Dressing to Collaborate
Authored by Nicole Harvey, Well-B Summer Fellow
“Wow… jeans and a T-shirt… I wish I was in the innovation department,” the freshly-ironed co-worker admitted as we sat down for a meeting. A small remark that spoke volumes to the culture of clothing in the workplace.
Clothing is, at its core, a way to express yourself; But in an office setting not only is that expression limited, it is fundamentally structured so that most people have to purchase clothes solely for work wear. These clothes are often expensive, uncomfortable and, in all honesty, boring. Yet despite this we force ourselves under this business-casual umbrella because we are taught that the storm outside is not safe. If that were the case, why do we still have the urge to dance in the rain? The reality is that your attire may be restricting not only your closet but also the way you collaborate.
There is a reason why famous developers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and their teams dressed like tired college students: It’s because they let their priorities lie in their ideation, not in their clothes. Having the freedom of choice in attire makes people more comfortable and thus more willing to think outside the box, be more efficient, and feel unconstrained by corporate mentalities of the structured process. They are more willing to share their thoughts and collaborate because they are comfortable both in body and in mind.
This is why when walking into a design studio, the shift to truly “collaborative” attire has already begun. It is there that you will find art directors in Star Wars tees and camo shorts, and photographers dressed to the nines in neon colors and wacky hair styles. Creators know that a tie won’t bring them to the breakthrough they need, so they don’t wear them. Shouldn’t it be the same in an office?
I say it should be.
They say to “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”, but why can’t I dress comfortably? What if the job I want is one where I have a voice but don’t need a suit for it to be heard?
