Someone once told me that it's better to be overdressed than under-dressed. I have lived by this rule for years, but lately I'm beginning to realize that overdressed means two very different things; depending on which coast you happen to be on.
I take muni to work and school everyday, just as I used to take the subway everywhere when I lived on the east coast. I've noticed, while crammed into a busy train full of grouchy commuters who desperately need coffee, that everyone is in very casual attire. Don't get me wrong, they look very nice and somewhat professional, but I find it rare to spot a tie on a man or a suit on a woman. They are dressed in what I refer to as Business Casual. It is perfectly acceptable for a man to wear a pair of nice slacks, a collared shirt and Top-Sider’s to work, just as it is equally acceptable for a woman to wear nice jeans, a slouchy sweater and flat shoes. This would not fly at most businesses in New York City. I specifically remember wearing skirts that fell below the knee, matching blazers with crisp blouses underneath, tights and high heels, to past internships in New York City. I fit in perfectly with my fellow commuters on the Subway. Men wore full suits with subdued ties and women either pant-suits or skirt suits.
I'm not really sure why the coasts have different ideas of business attire, but I think it really affects productivity and personality. Californians are for the most part comfortable at work and take their time with projects, whereas New Yorkers tend to rush through the day, sometimes rushing projects, to get home and change out of their work clothes (or at least that's what I did).
Looking nice and professional also seems to command more respect. The other day, for example, I came to work (in San Francisco) in one of my former New York professional outfits. A potential guest for the show I work on came to the office to meet one of the producers. I was standing next to said producer, who was wearing leggings tucked into boots and an over-sized sweater. The guest walked right up to me and said, "You must be (insert producer's name here)" and outstretched their hand. I corrected them and the look on their face was priceless. The look on my boss's..not so much. This was the one time that I felt that it would have been better to have come to work under-dressed instead of overdressed.
Oh well. At least I'll fit in when I move back to New York.
SF Business Casual:
Photo From: http://careers.udayton.edu/interview%20attire/businessCasual.asp
NY Business:
Photo From: http://wjcblog.typepad.com/ink_tank/2009/03/how-to-party-like-a-cpacer.html
SF Business Casual:
Photo From: http://careers.udayton.edu/interview%20attire/businessCasual.asp
NY Business:
Photo From: http://wjcblog.typepad.com/ink_tank/2009/03/how-to-party-like-a-cpacer.html
