First impressions count.

a professional consultant who doesn’t

take the time to maintain a professional appearance presents the
image of not being able to perform adequately on the job. Our
professional dress code is codified
because many professionals have never
been taught appropriate professional
appearance and demeanor.

Professional dress code standards are

alive and well in major financial and
executive management. Anyone who
aspires to top management knows that
personal appearance counts.

Clothing is an aspect of human physical appearance, and like other

aspects of human physical appearance it has social significance.
All societies have dress codes, most of which are unwritten but
understood by most members of the society. The dress code has
built in rules or signals indicating the message being given by a
person's clothing and how it is worn. This message may include
indications of the person's social class, income, occupation, ethnic
and religious affiliation, attitude, marital status, sexual availability
and sexual orientation. Clothes convey other social messages
including the stating or claiming personal or cultural identity, the
establishing, maintaining, or defying social group norms, and
appreciating comfort and functionality.

For example, wearing expensive clothes can communicate wealth,

the image of wealth, or cheaper access to quality clothing. All
factors apply inversely to the wearing of inexpensive clothing and
similar goods.The observer sees the resultant, expensive clothes,
but may incorrectly perceive the extent to which these factors
apply to the person observed. (cf. conspicuous consumption).
Clothing can convey a social message, even if none is intended.
 SIGNIFIER
HISTORY
In the Middle Ages the European nobility used a dress code to
differentiate themselves from the sother classes.

The America’s
The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast had a
complex social structure, including slaves, commoners, and nobles,
and dress codes to indicate these social distinctions. John R. Jewitt,
an Englishman who wrote a memoir about his years as a captive of
the Nuu-chah-nulth people in 1802-1805, describes how, after
some time living there, Maquina and the chiefs decided that he
must now be "considered one of them, and conform to their
customs". Jewitt resented the imposition of this dress code, finding
the loose untailored garments very cold, and attributed to them a
subsequent illness of which he almost died. He was not allowed to
cut his hair, and had to paint his face and body as a Nootka would.
[1]

A placard informs tourists about the minimum clothing standards

for entering St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican
GENDER
Various traditions suggests that certain items of clothing
intrinsically suit different gender roles. In particular, the wearing
of skirts and trousers has given rise to common phrases expressing
implied restrictions in use and disapproval of offending behavior.
For example, ancient Greeks often considered the wearing of
trousers by Persian men as a sign of effeminacy.

Dress Code for Male Consultants:

This is the BC default dress code for the USA, and we also have
our casual dress code and our non-USA tropical dress code.

Body Art - Of course our dress code prohibits tattoos. They can be seen as
unprofessional, low-class and ignorant , and at no time may a consultant
have a visible tattoo. Read details about why most corporations prohibit
tattoos. Professional dress code and Tattoos

Suit –

A suit means a SUIT; sport coats and slacks are not allowed. The
suit must be dark blue, gray or charcoal, (except for tropical
engagements) be “well tailored”, and have no loose threads, "pills" or
"nurdles".

Shirt –

A crisp white shirt is always required. French cuffs are optional. I

have seen consultants turned away at the door of banks because of
their hot pink dress shirt.
Tie –

Must be conservative, something a bank VP might wear.

Shoes –
High quality black lace-up shoes are required, polished to a mirror quality
spit-shine. You would be surprised at how many people judge you by your
shoes. See footwear details below.

Accessories –
No phony Rolexes, body piercing or earrings.

Grooming –
All hair, moustaches and beards must be neatly groomed and cologne must
be used sparingly. Protruding nasal hair is prohibited, and all tattoos must be
fully hidden. If you have been working all night and have an early morning
meeting, you can use an anti-inflammatory hemorrhoid cream (e.g.
Preparation H) to quickly shrink those unsightly puffy bags under your
eyes. Just carefully dab the roid cream on your lower eyelids (being careful
not to get any in your eyes) and you will look fresh and well-rested.

Cologne –
Cologne and after-shave are optional, but if used, it must not be so strong as
to call attention to yourself in a closed elevator.

If the client wants you to wear tattered cut offs, that's fine, just make sure
that you check with the client first to ensure that you are not dressed
inappropriately for their environment.
MA
Busines
S
 PROPER ATTIRE FOR MEN

Male Professional Footwear Dress Code

You would be surprised how many people will judge you by the
quality of your shoes and how you maintain them. Your shoes are
important, really important. Did you know that you can be legally
be fired if your boss thinks that you wear shabby shoes?

"“A person can be fired because the company doesn’t like your
shoes,” explains Robert D. Lipman, who manages the New York
employment firm Lipman & Plesur, LLP, and is President of
Interactive Employment Training, Inc.. . .

“We get a lot of calls like this,” he said. “People say ‘This is
America. We should be able to do what we want.’

But I tell them that once you walk into a private employers
workplace, your rights are limited.”

To prevent foot odor and increase the life of your shoes, many
consultants travel with two pairs and rotate them every day. Wing-
tip shoes are allowed, but not encouraged.
A pair of top-quality ($200-$300) shoes is a
good investment because they can be resoled
as needed and last for decades. All
professional shoes must be low cut lace-up
shoes with a fine leather grain capable of being
polished to a mirror finish.
 Dress S

FORMAL MALE FOOTWEAR

Dress Code for Female Consultants:

I'm not trying to be a chauvinist here, but many of our client

organizations have standards for professional appearance, and it's
better to be safe than to be embarrassed.

