Is it time for us to make style a part of the higher education curriculum or perhaps train people when they start a new job? One fashion industry insider I spoke to said yes. And I happen to agree. How to properly present yourself and build a personal brand is rarely a part of preparing young people for the work world. Between remote work and other changes happening around us, now might be the perfect time to start formally teaching the next generation of leaders about style.
With college graduation season upon us, young people will soon be entering the workforce for the first time. Armed with degrees in everything from finance to anthropology, there is one thing a lot of them haven’t received formal education about and that is style, personal branding or overall presence. As society continues to accept a more causal workplace, finding a style that works for you is critical.
Catherine Cassidy, CEO of Boutique Box says it is all about finding balance. Cassidy helps women leaders curate their intelligent wardrobe one piece at a time. She started her business in 2018 after working for other fashion brands--long before the COVID-19 pandemic created a complete shift in how we work. Most of Cassidy’s clients are over the age of 35 and are in leadership roles trying to balance their own personal style in a world that is becoming increasingly casual. Many of the people she works with are used to a more formal dress code. “They are navigating talking to younger people who are much more casual. They are setting a precedent, ‘this is how we show up here.’ You can be casual and still be powerful in your presence. You can make it clear with your presence that you are in charge,” Cassidy says. For many, including Cassidy herself, we are dealing with a brand new, very different reality. “I never would have worn leggings to the grocery store 10-15 years ago. There was a time I never would have worn sweats outside of the house. There is an interesting evolution in the balance of style.”
Cassidy acknowledges that many organizations no longer have dress codes and when employees aren’t given examples, it can create a lot of problems. “Style is learned,” she says. “You are taught style; it is modeled for you, or you get out there and play with it yourself. It feels overwhelming to get started.” Cassidy believes it is time for companies and institutions of higher learning embrace the idea of training young people in how to dress in professional settings. New employees receive training on pretty much everything else. Your style and how you present yourself communicate a story, sometimes without you saying a word. “Companies need to educate new employees about style and dress codes; it should be a part of the onboarding process. It will provide equal footing for expectations,” Cassidy states. “It is all about effective business communications and presence.”
I think about what I was like at 22-years-old, a bit of style or personal branding help would have helped me a great deal—it would have helped most of us. The young people who are starting to enter the workforce were in high school or college during the pandemic, a time when sweatpants were the primary clothing choice. Making the switch to professional attire isn’t all that simple. If we want to see young leaders look and act professionally, we might have to help them.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s getting dressed was easy, both men and women both presented themselves in a formal manner. Pretty much everyone wore a suit or some variation of a suit. At that point in time, it was about blending in, not standing out. Times have changed--dramatically. Now that we have embraced business casual and encouraging people to be themselves, deciding what to wear to work is far more complicated. “If you are trying to get someone to fit into a mold, you aren’t going to tap into all their talent,” Cassidy states.
The idea that dressing casually is easier, simply isn’t true. For those entering the workplace for the first time, it is the perfect opportunity to determine what story they want to tell about themselves. You can be who you want to be without wearing overly casual clothes. “Intelligent style always starts with being true to yourself, how you want to feel and how you want to show up.”
Multiple studies have shown that employees are more effective when they are dressed appropriately. Cassidy agrees with that sentiment and coaches her clients to start thinking this way. “There is psychology in style, it impacts how you show up. How do you actually feel in your hoodie or sweats? You feel really casual. There is a case to be made that being casual is going to impact your performance, it going to impact your alertness,” Cassidy says.
“It is time to coach people to think about their presence and why it matters.”