Post-lockdown scruffiness
Discussion
Possibly a polarising topic. I'm a younger chap and pre-lockdown, when I was the office everyday, I sometimes got told I looked scruffy - not clean-shaven, wearing (black) trainers, showering at lunchtime so my hair was a mess in the afternoon.
During lockdown I noticed that a lot of the people who were quite fastidious about office attire/appearances had let that slide, and were regularly on video calls wearing t-shirts, jogging bottoms, and in various 5 o'clock shadow variants.
Since then, the folks who are back in the office now seem to have adopted a more relaxed dress code. Jeans seem to be permitted for the guys, women are often in trainers rather than their stilettos, and in general people seem to have a less "corporate" look than before lockdown.
Interested to hear your thoughts - I never liked dressing up for work (hence the scruffy complaints I got!) and it seems that most people nowadays have followed suit, no pun intended. Obviously if you're a sparky or a firefighter etc you can't quite come to work in your PJs, but the whole stuffy suit and tie or skirt and blouse or whatever the correct term is, seems to be a minority rather than a majority now. Any truth in that?
During lockdown I noticed that a lot of the people who were quite fastidious about office attire/appearances had let that slide, and were regularly on video calls wearing t-shirts, jogging bottoms, and in various 5 o'clock shadow variants.
Since then, the folks who are back in the office now seem to have adopted a more relaxed dress code. Jeans seem to be permitted for the guys, women are often in trainers rather than their stilettos, and in general people seem to have a less "corporate" look than before lockdown.
Interested to hear your thoughts - I never liked dressing up for work (hence the scruffy complaints I got!) and it seems that most people nowadays have followed suit, no pun intended. Obviously if you're a sparky or a firefighter etc you can't quite come to work in your PJs, but the whole stuffy suit and tie or skirt and blouse or whatever the correct term is, seems to be a minority rather than a majority now. Any truth in that?
I went in to our London office for the first time since Covid a few weeks back. Normally its suits and ties, and VERY corporate. So I dressed as we always did. When I got there I was the only one wearing a shirt let alone a suit.
At the moment we can work form the office, but have virtually no face to face client meetings, and zero chance of a client visiting our office. Once all of that returns, I'm sure the formality will do too.
At the moment we can work form the office, but have virtually no face to face client meetings, and zero chance of a client visiting our office. Once all of that returns, I'm sure the formality will do too.
Its a shame really. Looking smart just raises the vibe of the place. I have a job where the uniform makes me look like a scruff and I hate it.
I never understood people who complain about a suit and tie/blouse being uncomfortable either, I find the silky/polyester lings make them much more comfortable than scratchy Chinos and Jeans, the only annoying thing is worrying about dirt and creases which can be a pain in the arse sometimes.
If you find your suit uncomfortable you probably just need a different size or cut.
I never understood people who complain about a suit and tie/blouse being uncomfortable either, I find the silky/polyester lings make them much more comfortable than scratchy Chinos and Jeans, the only annoying thing is worrying about dirt and creases which can be a pain in the arse sometimes.
If you find your suit uncomfortable you probably just need a different size or cut.
We used to be formal office wear many years ago and had casual Fridays for which you paid a pound that went to charity.
We then went to casual for the whole week about 4/5 years ago, I'd only put a suit on if visiting clients or we had them in the office.
Lockdown having video calls with them everyone is in casual wear, some of these clients are very big corporates in the UK/World.
As long as it's appropriate I don't see it as an issue with it and enjoy going in jeans, t shirts and trainers as surely the focus should be output of work rather then what you are wearing.
I've not heard anyone complain about it and hopefully the mindset of casual wear = casual mind becomes a thing of the past.
We then went to casual for the whole week about 4/5 years ago, I'd only put a suit on if visiting clients or we had them in the office.
Lockdown having video calls with them everyone is in casual wear, some of these clients are very big corporates in the UK/World.
As long as it's appropriate I don't see it as an issue with it and enjoy going in jeans, t shirts and trainers as surely the focus should be output of work rather then what you are wearing.
I've not heard anyone complain about it and hopefully the mindset of casual wear = casual mind becomes a thing of the past.
Beg to differ blitz, shirts and suit jackets may look smart but collars/ties etc are wholly impractical ways of staying comfy. I'd argue that unless your role needs to project a specific image then lockdown has proven that the majority of clothing choices aren't a hindrance to doing a good job. But guess we'd all have our own opinions on what constitutes acceptable...one of my more mature male staff called me on video and wasn't wearing a top. Not sure I'd like that in an office 
mikeyr said:
Beg to differ blitz, shirts and suit jackets may look smart but collars/ties etc are wholly impractical ways of staying comfy. I'd argue that unless your role needs to project a specific image then lockdown has proven that the majority of clothing choices aren't a hindrance to doing a good job. But guess we'd all have our own opinions on what constitutes acceptable...one of my more mature male staff called me on video and wasn't wearing a top. Not sure I'd like that in an office
... Nicola from Accounts, on the other hand 
jdizz said:
Yes, women must wear heels in the office. And then be home by 5 to have dinner ready and on the table at 6 for their hard working husbands who have been at work all day, I assume.
Two posts per month for the past, what, fourteen years and you waste one of this months posting quota on that.....Second Best said:
in general people seem to have a less "corporate" look than before lockdown.
I think in the City, certainly insurance offices that I have worked in and visited its been moving away from the full suit and tie for a while. Last company was suit Mon to Fri but no tie needed in the office only if you had an external meeting with an underwriter etc. Fridays was smart casual, chinos and shirt, but I was one of the few people that didn't wear a suit on Fridays.
Current office poilcy is dress for the day, smart casual everyday unless you have an external meeting. But I think its going to get to the point where two people who have come to work in casual clothing need to meet and don't have a suit to change into will just have the meeting in casual clothes, or they just agree days before to lose the suits for the meeting.
Radec said:
Lockdown having video calls with them everyone is in casual wear, some of these clients are very big corporates in the UK/World.
BritishBlitz87 said:
I never understood people who complain about a suit and tie/blouse being uncomfortable either,
Outside work I started dressing a lot more smartly during lockdown 1 if we ever went anywhere than before, and it's a habit I've maintained.
It may help that I was 47 and am quite self-consciously middle class, and realised I needed to start dressing my age. But it was like lockdown gave me the time to stop and think about it.
Though at work I wear scruffy uniform polo shirts so nothing has changed.
It may help that I was 47 and am quite self-consciously middle class, and realised I needed to start dressing my age. But it was like lockdown gave me the time to stop and think about it.
Though at work I wear scruffy uniform polo shirts so nothing has changed.
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