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How people should dress in the workplace has been an ongoing debate for decades, with women’s attire usually being a central topic of discussion. What does dressing like a woman mean to you? Is it acceptable to define a difference on how women should dress in the workplace?
When it comes to professional attire or a strong corporate image, it is important to understand the company dress code as you are an extension of the business. Conveying the culture through your appearance, regardless of industry or gender, is your responsibility. Women and men both need to look sharp, neat and confident. For women, the flexibility of wearing dresses and makeup should be left up to their own discretion.
If you’re a business professional, wearing a t-shirt, shorts and sandals to important meetings is extremely undesirable; delivering the wrong message to your colleagues and company’s brand doesn’t support the culture.
For a person working in construction or operating heavy machinery, the shirt-short-sandal combination described above is equally unsuitable. A person working in construction must dress with safety in mind first, just as a policewoman, surgeon, firefighter and other professionals.
A person’s attire may also change as they age, but professionalism doesn’t have to be affected. Men and women might wear less form-fitting clothes as they get older and in the interest of comfort, they may trade heels for flats and oxfords for loafers. The important thing is to always wear clothes that depict professionalism in your work environment, as the company and industry necessitate.
What are your thoughts on the professional dress code debate?