PDXSX: The Blog

One of the nicer things about GenY and college students, in general, is they are pretty casual and laid back.  They don’t get too worked up about some of the things that vex older professionals and parents.  This also works well in Portland, where you can lose count of the number of Keep Portland Weird bumper stickers on your way to work.  We’ve seen people with so many tattoos that natural skin color has started to look like a self-modification.

It’s cool.  It’s one of the reasons the Pacific Northwest is one of the most desirable places to live these days.

Even for a self-described Microbrew Capital of America and location of the largest summer beer festival in the US, the beer of choice for a substantial number of young employees is not Widmer, but remains Pabst Blue Ribbon – the beer of the common, blue-collar, union-supporting worker.

We do things a little differently out here.

There are some things, however, that living Portland just can’t transcend – one that many of my colleagues have noted about the young professionals we are hiring today.  That is to say, some of the younger professionals (generally almost always young men) in allied communication fields just don’t grasp the concept of attire – and understandably so.  Attire is one of those things you just don’t notice until someone pulls you aside or you feel strangely out of place.

Let’s face it; professional attire is expensive – especially for ladies

Many young people have spent a significant amount of time acquiring attire that reflects their distinct personality, anti-mainstream tendencies and complete rejection of parental values.  Again, this is understandable.  Baggy jeans and loose sweatshirts ARE comfortable. They are as close to a Snuggie as you can get without actually having a blanket with sleeves.  Running around the house in a pair of boxers and your girlfriend’s Uggs, a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business is a blast!  We feel you.  Just don’t show up to work on a Wednesday dressed like that.

In the professional workplace, however, you ARE being judged on your appearance from the moment to set foot in your agency or a client’s boardroom.  Fair or unfair, your status in the workplace is impacted by your choice in couture.  Unfortunately, in order to dress the way you would like everyday, you’ll need to bring in millions of dollars in new account dollars per year.  Sadly this role is already filled by what is called “the boss.”

Here is the realistic cost of getting a wardrobe …about a grand …maybe more.

It will run you close to $1,000 to get your professional wardrobe really started.

If you are an account coordinator, take a gander at what the senior account executive is wearing.  Try to emulate him or her.  Humans are very visual creatures.  People are judging you and if your LOOK like a senior account executive people will start to believe that you ARE a senior account executive.

Guys, here is the breakdown: You’ll need to get started with three professional slacks (brown, tan and black), two pairs of high-end shoes (brown/black) and a week’s worth of business appropriate shirts (has collars and can be worn with a tie when needed).  Hit the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale and take a fashion conscious lady-friend with you.

Trust us here.  Take someone with you (a woman, a fashionable gay man or your Mom) to approve your selections.  If you are really, really clever (and not with your Mom) you can turn this event into a fantastic date opportunity.  Think about it.

The good news is you don’t have to drop all that cheddar in one trip.  Build your wardrobe over the course of your first year.  If you buy good quality clothing, it will last and serve you well for eons.  In addition, utilize a dry cleaner.  Polish your shoes regularly.  Consider having your eyebrows waxed monthly.  Dress above your station.

It is far better to be overdressed than under-dressed.  Some organizations (arguably very rare) will even offer a loan or a salary draw for clothing.

So, as you approach graduation and entry into the professional world, instead of asking for cash, concert tickets or a three-week trip to Australia, ask for gift cards to Men’s Wearhouse or Nordstrom Rack.  Put together a week’s worth of professional clothes that can be interchanged or recombined for even more options.

Here is a simple PDF document of professional dress guidelines for you to reference, put together by the University of San Francisco – Career Services Center.  Take a look at it.

Oh, never, ever, EVER, wear white cotton socks with your dress slacks (or with Birkenstocks).

L8r!

Tags: attire, career, fashion, interviewing

This entry was posted on October 21, 2009 at 2:01 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.