 |
|
The Policies of Dressing
I know you are just starting reading this, but stop! Look down. What are you wearing right now? Whether you are at home, scouring the want ads or at the office leisurely reading this issue, take a moment to look at how you are dressed and the image you are projecting. Did you sleep an extra Fifteen minutes this morning and then skimped on the dressing extras, like polishing your shoes or completely pressing your shirt?
Like it or not, the world judges you by what you wear, at least on a first impression basis. Clothes to some degree defineyou. "People still underestimate the value of business dress," says Laurie Sagle of the employee training company, Training Works! "As the [Russian] market continues to change, clothes become more important, giving you an edge" (advantage).
After having worked in the Russian market for over six years, she says many people don't realize the importance of business dress, especially women. "What is most appropriate (acceptable) generally tends to be pretty dull. There is a big confusion between fashion and business dress." Sagle attributes this to the changing clothing market in Russia, wherefashion options (selection, choice) have multiplied in recent years. She simply asks her clients: "What do you want 10 emphasize, your body or your brain? It may be a little blunt," she says, "but people need to understand the difference insocial and business dress."
Another misconception is thinking you need to spend a lot of money to improve your business image. The most important thing is simple grooming. "Make sure you are clean from your shoes to the top of your head," emphasizes Sagle.
Dress Code
What is necessary or appropriate often depends on the line of work. The more conservative business sectors, such as banking, and law require grey, navy or black suits for both women and men. But whatever the sector, there are basic rules for office dressing. Keep it professional and clean. Leave the fashion pieces for social occasions, unless you work in the fashion field.
Business dressing only begins with the first interview. Because you want to be hired for a position, you present yourself in the best possible way, from resume to interview attire. But what you wear and how you wear it, after you have landed the job, can mean promotion or even dismissal, especially in the conservative areas of employment. A colleague of mine, who worked for an extremely prestigious and fashionable magazine in New York, told me about her office's unwritten rule of dress: whatever you wear, make sure that it's black. Everyone dresses in black, from the designers to the receptionists. The company even went so faras to require black desk accessories (канцпринадлежности), meaning the office managerwould throw out your red stapler if it wasn't hidden in your desk drawer. The unwritten rule also affected internalpromotions. People didn't get promoted if they did not "fit in," which included dressing in what is considered a fashionable andappropriate way. Although this case may seem a little extreme, it illustrates the fact that often, how you dress for work can impact how far you go in your job.
Unproperly Dressed
Another colleague, a department supervisor at a major international computer firm in Moscow, worked with a talented computer consultant at his firm. Although the consultant was highly skilled, he lacked what is considered a proper business suit. Unfortunately, it impacted (affected) his promotion opportunities. Because he didn't quite look the part, unintentionally or not, he was not asked to join business meetings with clients. Companies can be very particular about the image they want to project, and as an employee of that company, they will be particular about the role of image you project as their representative. My colleague wanted to tell the man to invest in a decent suit for client meetings. Yet discussing such a subject can be difficult- A little self-evaluation can go a long way (help).
The rule that image consultants offer is to dress for the position you want, no matter what level you may be with a company. If you are a receptionist, but strive (want) to move into the marketing department, then look at how the marketing director presents himself or herself. If those are the shoes you want to fill, then put yourself in the position where you can be considered for the part. Although skills are extremely important, part of the battle for a promotion is presenting yourself as capable of doing the job. Dressing appropriately demonstrates that you have enough wherewithal to know how to present yourself to clients and other employees. It also creates a sense of self-confidence and pride necessary to lead a team of employees or impress outside contact. Does the marketing director ever come to work in jeans or other casual wear, or is it suit and tie every day?
Bright Is Out
I remember working in a law firm in Washington, DC, where the decor was traditional American antiques and the unwritten rule of the firm was dress well – and conservatively. Black, grey and navy Brooks Brothers[10] suits abounded in a place where Hugo Boss[11] would be considered living dangerously. A secretary was hired for one attorney, and though she may have been extremely competent, she was also very festive. Every holiday, she would come to work dressed to thenines in the garb of the season – Halloween meant an orange shirt, white nylon pantyhose with orange pumpkins and some sort of spider earrings to match! I'm not sure how many holidays she made it through, but unfortunately, it wasn't many. Ithink it was sometime soon after the orange bat shirt that she was cleaning out her desk. Perhaps it wasn't specifically herholiday wear that lead to her dismissal, but I can't help but think that it contributed. Quirks can be tolerated, although they usually only come from superiors. I know art directors and partners in international law firms who tend towalk around the office in their sock feet (без обуви), leaving the shoes somewhere under the desk. Yet these types of people generally have proven themselves with a firm to the degree that such things become "endearing" (charming) – a part of the process in producing their quality work.
In the Western world, where fashion traditions have been built over the generations, there are stricter codes of proper business attire. In Russia, the rules are less strict. Company handbooks don't usually specify the ties that are acceptable or the appropriate length of your hair. Many businesses allow employees to wear jeans in places that would be unheard of in the States – and people seem more sympathetic to the weather. I was delighted during my first summer in Moscow to enjoy the freedom of working for an international publishing firm, without having to wear the dreaded (ненавистные) nylons with my summer suits.
Ashleigh Morris
Комментарии scouring the want ads = looking through jobs pages;
skimped on the dressing extras – зд. пренебрегли деталями;
edge = advantage;
blunt = straightforward;
social – светский; зд. вечерний, нарядный;
grooming – уход за собой;
attire = garb = clothes;
dressed to the nines – зд. разодетая в пух и прах;
pumpkins – тыквы;
quirks – выходки, причуды.
Задание
What does it mean for you to be fashionably dressed today?
Do you like today's fashions?
Do you think people should dress differently at home and in the office? What should be the difference between casual wear and business style?
Do you agree with the opinions, expressed in the article?
Did you find useful the article on protocol in Part I?
Тема: Social Life (передача юмора и иронии)