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Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing
Post Number: 1411 Registered: 02-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 08:22 am: | |
130710 FOR THE SAKE OF APPEARANCES by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT, Cincinnati, OH Does appearance count? I think so. In fact, I think we should declare, nationwide, the fourth Friday of each month as “Formal Friday”! Not too long ago I read that the business community is moving to reduce or discard Casual Friday, etc., and return to the more conservative dress codes of years past. Hurrah! I personally think this would have a major impact on our economy by invigorating the depressed necktie market, and by using more cloth in dresses and suits [as opposed to jeans]. I had a heck of a time when I changed jobs one time. Had been teaching full-time in a technical institute where we not only had to wear collars and ties, but we had to keep our sleeves rolled down, properly cuffed and buttoned! The new place instituted Casual Friday, but I just never could come to grips with that, to the point that I was scorned [well not really, just made fun of] because I still wore ties-- in the bleary light of morn, tying the tie was automatic! Slowly I relented [or sank] into wearing dress shirts but no tie—I felt naked on the bus ride to work! I come from a background of ties. My Dad worked in bank where white shirts and ties were strict SOP. Pop shopped at the Arrow shirt store and bought his shirts by the box [I think they were $2.50 or $3.00—sometime ago!] and they were always broadcloth and sparking in white [Mom kept them that way]. He could be made no happier at Christmas than to get a new tie. Hhe preferred ties that were not silk, because silk slipped, and the knot insisted on being askew-- and in banks where the VPs wore $75 suits, no askew was permitted! That was a value Pop passed on to me. Of course, the Army helped with not only the ties but-- well, did you ever try to button the fly on starched khakis on the run trying to make your inspection formation? Well, you HAD better have every button buttoned or you walked punishment tours. Now many can’t seem to get their shoe laces tied, which reinforces my bent toward universal military training [Oh, and they can learn to get their belt line up at their waist, also; think of one of those kids when the DI yells, “Suck in that gut!” They’ll be there in their..................... Do they still wear underwear? In the late ‘50s we were the scorn of campus in our old Army khakis [as architects we had paint, watercolors, glue, etc. on ours] while the Bus Ad students were in sport coats with arms decorated with Tri Delts! I had one prof who was wealthy and eccentric—old tweed jacket, button down shirt and a silk tie so long it passed over his navel and his belt buckle and down to............... Man, we thought he was neat; had pock marks of concrete spatter on his pants, too. One time I walked passed a haberdashery shop [look it up] time and time again, admiring a tie. The shop was up scale, and not where I got my clothes [remember Bond’s, Richman’s, Robert Hall?] Well, finally one day, feeling and being a little dollar flush, I went in and bought the tie-- for 5 bucks!!! I told no one! Most ties were about $2.50 at the time. I wore that thing forever, and felt so darn good every time. You see at that time suits, sport coats, and blazers., were common dress, along with suits, skirts, dresses, hose, heels, wing tips, lapels, padded shoulders, etc. Architects and professors were easily recognized in Harris tweed jackets, flannel trousers, Oxford cloth shirts [button down] and quirky bow ties, usually smoking a pipe [oh, yes, many wore leather elbow pads on their sleeves]. Now what about all this? Personally I feel much of it still has its place. It’s rather disconcerting to see a news anchor stand up only to find he is wearing jeans under his shirt [not tucked in] and jacket, without socks and floppy moccasins. He only has to look good from the table top up! The Casual Friday place had to have 7 iterations of the dress code to avoid cut-offs, flip-flops, overly wallpaperish jeans, plunging necklines, etc.-- casual was easily spelled, sloppy. Just the other day I was in an attorney’s office, in Florida [where things are quite different I guess] and saw several people who matched the exclusions from the dress code just noted. Other places the ladies “cross over”-- neatly dressed in a fitted suit, but carrying their heels in their purses, and changing into them, from their sneakers, just in time to start work. I can remember when paving in the streets were pock-marked from the tiny heels they wore [what was it—a 108 pound lady exerted something like 30,000 psi when she stepped heel first on those tiny darts!] Would we offend our clients if we wore collars and ties, dresses/suits, to meetings where they showed up in golf shirts, and khakis? Don’t we look a little strange when we make a presentation and the pathetic knot in our tie lies twisted and almost under one tab of the collar? Is there, indeed, a correlation between professionalism and appearance? [if you hesitated, my answer is, yes!] And we cannot let the wonderful manufacturer’s reps, go unscathed. Check yourself—do you look like your appointment with me was crammed in between the 9th and 10th holes? Am I to believe that your product is of “highest quality and worth the added