thursday, august 21, 2003
jayplay.11
Learning how to dress the part
By Maggie Koerth mkoerth@kansan.com Jayplay staff writer
Students who are climbing the job ranks from fast food to big business will find the dress code changes with them. Unfortunately, what to wear to the office tends to be a little nebulous. Ann Hartley, associate director of University Career and Employment Services at the University of Kansas, says the wardrobe employers are looking for can vary widely. "It depends on what kind of job you're talking about," she says. "It also depends on the office setting and who you work for."
For women, "dress casual" or "business casual" clothing can be anything that's nicer than jeans and more casual than a starched suit. But having so many options can be confusing, especially at your first job.
Amy Sportsman, a sales associate at J.C. Penney, 3311 Iowa St., says she has friends who could wear sandals and cargo pants to work, but, generally, dress casual ought to be a little bit nicer. Sportsman and Fallon Farokhi, Lawrence senior, agrees that it is easier to say what business
casual is not. No denim and no exposed shoulders are good rules to follow, they say. Farokhi, who has worked at the Gap since high school, also suggested looking for clothes with a clean cut and solid colors.
Fewer choices in men's clothing makes picking business casual clothes a little easier for the fellas. "Khakis are just an obvious choice between jeans and really dressy slacks," Farokhi says. Guys agree. "It's basically what you would wear to church on Sunday, but without the tie. Khakis and polo
shirts," says Keith Redmond, Kansas City, Kan., senior. David Lock, a customer service representative at J.C. Penney, says that women's clothing has more variety than
men's clothing. "Most guys just don't care as much about what they look like," he says.
Business casual style for both
sexes has changed a lot over time. Sportsman, Farokhi and Lock all noticed that what you wear to the office now doesn't matter as much as it did in the past. "Businesses are doing more casual Friday-type things and trying to get to know you as a person outside of how you dress," Farokhi says.
But now may not be the time
But how may not be the time to throw out all your panty hose. Hartley warns that businesses are beginning to see a stricter dress code as a way of improving work quality. She advised students to always make an effort to dress more business than casual because it helps to leave a better impression. "In an internship you're basically being tried out for a job later on," she says. "It will be a little bit more formal attire in those situations." When in doubt about what to wear, students should ask their bosses or a human resources representative. But what if you're still not sure what to wear? "Go with the dressier option," Hartley says.
You don't need an executive's salary to dress professionally. These outfits fit most companies interpretations of business casual and cost about the same
as the clothes you wear to school.
THE GRANADA 1020 MASS STREET LAWRENCE KANSAS