Dressing for Success

I read this article on Yahoo talking about things you shouldn't wear to work. I have to admit a sigh of relief that apparently the writer was at least born this century. If I see one more article telling me to toss the slack, put on a skirt, and panty-hose and enclosed-toe shoes, I might scream.

There are some basic realities of business and some companies have gotten it right - mine is one of them. Those of us that are not client-facing get to dress casual. That means all the way down to jeans, polo shirt, sandals/tennis shoes. And I couldn't be happier. For one, your clothes cost goes WAY done. And there's no dry-cleaning to speak of unless you've gotten some tops that need it. And since I sit in a chair all day with headphones on creating e-learning course and generally not speaking to people unless I want to, I think my being comfortable is a huge advantage to my efficiency and output level. Yeah, team!

Every year when RWA conference comes around (that's ROMANCE WRITER'S OF AMERICA), people start whipping out advice about "dressing professional" in case an editor might "see" them in an elevator and ask them what they write, etc. Now, with 2000-2500 writers in one place, this is possible, but let's be honest. If you have an idea for the next Harry Potter - and can actually write - I don't care if an editor catches you wearing your bathrobe. She's still going to be interested. So I am definitely not one of those that advocates the business wardrobe of my mother's era (and mind you, I'm not exactly young) for those speaking to editors. Especially when you consider that many of the people who attend conference don't work at all so they would have to go purchase those items - for what, one wear? Pointless. Be clean, neat, and not a psycho and everything will be fine.

Every so many years the conference is in Dallas, and for whatever reason it seems to correspond with the Mary Kay convention. For whatever reason we sometimes find ourselves in the same hotel. Yikes. Now, one would think that the MK women would take advantage of that many potential clients in one place, but they mostly look upon us with disdain, since they're still required to dress like a scene from LEAVE IT TO BEAVER. You got it - hose, enclosed-toe shoes, skirts (PAST the knee), etc. And to make it even more sickening, they have a different color every day and they're all required to walk around looking like a bunch of twinkies.

So one day an author (who shall remain nameless - but a well-published category lady) was speaking at a workshop and had the misfortune to bring a pantsuit that was the same color the MK women were wearing that day. So she's walking down the hallway in the hotel, and one of the MK old men (they bring their husband's with them to "police" the way others dress) runs up to her and says "You're not wearing a skirt, hose, or enclosed toe shoes and I'm reporting you to your district manager."

She leaned over and said "I'm not wearing underwear, either."

Classic! I wish I could have seen it firsthand. He must have had a coronary, especially since he'd been spending his entire life in the 1940's.

Wonder what he'd think of thongs?

Deadly DeLeon