Skirt Suit - No pants allowed, ever. The suit must be dark blue, gray
or charcoal.

Blouse - A crisp white blouse is great, and you may have ruffles and
other decorations.
Tie – Optional, but it must be conservative.

Shoes - High quality black or brown shoes are required, polished to a

high.
Jewelry - Ostentatious jewelry, multiple ear rings on each ear, and
multiple chain necklaces are prohibited. Leave the Zircons at home;
most people can recognize them instantly.

• Cosmetics - Do not use the ski-slope approach to cosmetics (that's 3-

inches of powder on top of a 6-inch base). Use no "cheap" perfumes
and make sure that you do not offend people with allergies with too
much perfume odor. Co-workers can sue your employer .

• Grooming - All hair must be neatly groomed. Females with facial hair
are required to shave before any on-site engagements. You should
always shave legs and exposed armpits.

• Perfume - Too much perfume is considered especially heinous when the

stench is so strong as to cause allergic reactions or when the odor can be
detected from more than 3 feet away. Remember, the quality of perfume
is inversely proportional to the price, and many female executives can
quickly tell if you are wearing a cheap, "stink pretty" perfume.
F
ATTIRE FOR FEMALE CONSULTANTS

Bus
or W
FORMAL FOOTWEAR FOR FEMALE CONSULTANTS

D
Inappropriate Professional Dress
Any of the following might be cause for immediate withdrawal
from any client site:

• Non-white shirts - All male consultants MUST wear a pressed

white shirt.

• Loafers, boots, sneakers and sandals - Don't even think about

it. They call them loafers for a reason.

• Sport Coats - These are considered cheesy by many Fortune 500

companies.

Here is an
illustration of
the poor
dress codes
for computer
consultants
that I have
worked with
in past
engagements
.

Like it or
not, you are
immediately
judged by
your
appearance.

Generally this type of attire is not allowed in many organizations and

organizations take severe steps against violation of dressing norms.
 Inappro
However, all on-site engagements require absolute professional quality dress
and demeanor. Spit-shined, high quality shoes and a professionally tailored
suit are immediately apparent to anyone who must wear a suit every day

Again, these are the MINIMUM standards for acceptable dress and we
reserve the right to refine our dress code as required.
Following given are some pictures regarding improper attire of the
employees such as

NO JewelryinVisi
OtherTh

Some clothing faux pas may occur intentionally for reasons of

fashion or personal preference. For example, people may wear
intentionally oversized clothing. For instance, the teenage boys of
rap duo Kris Kross of the early 1990s wore all of their clothes
backwards and extremely baggy.

Some clothing faux pas may occur intentionally for reasons of

fashion or personal preference. For example, people may wear
intentionally oversized clothing. For instance, the teenage boys of
rap duo Kris Kross of the early 1990s wore all of their clothes
backwards and extremely baggy.
Inappropriate dress code and grooming
Have you ever gone to church on Sunday and instantly noted the
people who normally do not wear a suit? You know, the men with
striped shirts, plaid ties and lime green sport coats? Sadly,
professional dress and grooming standards have fallen from
popular culture, and we don't have to look far to find examples of
unprofessional dress. Here are some examples of inappropriate
male grooming:

No Neanderthal-style single eyebrows are allowed, and you should

shave any loose hair on your forehead or the palms of your hands.
All ear hair must be shaved, and remove any "Admiral Zumwalt"
style giant eyebrows. If you must wear a toupee, have it custom fit
and glued on securely and no Trump-style comb-overs, please.

Here are some examples of inappropriate female grooming:

Prejudice still exists within corporate America about tattoos in
their dress codes, and there is a clear correlation between income,
education, and the population who have tattoos. It's no surprise
that tattoos are more popular in poors and undereducated

NOBolo tie
Visible Foundation
Optional Headwear dress code for non-USA consulting
While hats have not been considered appropriate attire with a suit
in the USA since the 1950’s, in some foreign societies the wearing
of hats is both practical and fashionable.

Panama hats also

go great in
topical areas, and
a super-fine
Panama hat is a
great status
symbol.

High quality
Panama straw
hats are
appropriate with
tropical dress
suits. They are
also utilitarian,
adding shade and
retarding sweat.

A super-fine Panama hat can be had for as little as $200 on the

web; although, a men's store may charge over $500. The best
deals are purchases in South America where a "super ma fin"
Panama hat can be had for under $150.
 NO Hats or Flann

When choosing a hat, it is important to choose a hat style that is

culturally and/or religiously neutral, here are some examples of hat
styles that are not acceptable:

When choosing a hat, it is important to choose a hat style that is

culturally and/or religiously neutral, here are some examples of hat
styles that are not acceptable:

Sombreros often imply cultural

Oriental-style hats are a no-no. Rastafarianism is a legitimate religion.
stereotypes.
The news is full of reports of anti-French
Not everyone wants to be cowboy. Bowlers and derby hats are distinctly British.
sentiments.

Cultural Dress Code

When representing Burleson Consulting, it is not acceptable to
wear any cultural or religious garments that may offend a client.
for details on working with different cultures.

Burleson consulting respects the religious beliefs of you and our

clients, but our clients come first. When representing Burleson
Consulting it is unacceptable to wear any garments, icons or
jewelry that may have overt (or covert) religious, racial, cultural or
national connotations that may offend a client.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
It is important to any professional not to advertise religious
affiliations. For example, when consulting in areas with large
Muslim populations, you may not wear customary garments unless
you are a practicing member of that religion, and then, only when
the attire is consistent with the other tenets of our dress code.

