Very random, I know, but for some reasons a couple of questions have been nagging me, and I guess I won't be rid of them until I get input from you all (well, y'all, not all of the 11,000+ members, although that would make for a popular thread, but enough with the digressions already, sorry).
So, back to my initial topic:
Throughout my very varied career, I've had countless opportunities to wear regular clothes, but also several years working in a uniform. Both had their pros and cons:
The uniform was great because it relieved me from dreaded questions such as "what is appropriate to wear, what is too formal, what is too casual? I also tended to feel reassured by the fact that all of the staff was on equal footing, and we had those things were supervisors had a small accessory in a different color to signal their status, which helped in times of conflicts with customers. What I hated was that uniforms are not always exactly comfy, and sometimes you end up forced to wear something that makes your skin crawl, or makes you feel constrained, and I could provoke some actual meltdowns on occasions. Besides, knowing exactly what you're wearing, without needing to factor in the weather & a whole bunch of stuff nobody else ever thinks off was very helpful.
Oh, and I also liked that I knew I wouldn't be judged or rejected by my coworkers in a uniform on the basis of not having the latest trendy boots or whatever, since we were all wearing the exact same thing.
Plain clothes I liked mostly for the ability to choose cuts and fabrics that didn't mess with my aversions, but navigating dress code levels is extremely tricky and frustrating, and I also struggled with the fact that apparently among the odd tribe of Neurotypia, clothing is a means to express your individuality and sense of style. As a result, the items you pick are supposed to be a reflection of some untold message you want to convey. I'm not wearing dresses to be sexy, I just really, really hate the feeling and of pants, and the sound of pant legs rubbing against one another, okay? Figuring out what place does casual/business casual/business formal is another issue. Maybe it's my need to follow the rules only if they make sense, but I remember hating working in a jeans-only company, because what I liked was too formal, and then after a year in a super formal company, I caught myself suddenly longing to... wear jeans (and I don't even like to, but it was like knowing that I couldn't do it made me want to do it, I guess?). I also ended up wasting an hour I didn't have every single day trying to prepare my outfit for the next day, because of all the over-thinking & the need to gather the items. That called for too much focus.
So, do any of you have strong preferences on the topic? Tips on how to figure out the etiquette at work when there's nothing provided on that by your company?
Is it even something you consider as a criteria for possible jobs ("I love my freedom too much" vs. "I cannot be requested to choose clothes on my own").
So, back to my initial topic:
Throughout my very varied career, I've had countless opportunities to wear regular clothes, but also several years working in a uniform. Both had their pros and cons:
The uniform was great because it relieved me from dreaded questions such as "what is appropriate to wear, what is too formal, what is too casual? I also tended to feel reassured by the fact that all of the staff was on equal footing, and we had those things were supervisors had a small accessory in a different color to signal their status, which helped in times of conflicts with customers. What I hated was that uniforms are not always exactly comfy, and sometimes you end up forced to wear something that makes your skin crawl, or makes you feel constrained, and I could provoke some actual meltdowns on occasions. Besides, knowing exactly what you're wearing, without needing to factor in the weather & a whole bunch of stuff nobody else ever thinks off was very helpful.
Oh, and I also liked that I knew I wouldn't be judged or rejected by my coworkers in a uniform on the basis of not having the latest trendy boots or whatever, since we were all wearing the exact same thing.
Plain clothes I liked mostly for the ability to choose cuts and fabrics that didn't mess with my aversions, but navigating dress code levels is extremely tricky and frustrating, and I also struggled with the fact that apparently among the odd tribe of Neurotypia, clothing is a means to express your individuality and sense of style. As a result, the items you pick are supposed to be a reflection of some untold message you want to convey. I'm not wearing dresses to be sexy, I just really, really hate the feeling and of pants, and the sound of pant legs rubbing against one another, okay? Figuring out what place does casual/business casual/business formal is another issue. Maybe it's my need to follow the rules only if they make sense, but I remember hating working in a jeans-only company, because what I liked was too formal, and then after a year in a super formal company, I caught myself suddenly longing to... wear jeans (and I don't even like to, but it was like knowing that I couldn't do it made me want to do it, I guess?). I also ended up wasting an hour I didn't have every single day trying to prepare my outfit for the next day, because of all the over-thinking & the need to gather the items. That called for too much focus.
So, do any of you have strong preferences on the topic? Tips on how to figure out the etiquette at work when there's nothing provided on that by your company?
Is it even something you consider as a criteria for possible jobs ("I love my freedom too much" vs. "I cannot be requested to choose clothes on my own").
