Is it true that clothes make the man or woman? Do people form an opinion about us based on the way we dress? I think so. Does that mean we should avoid any sense of individuality in the workplace? Of course not. But, I do feel that some types of clothing are inappropriate for certain work environments. In addition, some work environments have a dress code that all who work there must follow. Sometimes you won't find these dress codes in writing; but if you look around you'll find that all employees are dressed in a similar way.

For example, I worked at an investment bank some time ago. Each fall a new group of analysts would join the company fresh out of college. They all looked alike (gender differences aside) right down to the way they wore their hair. There was one young woman, though, who didn't fit in. She worked as hard as everyone else, but her skirts were a little shorter, and the colors she wore were a little brighter, than those worn by her colleagues. Within a month or so, she lost that individuality and blended right in. This gives us something to think about when choosing an occupation, or a place of employment. Do we want to fit in, or do we want to be able to express our individuality on the job? The answers to these questions should play an important role in our career plans.

Let's say we work somewhere where expressing one's individuality is okay. Does that mean anything goes? That brings us back to being judged based on what we wear. Erin Brockovich shows off her "individuality" with every outfit she wears. Is it improper to wear revealing attire to work? Well, I think it depends on where you work and whom you work with. A teacher should stay away from revealing attire, for instance. A retail sales clerk might be able to get away with it. In other words, good judgment is important here. If what you wear is distracting to others then maybe it's time to go shopping.