Dress Code Accessories

Here are some accessories that you might want to consider:

• Clothing shaver - These are very handy for stray pills and
removing fuzz.

• Travel Shoe Kit –

It is critical that you touch-up your dress shoes, everyday. You should
not use a brush (it fades the mirror-quality), and I carry a t-shirt rag,
black wax and a liquid black dauber for the soles.

• Burberry trench coat –

• Instantly recognizable for men and women alike.

• Rolex watch –
The time honored, instantly recognized symbol of success. However, all
accessories can be abused, so be careful that your accessories remain in
good taste: Short sleeve white dress shirts are not permitted. You
may wear casual dress shoes, including white dress shoes, but
sandals are never appropriate. For female tropical dress
requirements, trousers are permitted, and pastel and white colors
are considered acceptable.
 • Burberry accessories - Burberry hats are for
Rap stars.

• Loose Rolex wristbands - This went out

in the 1990's.

• Bling - Too much jewelry is not appropriate.

Social status
In many societies, people of high rank reserve special items of
clothing or decoration for themselves as symbols of their social
status. In ancient times, only Roman senators could wear garments
dyed with Tyrian purple; only high-ranking Hawaiian chiefs could
wear feather cloaks and palaoa or carved whale teeth. In China
before the establishment of the republic, only the emperor could
wear yellow.

Occupation
Military, police, and firefighters usually wear uniforms, as do
workers in many industries. School children often wear school
uniforms, while college and university students sometimes wear
academic dress. Members of religious orders may wear uniforms
known as habits. Sometimes a single item of clothing or a single
accessory can declare one's occupation or rank within a profession.
 Proper dressing norms is prevailing on very wide scale in many
industries, professional sector, educational institutions, e.g.
ARYANS GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS is running many business
schools and is having proper standard of uniformity not only for
students but also for faculty, director or for most dignatory person
of institution is also having proper dressing norm.

Ethnic and political affiliation

In many regions of the world, national costumes and styles in
clothing and ornament declare membership in a certain village,
caste, religion, etc. A Scotsman declares his clan with his tartan. A
French peasant woman identified her village with her cap.

Clothes can also proclaim dissent from cultural norms and

mainstream beliefs, as well as personal independence. In 19th-
century Europe, artists and writers lived la vie de Bohème and
dressed to shock: George Sand in men's clothing, female
emancipationists in bloomers, male artists in velvet waistcoats and
gaudy neckcloths. Bohemians, beatniks, hippies, Goths, Punks and
Skinheads have continued the (countercultural) tradition in the
20th-century West.

Marital status
Traditionally, Hindu women wear sindoor, a red powder, in the
parting of their hair to indicate their married status; if widowed,
they abandon sindoor and jewelry and wear simple white clothing.
However this is not true of all Hindu women; in the modern world
this is not a norm and women without sindoor may not necessarily
be unmarried.
In many Orthodox Jewish circles, married women wear head
coverings such as a hat, snood, or wig. Additionally, after their
marriage Jewish men of Ashkenazi descent begin to wear a Tallit
during prayer.

Men and women of the Western world may wear wedding rings to
indicate their married status, and women may also wear
engagement rings when they are engaged.

Sexual display
Modern western culture recognizes cues such as (in women)
extreme stiletto heels, close-fitting and body-revealing black or red
clothing, exaggerated make-up, flashy jewelry and perfume, as
being sexy. A man who is shirtless, wearing a tightly-cut shirt,
unbuttoned to his sternum, or tight trousers, would be recognized
as dressing in a sexually provocative way.

Sexual display has its place in culture, however. In some cases,

differences across gender in interpretation of sexual display can
give rise to victimization of the subordinate gender. In modern
American culture, sexual display among college women, for
example, is part of a complex social climate wherein females
compete for male attention, while males vie for sex with females.
This contradiction in intent - women intending to attract attention
and men intending to have sex - is one of the many factors (along
with gender socialization, campus policies, and other issues) which
give rise to acquaintance rape or "party rape"

The apparent contradiction in behavior and intent exists elsewhere.

For example, a Saudi Arabian woman has to wear an abaya to
proclaim her respectability, but choose an abaya of luxurious
material cut close to the body and then accessorize with high heels
and a fashionable purse. All the details proclaim sexual
desirability, despite the ostensible message of respectability.Some
research has indicated that women's clothing choices are
influenced by menstrual phase. Among normally cycling women
(i.e., those not on hormonal contraception and with intact uterus
and ovaries), revealing clothes are more common at the
periovulatory phase of the cycle, while less revealing clothing is
more common perimenstrually. Evolutionary psychologists have
speculated that this may be related to signaling of fertility to males.
Many biological mechanisms exist to disguise fertility and almost
none exist to reveal it; therefore the selection of revealing clothing
to display fertility runs counter to our biology.

Private dress codes

Dress codes may be enforced by private entities, usually imposing
a particular requirement for entry into a private space. "Dress
code" may also refer to a social norm.

• By religious law or tradition

• For employees, pupils/students, etc. - sometimes a uniform;
sometimes depending on the day, see Casual Friday; see also
International standard business attire
• For customers, e.g. for a disco, nightclub, casino, shop or
restaurant
• In special parties; sometimes a specific costume is requested
• Fetish clubs often require patrons to dress in fetish clothing
• As social rules in general

Dress codes function on certain social occasions and for certain

jobs. A school or a military institution may require specified
uniforms; if it allows the wearing of plain clothes it may place
restrictions on their use. A bouncer of a disco or nightclub may
judge visitors' clothing and refuse entrance to those not clad
according to specified or intuited requirements.

