve button up shirt rather than the unspoken but mandatory long arm one. Your competance is in question. I have stuggled quite a bit with this but finally found my uniform that lets me both fit in, and be myself. I definitely do big necklaces, silky shirts fun shoes, but on top of jeans. And I change the outfit for who I am spending the day with . Managemnet gets the better outfits and the it boys/gals, get the rougher ones. Once they have gotten to know me, my competance is never in question, and it will be the same for you gals also. Just establish yourselves first, then dress as you like and the others might comment (hey, that is the fun) but they won't lose respect.

Deborah

Veteran

Congratulations on the job. Everyone has given you great advice. I just thought I would pop in to say that I work in a pretty casual environment both in my regional office and our head office. I tend to be better dressed than my Senior Manager but that's me. I have never worried too much. I tend to dress up most of the time but I do enjoy being able to wear jeans when I want to and having some diversity to what I wear. Best of luck.

Aida

Veteran

Congrats on the new job Marianna, I hope it's going well! I work in a very casual environment in tech. I'm a programmer, but my work isn't limited to just that; and my specific field is very creative which thankfully allows me to be as fashiony as I want without the usual stink-eye/female-stereotyping that's attached to the computer industry. Most of my interaction is with type designers or more artistic types, but I do work with several hardcore techies and have had no problems being dressed on the dressy end of casual. But as Charmian said, unfortunately it can be an uphill battle; the company culture seems to have a strong hand in dictating how that can go. If I switched to a programming job in a less creative field or something that's more low level computing, I would honestly be very unhappy if I felt that I had to "dress down" to come across as competent. I think you should wear your pretty statement necklaces

marianna

Veteran

Thanks for all the feedback! I actually did wear a statement necklace today, with a leopard print button down shirt, and no one blinked an eye. It was the first time I wore one of my necklaces since starting the job -- so thank you YLF for the encouragement. Couldn't have done it without you!

I definitely want to fit in at work so there will be a balance I have to find... but I think as people get to know me better, I will be more comfortable dressing up. Because I am quiet and soft spoken, I don't want to come across as stuck up or trying to one-up anyone -- much to Charmian's point. I think once people get to know me, I will feel more comfortable being myself.