What “Casual Attire” Really Means for Your Next Meeting—And Why It Matters More Than You Think
Husbands are no help. Said a female attendee whose husband was also at the event, “He wasn’t stressed at all about the dress code. When I asked him what he was planning to wear he said shorts and flip flops. I said no way. He said: Way.”
We took an informal poll of the men in attendance. Approximately 90% of those we asked said that they were perplexed by the word “casual” yet not concerned about clothing or accessory choice—or the impression their choices might make.
The good news for women is that we’re right to stress out about clothing. A salary.com survey of 4,600 business professionals found that 56 percent of respondents admitted that they make assumptions about people at the office based on how they’re dressed. Nearly a quarter of respondents said the dress codes in their workplaces are too lenient.