Some dress codes specify that tattoos have to be covered.

A "formal" or white tie dress code typically means tail-coats for

men and full-length evening dresses for women. "Semi-formal" has
a much less precise definition but typically means an evening
jacket and tie for men (known as black tie) and a dress for women.
"Business casual" typically means not wearing jeans or track suits,
but wearing instead collared shirts, and more country trousers (not
black, but more relaxed, including things such as corduroy).
"Casual" typically just means clothing for the torso, legs and shoes.
"Wedding Casual" defines yet another mode of dress, where guests
dress respectfully, but not necessarily fancily. Basically, no jeans
and T-shirts.

Transparent or semi-transparent clothing can play with the

boundaries of dress-codes regarding modesty.

Dress codes usually set forth a lower bound on body covering.

However, sometimes it can specify the opposite, for example, in
UK gay jargon, dress code, means people who dress in a
militaristic manner. Dress code nights in nightclubs, and
elsewhere, are deemed to specifically target people who have
militaristic fetishes.
 Sport Coat, DressSla
Shirt andNec

Business casual
Business casual dress, also "smart casual", is a popular work place
dress code that emerged in white-collar workplaces in Western
countries in the 1990s, especially in the United States and Canada.
Many information technology businesses in Silicon Valley were
early adopters of this dress code. In contrast to formal business
wear such as suits and neckties (the international standard business
attire), the business casual dress code has no generally-accepted
definition; its interpretation differs widely among organizations
and is often a cause of sartorial confusion among workers.
White collar work place clothing has changed through the years. In
a corporate office, appropriate clothes are clean, formal clothes
such as a shirt, necktie, and suit, or other similar outfits. Previous
business dress code eras (the 1950s in the U.S.) featured
standardised business clothes that strongly differentiated what was
acceptable and unacceptable for men and women to wear while
working. Today, the two styles have merged; women's work
clothes expanded to include the suit (and its variants) in addition to
the usual dresses, skirts, and blouses; men's clothes have expanded
to include garments and bright colours.

Casual wear entered corporate culture with the advent of the

Silicon Valley, California, technology company featuring informal
work clothes on the job. Additionally, some companies set aside
days — generally Fridays ("dress-down Friday", "casual Friday")
— when workers may wear informal clothes. The clothing a
company requires its worker to wear on the job varies with the
occupation and profession.
Some businesses observe that anti-discrimination law restricts their
determining what is appropriate and inappropriate workplace
clothing. Yet, in fact, most businesses have much authority in
determining and establishing what work place clothes they can
require of their workers. Generally, a carefully drafted dress code
applied consistently does not violate anti-discrimination laws.

Abandedcollarshirtmay
butonlyif sportcoatorb
suitisworn
The job search engine Monster.com offers this definition: In
general, business casual means dressing professionally, looking
relaxed, yet neat and pulled together. A more pragmatic definition
is that business casual dress is the mid ground between formal
business clothes and street clothes. Examples of clothing
combinations considered appropriate for work by businesses that
consider themselves as using the business-casual dress code are:

• for men: a shirt with a collar (tennis shirt) and cotton

trousers, "khakis": in American English
• for women: a tennis shirt and trousers
Generally, neckties are excluded from business casual dress, unless
worn in untraditional ways. The acceptability of blue jeans and
denim cloth clothing varies — some businesses disallow them as
sloppy, not casual, yet tolerate men wearing blue jeans with a
sports coat.

Inverse dress codes

Inverse dress codes, sometimes referred to as "undress code", set
forth an upper bound, rather than a lower bound, on body covering.
An example of an undress code, is the one commonly enforced in
modern communal bathing facilities. For example, in the public
bath SchwabenQuellen no clothing of any kind is allowed. Other
less strict undress codes are common in public pools, especially
indoor pools, in which shoes and shirts are not allowed.

Places where social nudity is practiced may be "clothing optional",

or nudity may be compulsory, with exceptions, see issues in social
nudity.

Violation of clothing taboos

Some clothing faux pas may occur intentionally for reasons of
fashion or personal preference.
For instance, the teenage boys of rap duo Kris Kross of the early
1990s wore all of their clothes backwards and extremely baggy.

Reversalism in the sociology of clothing

Social attitudes to clothing have brought about various rules and

social conventions, such as keeping the body covered, and not
showing underwear in public. The backlash against these social
norms has become a traditional form of rebellion.

A banded collar
but only if spor
suit is
DRESS CODE (western)

A dress code is a set of rules governing what garments may be

worn together. Examples of dress codes are combinations such as
"smart casual", or "morning dress". A classification of these codes
is normally made for varying levels of formality and times of day.
In traditional Western dressing, for men the more formal dress
codes, such as "black tie", are highly codified with essentially
fixed definitions, mostly unchanged for more than fifty years,
while the more casual classifications change very quickly, and a
world-wide or widely relevant discussion is impossible. For
women, changes in fashion are more rapid.

In practical use, dress codes are either followed instinctively,

enforced by peer pressure, so that people wear similar clothing in
the same situations. Alternatively, at more formal events where a
dress code is specified, invitees wear clothes at the specified level;
if some variation is permitted (for example, "black tie preferred"),
the host will wear the most formal option to save guests the
embarrassment of out-dressing him. Appropriate national dress is
generally permitted, and national variations are also widely worn
as an exception to the trend of uniformity with peers, often in the
form of headgear (see kippa, turban, hijab).