cost” when your polka-dot tie and plaid shirt seem to vibrate? Sure, I’m old, but doggone it, why is it the exception that strikes the eye today? Why is it that the TV preacher takes the time to have his tie neatly tied, firmly up in his collar, and perfectly centered? It’s ‘cause, God cares! His appearance portrays calm, perfection, beauty and a sense of caring. Now, I’ll grant that life and appearance are different in upstate Wisconsin, and different in Milwaukee and both quite different from Dallas, and even West Palm, but still your persona, your attitude, your projection of professionalism is directly tied to your appearance. You can be brilliant and look like a slob [again check the campuses], but that need not be. Maybe it’s a matter of caring-- about yourself. We all still “suffer” from the “me” era when no one cared what anyone else thought. Well, other folks do look, do see, do judge! While that may be unfortunate, and wonderful people have beards and long hair, you don’t have to look at yourself-- but the rest of us do! Do appearances count? Darn tootin’ ! Now, guys wear and straighten that tie; and ladies, check those similar touches!. |
John O'Neil (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 09:40 am: | |
I'm with you on this issue, Ralph. I have to admit, however, that as I write this in the office, I'm wearing a Hawaiian shirt. I cling to a little vestige of formality by wearing black dress slacks and wingtip shoes. Early in my career, three-piece suits were common attire in the Chicago AE firms where I worked. Now I don't even own a suit anymore - just dress slacks and blazers. Actually, it's become casual Monday through Friday. Most of us here don't wear ties unless we're meeting with clients, and most of the clients don't wear ties anymore either. I wear a tie at least one day every week or so, just so I remember how to tie the thing. Personally, I'm hoping that the fashion will shift gradually and imperceptibly back toward more formality in business dress. Let's face it. Most of us don't look that good in jeans and casual clothes. Formal business clothing can help conceal figure flaws and help put the attention where it needs to be - on the professional work we do. |
Robert W. Johnson Senior Member Username: robert_w_johnson
Post Number: 237 Registered: 03-2009
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 10:46 am: | |
Wouldn't it be great if everyone who wore a tie could be counted on to be professional!! |
Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec
Post Number: 235 Registered: 01-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 05:00 pm: | |
Years ago in the early 80's, I worked for a firm where the interns and jr architects could wear jeans as long as they had a button down collared shirt and tie. There were two of us gals that were tech types, myself as a specifier/CM and an architect intern, the rest of the ladies were admin. As "ladies" we were expected by the bosses wife to wear skirts, hose, and heels even if we went out to the field. Being the obstinate one I rarely wore skirts, typically slacks with a jacket, never jeans. The intern followed suit, which was good, cause working at those tall drafting boards in a skirt and heels was less than professional at times. :-) |
John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener
Post Number: 644 Registered: 04-2002
| Posted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - 11:42 pm: | |
Never call on a home office worker on "dress down Friday." The concept is mind-boggling. I remember the shock 25 years ago when my family moved to Southern California. We had to learn to "dress down" to go to church. My wife bought me a book at the time, "How to Speak LA." It addressed many cultural phenomena. One was wearing jeans that had been ironed ... for weddings and funerals. What is "business casual" now? |
Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski
Post Number: 1658 Registered: 07-2002
| Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 10:56 am: | |
I learned some years ago that what is considered appropriate dress on one coast is not necessarily the same on either of the other coasts (east, west, and "third" - the Great Lakes). Back when we made our moves - in 1970 from New York to LA and in 1980 from LA to Wisconsin - there was definitely culture shock. "Casual" in New York was almost "formal" in LA. John, you're right about "dressing down" for church. It didn't matter what you wore, as long as you were there. You're also right about the pressed jeans - worn with a blazer and T-shirt, you'd be just fine. The Mid-West is, well, in the middle, but leaning more toward relaxed, at least in the northern part. I think it's because of practicality - when it's 10 below, you just don't worry about a tie or the proper shoes; you worry about how you're going to survive if your car breaks down. But I wear a hat to church most Sundays - and not one with ear flaps. It's fun! |
Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe
Post Number: 654 Registered: 01-2003
| Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 02:34 pm: | |
Margaret obstinate? No way! For specifiers, it's part of the job description. |
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing
Post Number: 1412 Registered: 02-2003
| Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 02:47 pm: | |
Hats OFF to her---- Hats for the heady ONLY [well, OK] |
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