Dress for Success: Fashion Tips from Billionaires, IBM, and Catholics

Knowing what to wear to work isn’t as easy as it used to be. Should you dress up or dress down? Most interview coaches will tell you that you can’t go wrong with a “power suit” in basic black, navy blue, or dark gray. Yet, some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world aren’t following that advice. So, I thought why not find out what they’re wearing to find out “what’s hot and what’s not” if you want to part of the “in crowd” in corporate America in 2007.

A guy walking down the street wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, doesn’t bring the word “billionaire” to mind, but that’s just what Sergey Brin and Larry Page like to wear. Although their names may not be familiar to you, I’d be willing to bet you’ve heard the name of their company before. Brin and Page are the founders of Google, each of whom is worth about $6 billion dollars.

According to Time magazine’s article In Search Of the Real Google , Brin and Page view work and work clothing differently than the way corporations have in decades past. Employees at Google have been described as going to work looking like disheveled students, even though many of their employees can afford to come to work in Giorgio Armani suits. * 1000 of Google’s employees have become millionaires since the company began.

Jason Warner, Google’s in-house head hunter offers these fashion tips:  Personally, after reading over his tips, I’m still confused.

• You should only dress like higher ups 75% of the time, otherwise you risk distancing yourself from your co-workers.

Got it. Dress like Brin and Page do. Wear a black T-Shirt, jeans, and sneakers during the week and a white lab coat on special occasions (like they do), but only 75% of the time. Ok, so what do I wear the other 25% of the time?

• Don’t dress up more than 30% above your position level. 
  

30% more than my co-workers? Hmmm….if my co-workers wear T-shirts and jeans and I wear a T-shirt with dress slacks, would the slacks put me over the 30% rule recommendation? What if I switched to jeans and a dress blouse (which would definitely look better) would I be under the 30% rule then? Or would that be closer to 40%?

• If everyone at work dresses casually, opt to dress the way the most successful ones do.

That would be the black T-Shirt, jeans, and sneakers than Brin and Page wear, wouldn’t it?  I still don’t know what I’m supposed to wear during the 25% of the time that I’m not supposed to dress like them though.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking, Google is an anomaly. Most corporate execs don’t dress like they’re going to a company volleyball game. You’re right. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, is rarely seen in a T-shirt, although he does like black shirts. But, the way Jobs dresses for work confuses me even more.

• Steve Jobs likes to wear black turtleneck shirts. He also likes to wear Levi jeans, but on warm days he wears hiking shorts with no shoes. I kid you not. Time magazine reported on his work attire in their article called Apple’s New Core. Jobs feels that not having to worry about what to wear allows him to focus more on work.
  

Steve Jobs work attire, makes me wonder…

• Is he secretly a Johnny Cash fan?
• Is he superstitious?
• Does he have vampire puncture wounds on his neck?
• Did he lose a bet with Bill Gates and get the word Microsoft tattooed on his neck? 
• Does he have a plastic torso that’s filled with circuit boards and computer chips?

Then again, maybe I’m overthinking Jobs’ work attire. Hmm…how many caffeinated cups of coffee have I had today?

How are they dressing at IBM?

A photo taken of IBM employees in 1997 shows you what what’s appropriate to wear if you worked for them a decade ago. In 1977, the dress code was very different.

“Jonathan B. Dick, a company lawyer, came to work at IBM’s headquarters in Armonk, New York, this week wearing a white fisherman’s sweater, black jeans and wrinkled tan boots, The New York Times reports. He recalls that on his first day at work 17 years ago he wore a dark suit, white shirt and conservative tie - all part of the standard IBM uniform - and loafers. His boss asked, “Why did you wear your bedroom slippers to work?” He was given the rest of the day off to shop for a pair of wing tips.” - International Herald Tribune, IBM Lightens up With New Dress Code.

Attending Catholic Schools may help you adjust to some company dress codes

If you’ve attended Catholic schools for a period of time, like I did, you’ll have an easier time adjusting to a “Steve Jobs” philosophy of work dress. Some companies dictate what you’re expected to wear to work.

Cynthia Nellis says in her article what we wear to work:

• “Chris, 38, an executive assistant in banking, says her dress code is just as strict. “Skirt length must be to the knee. Navy blue suits and white shirts preferable. Heals should not be over 2 inches.”  Sounds like what I wore in elementary school. Jeesh.
  

• ” 27-year-old Vanessa, a marketing professional, works for a company with everything spelled out, replete with outdated sketches of approved outfits (one page included pleated pants, a kerchief and crew neck sweater for women) and a laundry list of no-nos.”. Kerchiefs? Yikes! If your company is going to have a dress code spelled out for employees, please make sure it’s been updated to reflect the era we’re living in!
  

Finding out what’s acceptable to wear to work in 2007 is turning out to be more confusing than I expected it to be. I really need to research this subject a little further. Stay tuned for further fashion updates. :)