LAWS AND SOCIAL NORMS

In Tonga it is illegal for men to appear in public without a shirt.

In New Guinea and Vanuatu there are areas where it is customary

for the men to wear nothing but penis sheaths in public - this is
uncommon in more developed areas. Women wear string skirts. In
remote areas of Bali, women may go topless. In India, Hindu
contemporary daily dress like saris tend to often show bare
stomachs in preference over bare legs.

In the United States, a few businesses or restaurants display dress

code signs requiring shoes and shirts, claiming to be there on
account of a health code, although no such health codes exist, these
signs have remained popular since businesses looked for ways to
reduce the number of hippies in their facilities. Also, it is common
belief that there are laws against driving barefoot, however, no
such laws exist. It is quite uncommon for people to be nude in
public in the United States, however, there are a few private
beaches and resorts that cater to such a population.

A person can be fired because the company doesn’t like your

shoes,” explains Robert D. Lipman, who manages the New York

employment firm Lipman & plesur, LLP People say ‘This is

America. We should be able to do what we want.’ But I tell them
that once you walk into a private employers workplace, your rights
are limited.”

Plus, it's not sexual discrimination to require separate grooming

standards and dress codes for men and women.

FORMAL, SEMI FORMAL AND INFORMAL CODES

The more formal dress codes are readily defined and classified,
daywear (or morningwear) being worn to events in the morning
(that is, before 6 p.m.), and eveningwear to events starting after
that. It used to be customary among upper classes to dress for
dinner, but this is now less common, and wearing essentially
daywear in the evening is normal.

Typical events: Diplomatic receptions and balls; the Opera, often a

gala; Mardi Gras, charity, débutante, or May balls; important fund
raising dinner

Note that the use of white tie and morning dress has become fairly
rare in some countries (such as the U.S.), where black tie or a
lounge suit (as appropriate) is often worn to the above events.
SEMI FORMAL CODES
Typical events: Weddings, theatre opening nights, débutante balls

There is some variation in style depending on whether it is summer

or winter. See black tie for more details.

INFORMAL CODES

Typical events: Diplomatic meetings, business purpose, many

social occasions, everyday wear.

Business wear is included in the informal category, generally

consisting of a business suit and tie. Informal dress code
encompasses all suits, but not all suits are considered business
appropriate in fabric, cut, or color.

CASUAL CODES
The less formal dress codes are more fluid.
Their definition varies geographically and may include:

• Smart casual (or traditional casual, [old fashioned] business

casual, [new] cocktail, executive casual, corporate casual)
• Business casual (or 'dressy', resort casual, country club,
casual chic, semi-casual, neat casual)
• Leisure attire (or Saturday casual)
• Active attire

The term casual describes a wide variety of clothing, ranging from

smart casual to active attire.
 CASUAL WE

CASUAL

Contemporary Business Casual

Typical events: Business purposes, modern-style church events,

Ties are not worn with contemporary business casual. Usually

jeans are worn with a dressy top or collared shirt. For ladies, heels
are acceptable. This is acceptable in some business situations, but
not all.

Full dress, half dress, and undress

Before the modern system of formal, semi-formal, and informal
was as strictly applied as it is now, the terms were looser. For
example, black tie (originally dinner clothes) was initially
described as informal, while the "lounge suit," now standard.

Before this, the principal classifications of clothing were full dress

and undress, and, less commonly, half dress. Full dress covered the
most formal option: a frock coat for daywear, and dress coat for
eveningwear. Since the frock coat has dropped out of use, the term
is now only ever applied to white tie. Half dress, when used, was
variously applied at different times, but was used to cover our
modern morning dress (note that the term morning dress is fairly
undescriptive and has not always meant our modern morning
dress). Undress in turn was similarly loose in meaning,
corresponding to anything from a dressing gown to a lounge suit or
its evening equivalent of dinner clothes (now one of the most
formal dress codes possible).

Dresscode (BDSM)
In BDSM, a dresscode is a policy of appropriate dressing for
social events such as fetish clubs and play parties. It specifies how
guests have to be dressed to be admitted into the event. Dress
codes are usually strictly enforced.

The most important rule in a BDSM dresscode is that guests' attire

should be erotic and/or fetishist. This usually makes it the opposite
of a standard formal dresscode - although casual "jeans and T-
shirt" is excluded from both, what is included in one is generally
excluded from the other. There are two reasons for having a
dresscode. One is to discourage those people not in the BDSM
scene from entering the event solely to ogle at the guests, and
another is to raise the event's atmosphere by ensuring guests are
dressed excitingly enough to attract others' attention.

In BDSM, a dresscode is a policy of appropriate dressing for

social events such as fetish clubs and play parties. It specifies how
guests have to be dressed to be admitted into the event. Dress
codes are usually strictly enforced.

The most important rule in a BDSM dresscode is that guests' attire

should be erotic and/or fetishist. This usually makes it the opposite
of a standard formal dresscode - although casual "jeans and T-
shirt" is excluded from both, what is included in one is generally
excluded from the other. There are two reasons for having a
dresscode. One is to discourage those people not in the BDSM
scene from entering the event solely to ogle at the guests, and
another is to raise the event's atmosphere by ensuring guests are
dressed excitingly enough to attract others' attention.

