Partner Article

Getting a dressing down

Is “Dress down Friday“ still a thing?

When I started my first job in 1999 for a high street recruitment company, not only was there a strict dress code (navy or grey suit, blue or white shirt, company tie provided / neck scarf for the ladies) but it was enforced. If your branch had a visit from Mr R, the head honcho, and you were found not to be sticking to these requirements then you were spoken to about it!

Fast forward to 2002 when I started working for a popular TV channel and I had my eyes opened. Not only was there not a dress code, but literally anything went. We were still in the wake of David Beckham wearing a sarong and limits were pushed. Ripped jeans, T-Shirts with swear words and piercings that would set off a metal detector at 100 yards.

But then it changed.

A large, multi-national company took over the sales team and brought with them a corporate dress code policy. Not as strict as the recruitment one, but one that involved trousers, shirts and – if you were one of the more studious – suits.

It seemed so alien for a creative team to all of a sudden be shackled by “the man”. What went from a relaxed working environment, where client lunches were long boozy affairs and both clients and customers dressed like a group of mates all of a sudden changed. The introduction of the formality of it all killed the creativity. Lunches with clients all of a sudden looked more “us and them”. And people didn’t like it. In fact, they started leaving and going to work for other companies.

Sure, they didn’t put “had to wear a suit” as their reason for leaving, but something had definitely changed.

It raises an interesting question; “Do you view your doctor, accountant or lawyer differently depending on what they are wearing?“

If you went to the GP and he was sitting in a hoodie and jeans, would you feel differently? Would you prefer to take legal advice from someone in a suit and tie or Bermuda shorts and t shirt exposing their full sleeve tattoo?

Local leading law firm Short Richardson & Forth, for example, don’t enforce a strict dress code for employees. Tie or no tie, suit or not, shoes or trainers. They do, however ,insist that their clothes are appropriate to the situation.

For example, if they have an office based day with no clients due in then it’s totally acceptable to wear a sweatshirt and jeans. But what if a client pops in unexpectedly?

Paul Earnshaw, Partner at the firm, said “In my last firm we had dress down Fridays once a month, but at least once a client came in unexpectedly and made it clear he did not like the fact I was in jeans.

A clients once told me “no-one in London wears a tie any more”. They then wore a tie in our next meeting and said “we need to set an example in these difficult times” (that was in the last recession).”

Andrew Swan, also a Partner at the firm, recently presented to a PLC and was told “no-one wears a tie here” yet when he walked in, everyone else in the room had a tie on.”

Tim Berg, Managing Partner of the firm, said “At SRF we are more concerned with the quality of the service that we provide than whether a partner is wearing trainers or a solicitor is wearing a tie. Provided we are dressed appropriately for work and the situation then we think that is enough”

Interestingly, Charlie Alombert from creative agency Lazy Grace is French. He grew up with his GP wearing jeans, T Shirts and hoodies, so for him this is the norm. So before we leave Europe, should we be adopting their laissez faire attitude to dress code? Or are sandals on your GP a step too far…?

So what do you think? Do you feel more professional when you look more professional? Do your clients prefer you to look more professional or are they not bothered either way?

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by lazy grace .