When someone says ‘corporate clothing’ for the office, what kind of image does it bring to mind? This image is important, because it will not only determine the work ethic and professionalism of your employees, but it will also alert your customer to how professional your office is. Choosing the wrong kind of clothing can be devastating to your image, so it is very important to avoid common disasters often associated with corporate wear.
Common Disasters With Corporate Wear
Here are a few corporate clothing disasters and a few tips for avoiding them.
- Believing One Type Fits All – The first mistake most employers make when choosing corporate wear is assuming that one type fits all. Even if all of the clothing is the same, it can hang differently on different body types. Women with long legs may find that a straight skirt does not extend past their knees and those with larger chests may feel uncomfortable wearing V-neck stretch tops in a professional setting. Make sure you look at each of your employees as an individual, making allowances for their particular body type. You may need to purchase a long line skirt instead of a straight skirt for some and a round neck top or button up blouse instead of a V-neck top.
- Choosing Bigger Clothing For Larger Employees – Baggy clothing on larger employees does not flatter their body figure or make them appear skinnier. The clothing you choose for these individuals needs to be fitted to their exact size if they are going to look great. Remember that this clothing should not be a tent to cover the shape of the body, but a piece of form-fitting attire that accentuates the best parts of your employee’s body type.
- Ignoring The Cleaning Effort – When many employers choose corporate clothing for their employees, they don’t stop to consider how much time it will take to take care of the clothing. Choose easy to care for solutions that can be washed at home each night. This will increase employee moral and allow your workers to spend more time with their family and less time at the dry cleaners.
- Casual Friday – While casual Friday was initially invented to increase the attitude of employees and inspire pride in the company, this weekly ritual can prove disastrous for your office. If you allow your employees to choose their own clothing at the end of the week, you could be left dealing with revealing and inappropriate clothing. Instead of relying on their personal judgement, consider providing your employees with smart business casual attire. If their weekly corporate clothing involves suits and ties, consider providing them with dress trousers and cotton shirts to wear on Friday. This way, they can feel as if they are taking part in casual Friday, but still look like the professionals they need to be.
- Trading Quality For Style – Many employers think they must trade quality for style, and this is just not true. With the right corporate wear, you can have your cake and eat it too. From bootleg trousers to two button front, single breasted jackets with hand edged stitching, you can easily provide your employees with a professional, yet fashionable type of attire.
Purchasing corporate clothing is an essential part of creating office unity and increasing morale. Make sure you avoid these common disasters to keep your place of business looking professional and fabulous.