Criticism of dresscodes
Not everyone in the BDSM community agrees with mandatory
dresscodes. Some common criticisms are:
Dresscodes are ineffective against unwanted outsiders. A normal
vanilla guest wanting to enter a BDSM event solely to ogle at
others merely has to invest in kinky clothing, he/she does not have
to actually have a kinky mindset.

Dresscodes favour some fetishes above others. Rubber and leather

fetishes are the most common, but other, much more unusual
fetishes also exist. Some people are even attracted towards woolly
jumpers, but wearing such a jumper would never get past a
dresscodes.

Dresscodes seldom allow "streetwear" even in the context of

another highly formalised look - typically skinhead,

In academia
Smart casual is preferred code of dress in academic circles,
especially for events which involve speaking in front of an
audience, such as lectures or presentations on scientific
conferences. The general idea of this dress code is to convey a
certain level of informality necessary for proper
scientific/academic communication while still commanding a
certain degree of authority and respect for the institution. More
formal dress codes, such as informal, are generally considered too
rigid for an academic environment, and street wear is generally
seen as unprofessional. However, other dress codes are used for
more ceremonious events.

This dress code is almost universally employed by academic staff

above the level of postgraduate students, and tweed sports jackets
with elbow patches are often considered the archetypal attire for
university professors.

The form of casual smart dress code most often encountered in

academic circles includes (for men) trousers, cotton shirt, plain
color or with stripes combined with a wool sweater and a jacket.
For women, the style is slightly different. Dress code often
includes impressive shoes (brown leather boots for winter months,
and some type of flat,
-.

In Academia
Smart casual is preferred code of dress in academic circles,
especially for events which involve speaking in front of an
audience, such as lectures or presentations on scientific
conferences. The general idea of this dress code is to convey a
certain level of informality necessary for proper
scientific/academic communication while still commanding a
certain degree of authority and respect for the institution. More
formal dress codes, such as informal, are generally considered too
rigid for an academic environment, and street wear is generally
seen as unprofessional. However, other dress codes are used for
more ceremonious events.

This dress code is almost universally employed by academic staff

above the level of postgraduate students, and tweed sports jackets
with elbow patches are often considered the archetypal attire for
university professors.

The form of casual smart dress code most often encountered in

academic circles includes (for men) trousers, cotton shirt, plain
color or with stripes combined with a wool sweater and a jacket.
For women, the style is slightly different. Dress code often
includes impressive shoes (brown leather boots for winter months,
and some type of flat.

Urban tribes
In 1985, French sociologist Michel Maffesoli coined the term
urban tribe, and it gained widespread use after the publication of
his Le temps des tribus: le déclin de l'individualisme dans les
sociétés postmodernes (1988). Eight years later, this book was
published in the United Kingdom as The Time of the Tribes: The
Decline of Individualism in Mass Society.

Accor

ding to Maffesoli, urban tribes are microgroups of people who

share common interests in metropolitan areas. The members of
these relatively small groups tend to have similar worldviews,
dress styles and behavioral patterns. Their social interactions are
largely informal and emotionally-laden, different than late
capitalism's corporate-bourgeoisie cultures, based on dispassionate
logic. Maffesoli claims that punks are a typical example of an
"urban tribe".

Five years after the first English translation of Le temps des tribus,
writer Ethan Watters claims to have coined the same neologism in
a New York Times Magazine article. This was later expanded upon
the idea in his book Urban Tribes: A Generation Redefines
Friendship, Family, and Commitment. According to Watters, urban
tribes are groups of never-marrieds between the ages of 25 and 45
who gather in common-interest groups and enjoy an urban
lifestyle, which offers an alternative to traditional family
structures.
FEEDBACK ANSWER QUESTION
DRESSING CODES

There are few of the most common questions about our

professional dress code.

I applaud your standards. Can I copy this page for my

students?

I strongly believe in passing on the text of this dress code.

However, some images are used here with permission (Thanks
Mike), and I cannot consent to allow reproduction of the
illustrations.

You are a sexist pig, making women wear skirts. How dare
you impose these dress standards?

Actually, I don't set these standards, the clients do. You must
conform to the dress codes to enter client site, and it's not just
women. I worked at a bank where employees could not have long
hair or beards and you could be reprimanded for wearing a non-
white shirt.

Michael Schaffner:
Donald Burleson reinforces the effect of first impressions made by
these factors and he does it in a very humorous and memorable
way. It is well worth a look. While you may take exception to
these codes Mr. Burleson is quite emphatic that the codes are set
by his clients. Personally, I think there is a lot of practical wisdom
in what he says.

Your dress code page had me on floor :-)

Steve Axelrod

Dear Don,

As a regular visitor to your very helpful website I stumbled across

the "dress code" page. This we read with an amalgam of mirth and
disbelief. In the UK there are various Acts of law which would
wind a corp up running this stuff. But, yes, it is very important,
agreed.

