Casual, both good and bad.

Casual or professional in the workplace, both have pros and cons.
One of the greatest companies to work for allows their employees to wear anything, while it can be said that looking professional will get you farther.

I think the one thing to consider is that if you are working for a company that has a casual dress code is whether or not you have the job of your dreams. If you are looking for a comfortable position then you'll be fine to just drift through the casualness of the office. If you're hoping to be more than get noticed in an environment where everyone is casual and you look professional.

Dress for the job you want.

One thing I've learned researching and writing this blog is that your clothing and attire choices reflect on others more than you think. Most people do not even realize that you judge people consciously AND subconsciously.

On the surface most people see a neatly dressed person and possibly think nothing other than that. Below that initial reaction I think most people are also thinking things like "He/She looks fantastic - this is someone who obviously knows how to make a first impression" - this would make you the perfect candidate to impress new clients/customers. Someone might also see your outfit as well put together, giving them the impression that you are very well organized and have a keen eye for putting things together; which might help with landing that great project that requires attention to detail.

If you dress 'for the job you want' you may find yourself closer to achieving that position. I found this great link to a free book online, it reads like an infomercial but it has some great ideas.

This free book shows you how to dress for a job interview. Dress For The Job You Want is a basic guide that helps you put together an outfit for a job interview and present your best self. You can download your copy here.

That time of year!

If your workplace is easy going and likes to have fun around halloween then you probably had to think about whether or not to wear a costume to work.
A costume does not fall under office dress code so does that mean free for all? I would say no, if you chose to wear one today then lets hope you kept these key points in mind

First off keep it suitable - most costumes for women have been adapted to make it more sexy. So the first thing to consider as a lady is how to cover up the sexy or how to come up with a costume that is not sexy. For you men out there, I would say anything like a loin cloth or a toga would be out of the realm of appropriate. Halloween or not when you're at work you should still remain professional.

Second, you'll want to be comfortable, costumes at work in my opinion are supposed to be fun, it's not a fashion show. So those six inch heels or that tight fitting costume might not be the best thing for a full day of 9 to 5. Everyone should probably keep in mind as well that costume makeup may wear away through the day, packing it up to re-touch would be an option that could help with that problem. The makeup should be comfortable enough to wear for the amount of time you will be at work.

And third, keep in mind that accessories are great as long as they do not interupt the your ability to do your work. A prop sword can be placed awy from you once you sit down and get to business, but anything that needs to be attached to your costume may be a deterrent.

Overall remember that if your workplace allows a break from the norm that you should still keep in mind that there are appropriate costumes to wear and not so appropriate costumes.
Did you dress up for Halloween? What was your costume? What was the best costume you saw at work today?


Here's one office that has a great time for Halloween! http://en.bloguru.com/ken/105895/halloween-costume



"Bling" for work...

There are some that love jewelry and other who don't care much for it.
At the office you should keep these tips in mind before sporting your bling to work:

1. Less is sometimes more
2. Wedding bands and watches are always appropriate for work
3. Try the keep the noise to a minimum (jingling earrings or clanking bracelets)
4. Aim for conservative, less costume 
5. Wear what compliments your outfit (colour, style etc.)

If you keep these tips in mind you will do great at accessorizing for the office.

Save the costume jewelry for after work! Do you have a favourite piece for work? Why do you think that piece works?

A little too much!

Simple, conservative, professional!

Colder Weather Wear

Has everyone experienced that cold weather problem of keeping warm and dressing for work?

Do you wear boots into work? Would snow boots be appropriate? Do you pack an extra set of shoes and clothing?



It does not matter where you work, this is not professional



Warmer weather seems to be easier. Winter weather brings about a bunch of considerations.

When dressing for work in the winter you should consider:

• commute - i.e car, public transport
• amount of time acutally spent walking around outside
• accessibility of the entrance - are the walkways going to be paved?
• the temperature in the office

If you're driving to and from work there won't really be a lot of trouncing around in the snow and slush. On the other hand a bus or train ride might mean more foot travel and so one should consider possibly bringing an extra pair of shoes, or leaving a pair at the office. This will help everyone avoid the wet pant bottoms that come from the lovely slush. A warm long jacket would help with the frosty wind and weather, and can help with the need for layers.



This is one way to avoid the slush!



In short anything that would allow you to maintain the dress code without walking into work messy or disheveled, while still keeping you warm and dry would work fantastically.



Does hair colour speak volumes?

Blondes have more fun? Are brunettes are smarter? Do redheads have a fiery temper?
There are many stereotypes when it comes to hair colour, but what does your hair colour say to your boss or co-workers?

The colour and style of your hair can affect how you are perceived as much as the clothes you choose to wear to work.
I have never come across a company where they have specific rules on hair colour, but once had an interview where I was asked if I would be willing to change the colour of my hair. At the time it was slightly outgoing, deep red with dark purple highlights, I was very shocked that the colour of my hair could be the difference of getting the job or not. To top it all off it was an office job where there was no interaction with customers/clients, in what would have been my little cubicle no one would have seen my outrageous hair colour.
Below you'll find what founder and creator of Tela Beauty, Philip Pelusi says:

Pixie: Confident, willing to take risks, edgy Bob: Structured, approachable, focusedLong Waves: Confidence fused with sensuality, sometimes a bohemian spirit. Could also be used to hide behind.Gray Hair: Independent thinking, comfortable with who they areBold Hair Color or Style: Non-conformist, artistic "Blonde involves a dramatic spectrum of perception depending on what kind of blonde you are," Pelusi says. "A natural looking blonde appears poised, healthy, youthful and confident. A bleach blonde, on the other hand, can be very edgy and artsy or go as far as to not be taken seriously, like the dumb blonde." "Brunettes tend to be perceived as grounded and stable. There is actually an Allure magazine statistic that says 76% of women think the first women president will be brunette," says Pelusi. Interesting, right?And finally, redheads can be perceived in different ways. "They can be the fiery hothead or the vulnerable, sweet girl."

I think that at the end of the day any hair colour can be work appropriate if the hairstyle is more conservative. There may be stereotypes about all kinds of hair colour but  do they accurately reflect work ethic or intelligence?

What does your hair colour say about you?

Googlers

Everyone has dreamed of not being bound by a dress code, and for those thousands who are employed by Google they have realized this dream.

Everyone knows Google, everyone uses Google. The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and launched in 1998.

" What makes it so great? Everything was up at Google last year -- revenue, profits, share price, paid search clicks, hiring -- and so, too, was employee love; the search giant climbed three slots in our ranking to reclaim the top spot. " Fortune Magazine   

          100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN 2012 

Google is a prime example of dress code not affecting productivity and success.
So if the number one ranking company to work for has thrown out the dress code and not suffered; than is the dress code actually effective or necessary?

Jordan Newman was quoted as saying:

"At Google, we know that being successful has little to do with what an employee is wearing. We believe one can be serious and productive without a suit." 

http://www.tlnt.com/2011/07/29/weekly-wrap-when-is-summer-casual-too-casual-for-the-office/

The top three companies 1. Google 2. Boston Consulting Group and 3. SAS Institute all have casual dress codes.

"Almost all of the firm's offices in North America are business casual all week, and the firm plans to move to daily business casual in every office by 2000." Boston Consulting Group

"SAS Canada's work atmosphere is rated as exceptional. On the job, employees enjoy business casual dress; casual dress Fridays; SAS Institute

These top three companies may be on to something, after all a happy comfortable worker seems to be a more productive, creative worker. There are percentages out there that say we spend around 30% of our time at work, why not feel at home?