“What should I wear?” The new silent pressure to fit in at the office

The Dress code at work Today they are more flexible and informal than ever. Suits, ties and stilettos were relegated to very formal work environments, such as banking or legal work.

And even in these areas, the smart casual, the style”elegant but casual“is on the rise: suits without a tie combined with sneakers or with white T-shirts, chinos or dark jeans for men; colored or printed blazers and jeans or dresses with comfortable shoes for women…

And in areas where people were already dressing more casually or sporty, ultra-casual fashion is now being introduced, comfortable and without rules, where jeans, T-shirts, oversized shirts, ankle boots, sandals fit… Variety and comfort What this code change entails suggests that it has been welcomed with open arms as it allows one to express oneself more freely and personalize oneself through clothing. But that’s not the case for everyone.

The rule breaker has raised new expectations It’s all about how you dress at work, and for some people that means added pressure to fit in with their company. Because the suit and formal codes made this fit possible, it was easy to dress like the others if you didn’t want to stand out, for better or for worse.

But ultra-casual fashion complicates things. Colors, fabrics and accessories expand the possibilities of personal expression, but also the risks attract attentionthat clothing distances people from the team.

“Today it’s about how you dress when you go to work; you have to think about how you want to present yourself in front of others in the workplace, balancing practicality, comfort and comfort Your essence as a person with the essence of the brand or organization in which you work,” says Marta Marín Anglada, professor of aesthetics and fashion communication at Blanquerna-URL and trend analyst.

And he explains that the evidence that freedom of dress is a problem for many employees and managers is that a problem has already arisen in some countries, such as the United States and Australia. new job profile: The stylist specializes in creating capsule wardrobes (a set of simple and timeless items that can be combined with each other) for the professional moments in a person’s life.

“The image we project onto others is important to us; some more, others less, but we are all interested; when.” everything was very regimented You may not like it, but it was easier; Now you have to dress in a way that shows you are yourself, but without creating looks that make you feel uncomfortable in your workplace,” reasons Marín.

Norbert Monfort, Employee of the Human Resources Management and Organization Department of Esade and consultant to companies from different sectors, assures that “in Spain we are faced with a total change in work clothes, driven in many cases by the top executives (CEOs) of companies” in order to democratize, convey openness and commitment with diversity and with flexible working environments.

“You can’t talk about diversity and dress everyone like a clone, because at the end of the day, clothing, in the workplace or in personal space, is a silent language that conveys messages about me,” he reasons.

And that’s why he thinks it’s one thing to leave the rigid rules behind Workwear and another “anything goes,” especially when working with clients or the public and needing to project a certain professional or corporate image.

“We need to define and set boundaries,” says Monfort, who advocates for companies to “define dress codes that, without erasing authenticity.” individual expression“Allow us to maintain the professional core and sense of belonging.”

Carlos González Reyes, Professor of Economics and Master of Human Resources at UOC, believes that these codes do not have to be written formally However, they must be submitted via the human resources departments.

The legislation allows businesses to impose a dress code as long as the policy is in effect do not violate the rights of workers and that the rules are appropriate, non-discriminatory and respect cultural and gender diversity.

However, fewer and fewer companies are doing it and, at the same time, more and more fashion brands and clothing sales platforms are offering advice on what to wear in the office Business casual outfit ideas (loose or informal professional clothing), specifically for attending a meeting, conference or interview.

The suggestions are varied and even adapted depending on the season. And although there are more and less daring ones, they agree on establishing some red lines on clothes that, no matter how informal the work may be, should not be part of the work uniform.

The pants ripped jeans They are clearly part of it, for both genders. T-shirts and shirts with a large neckline, sequins or shiny fabrics are also not recommended; “bulky” sports shoes; Tracksuits and very sporty clothing, as well as T-shirts or sweatshirts with messages that may be offensive or contain certain political connotations.

“It’s not about imposing a uniform code, but rather offering a clear framework. HR should not be the fashion police, but rather a facilitator so that the clothes we wear are consistent with what the company wants to convey. This is consistent with.” Marin and Monfort by being able to dress according to these requirements without losing the essentials. “It is our work that should draw attention to us, not our clothes,” he says.

He also makes it clear that wearing without a suit does not dissolve the distribution of roles, “because…” Authority is not established of uniforms, but of empathy and coherence.”

However, González believes that in order to maintain the image of professionalism, “certain limits” must be respected when it comes to clothing, limits that, as he says, “are set by common sense.”