The way we manage this consultant requirement is never hire

someone who we even think would need to be told to use a dress
code. Maybe you should create a "dress code test" as part of your
hire eval. In almost a decade of trading, and with no formal dress
code requirement being stated, no client has ever returned an
adverse comment to us in the appearance section of our post-
contract crits.
 Best wishes for a successful 2007
Mike

Dr.Mike
CEO Concentrika Limited

I understand the need for your employees to make a

professional impression on your clients, and I wouldn't
advocate that you do anything different.However, I find the
cultural mindset on the part of your clients which
produces such rigidity depressing. I get the impression of a class
 consciousness emanating from the upper echelons of those
companieswhich smacks of elitism and snobbery, and that rubs
espeaking about the executives, of course, who all too often are
engaged in a can-you-top-this contest to bolster their already
inflatedegos, then emulated in dress and style by the
sychophanty ladder-climbing
managers underneath them. These are the companies that
provide fodder for
the Dilbert comic strip, with their employees slaving away in
standardized cubicles, terrified of losing their jobs due to some
social blunder.I think you see through all that, because you
obviously have a pretty good
sense of humor. I also think that the instructional pages which
you put up on the web represent a true desire to be helpful and
show a generosity which
goes beyond merely advertising your services.
I escaped from corporate ladder-climbing long ago and am a
much happier person for it, working for a small company in a
no-nonsense environment. The company consists almost
entirely of technical specialists -- programmers, engineers, etc.
-with almost no management.

For their part, the banks and insurance companies would contend
that their dress codes are necessary in order to make a good
impression on their clients, but I think one has to differentiate
between the necessary dress code for front-line people dealing
directly with customers, such as bank tellers, and the dress code of
the executives, which seems to be more about making a statement
about the wearer's position, wealth, and power.

The only thing which I could perhaps find fault with in your dress
code is not the dress code itself, but rather the sense of finality in
the
pronouncements of what is stylish and what is not. There is indeed
a certain timelessness to a good blue or charcoal suit and a good
pair of shoes, but as you yourself noted, hats went out in the 50's.
Perhaps in another 50 years, your shiny black shoes will look as
outdated as one of those Fedora hats does today.

Also, medieval shoes look stupid to you. The polo hats and funny
riding
trousers of the modern day aristocracy look stupid to me.

The people I admire most are scientists, and we know how well
Einstein
dressed :-)

Scott C. Pedigo
Java Developer (and when forced, SQL writer)
Zurich, Switzerland

I ran across your dress code page today as I was searching for
information on Corfam shoes. It is certainly an interesting point of
view, and quite "East-coast" in its formality.

I believe, though, that many companies could absolutely use some

level of redress, if you'll forgive the pun, of their dress code to get
closer to yours.

But I digress. I am also a senior enlisted member of the Army

Reserve, and I was concerned when I read your statement:

"To establish a great base-shine, you can easily locate a shoe

service at any fine shoe store or military base. U.S. military bases
(especially Marine bases) have open-to-the public services where
you can get your shoe-mirrors started."
 I can say with some authority that the events of September 11,
2001 still impact public access to many military installations. It
would be helpful to warn your those who are read your web page
that military installations are not as open as they once were, and
that they should be prepared to be turned away at the gate. Security
levels change without notice to the public;
further, the general public has no "automatic right" to access a
military installation, especially if the purpose of the visit is to get
their shoes shined. In all other respects, however, I applaud your
efforts to return the American workforce to a condition in which
pride of appearance was at the root of the pride of individual
workmanship. One of the first lessons we learned in basic training
was that your personal appearance is a direct reflection of your
standard of workmanship.
I learned that putting two hours of effort into getting a mirror finish
on my boots, even when I knew I would wipe out that effort in the
first half hour of the next day's work, showed that I cared about my
appearance and it demonstrated my work ethic. That has served me
well in my civilian life.

Mark Racicot
Sergeant First Class, United States Army Reserve

I particularly liked your section dealing with dress codes; it is spot-

on. I spent nine years in the business world prior to returning to active
duty after 9-11, and your comments regarding dressing properly for
business are right on the mark. Prior to my return to active duty, I
spent approximately five years as a Cisco consultant and trainer and
to project the proper image, you had to dress for success.
It is also refreshing to see a company that stresses integrity as a core
business principle. Unfortunately too many businesses do not
understand the importance of honest, forthright business dealings.
Although it might take a lot longer to hire the employees you
seek, in the end it will save you a lot of money due to the reliability of
your work force.Paul Werner Officer, U.S. Army Overdressing is also
a problem - being formal when your client is plainly very casual in
their dress code won't likely lose you the contract, but it may well
inhibit you getting the next piece of work unless you can 'dress-down'
to a suitable degree. However, I have found it appropriate to never
participate in client 'casual Fridays', etc. It always seems to be better
to ensure that they understand you work with them (as a
contractor/consultant), not for them (as an employee).Being 'overly'
formal can also be interpreted as pretentious and 'out of touch' by the
client. This can be a very dangerous message to send by our dress
and grooming, when we're trying to convey the impression that we
are up-to-date and relevant. It is very important to be fashion
conscious, never wearing anything obviously out-of-date for the same
reason. Although I have learnt the lesson of never out-dressing your
client - unless they are the kind that really enjoy the competition (in a
friendly sense).

Your interpretation of 'Tropical Formal' is also interesting. In the

South Pacific 'Tropical Formal' would often mean a plain colored
shirt, with long trousers - but not always a neck tie. Sandals too
would often be considered acceptable and in fact more appropriate
than shoes. Clothing that doesn't fit the physical environment
often marks the wearer as a little strange in the head, also not the
best reflection upon the company he/she is representing - the song
lyrics "Mad dogs and Englishman go out in the midday sun" comes
to mind.

Thanks, for a great article.

Lee Humphries

Resident of many Tropical places

May I suggest you make an addition to your dress code page.
Some areas of the country during the summer (desert areas) run in
the 100 plus degree weather.

What do you suggest to maintain the professional appearance to

clients without diminishing your physical well being.

Sincerely,
Eric Werny

(below has been completely obfuscated to ensure confidentiality)

Wanda writes:

I have an issue with an obese female employee. She wears short

miniskirts, spaghetti-strapped tops, spandex leggings, and low-cut
tops, revealing her huge breasts. She looks really gross, and our
customers have commented on her unprofessional attire.

All of our outdoor employees have a dress code: over-the-ankle

work boots, denim pants and company logo shirts. Our dress code
also stipulates no sneakers, no body piercing (for safety reasons),
shirts required. But we have not had the need to create a dress code
for office workers.

What should we say and how should we breech this matter? We

fear that the employee will get upset and feel that it's because of
her weight "disability" (she is as wide as she is tall). It's all-about
how disgusting she looks in her clothes, not the clothes
themselves. What can we do?

And we replied:
This is a serious issue that is probably best handled directly. She
obviously does not have a clear understanding of generally
accepted dress standards within the office environment. Nor does
she appear to realize the negative impression she makes on your
clients.

You may want to start by reminding her of her value as a member

of your team, and then go on to advise her that through her
excessively casual attire she is not presenting herself in the proper
light as a professional member of the team. Stress that she should
not dress for the office in the same manner she might dress for
recreational activities. Request that she wear clothing in a style that
is compatible with the style worn by other office workers with her
physical characteristics.

Keep the focus on dressing "professional versus casual", rather

than focusing on the revealing nature of her attire. Remember,
discussing the "levels of physical exposure" is a sensitive subject,
even for the most seasoned HR professional. To prevent
misunderstandings, the HR person should not be alone during this
sensitive discussion. A trusted female team member should be
there as a witness, just in case your reprimand is taken as an assault
on her "obesity" issue, which may constitute a disability.

Dear BC: I agree with your views on all males wearing only white
dress shirts, belts etc as a great attire program. However, I honestly
believe that wearing a fine powder blue or light pink shirt,
especially with a white collar is totally acceptable. As a 53-year
old financial advisor, I have noticed that many younger men come
in unshaven, messy hair, and with tees or long-sleeve, round-collar
polo's.

The other day, a visiting executive client of mine noticed one of

my fellow lawyers sitting in our computer room with a 3 day old
beard, and a collarless, maroon shirt. The guest asked me if this
was a tech engineer or one of our financial advisors!

I was disappointed and shocked at the sight of my associate's

slovenly appearance. Although we work in mid-town Manhattan,
Casual Fridays has infected the rest of the work week.

Question: How do you suggest we communicate a dress-code to

all men and women in our office, without insulting anyone?

Answer: To be effective, any dress code needs clear guidelines

and absolute enforcement. If HR can provide humorous
illustrations of violations, that is a great way to communicate the
dress code requirements. As to enforcement, violators should be
sent home to change, discretely and immediately

I love your online course about the real international dress code
requirements. Hm, it could be a new Oracle error code?

ORA-11111: Error in dress code.

Cause: The personal performance is very bad and cannot run

acceptable in the environment of a customer.

Action: Early in the morning let run a daily job to check up the
mirror image and use your personal tuning tool kit.
Greetings from Germany,
Robert Dettmann

I write regarding the page on your web site regarding dress codes:-
you are joking aren’t you?

Firstly, if such suggestions were made in Europe, even as light-

heartedly as this, you would have the human-rights squad on your
neck like a ton of muesli!
Secondly, the style you suggest walking in to a UK boardroom
would have people worried: we would expect you to start talking
evangelism, and after you left, debate whether you were wearing
locked combination underwear beneath it. Only a white shirt? Dark
grey suits? I am not suggesting I would prefer to see a pale cream
suit, open shirt and medallions (heaven forfend), but I do suggest
you hire an Italian or French couturier and get some fashion sense
in to your code. Looking like a missionary, or something out of the
late fifties, would lose my trade quicker than anything else.

The only dress code I have ever imposed on my staff is simple: the
first one to wear blue denim in my presence will be asked which
service station they would like to work for as a petrol pump
attendant. Clean pressed shirt, a tie, formal trousers and proper
shoes for the men (lounge suit on occasions outside the office), and
neat clothing for the ladies; that is as far as you may go legally.

Atkinson

And our response:

Atkinson,

You are joking aren’t you?

If you had bothered to read the page, you would have noted that
this dress code is required by or clients, not us.

It’s the same as professional dress codes enforced by large

institutions worldwide.

I just came across your article, while researching on the proper

attire to wear to work. I recently received a job in the IT deptt of

digital photography lab and was wondering what would be

appropriate to wear. A friend of mine had sent me this article, and
I thought that it could be an interesting addition to your website. I
thought it would be a light-hearted way to talk about dress codes.
Anyway, thanks for all of the advice, and Happy New Sincerely,
Kelly

A Burleson review of the linked article yields the following notes

of interest:
"IT staff are twice as likely to wear a heavy metal t-shirt as their
non-IT counterparts. The study of 1000 office workers, by
Intermedia.NET, the leading Microsoft Exchange host, also found
IT types 34% more likely to sport a ponytail. . . One interesting
finding from the study was that IT staff are more likely to wear an
expensive suit than a cheap one. While business staff are still far
more likely to wear any suit at all, IT people shun cheap suits, with
33% more of them choosing a pricey suit over a bargain one.”