Do You Have a Self-Imposed Uniform for Work?

Do You Have a Self-Imposed Uniform for Work?

There are many types of jobs for which uniforms are provided by the employer. This type of thing is easily seen among airline workers, hospitality workers, and so forth. Professionals are a different story. They tend to wear business attire. Moreover, they are rarely provided with matching uniforms by their employers.

We say all this to ask a simple question: do you have a self-imposed uniform for work? Perhaps you have no uniform at all. You wear whatever strikes your fancy on any given day. On the other hand, you may have a uniform consisting of a small number of business suits – all of a similar style, cut, and color.

Assuming you do have a self-imposed uniform, does it include waterproof overshoes? Whether you call them overshoes, rain shoe covers or even galoshes, a good pair of protective covers keeps your shoes clean and dry. It would be a shame to go to all the trouble of implementing a work uniform only to neglect your footwear.

Designing a Work Uniform

This post is based on the understanding that professional men do not wear work uniforms in the same sense as, say, flight attendants. Airlines have very strict uniform policies. They design and distribute uniforms so that all flight attendants are dressed identically. As a professional man, your work wardrobe generally consists of business suits with dress shoes, a dress shirt, and a tie.

You can still design a uniform. It starts with figuring out what cuts and styles look best on you. Find one or two that you like, then stick with them. The same goes with colors. If you look best in grays, invest in business suits in different shades of gray.

The uniform you design should be in keeping with two things: your work environment and your personal style. You know what is expected in your work environment. Take those expectations and modify them to match your style.

Consistency Is the Goal

So, why go to the trouble of designing your own self-imposed work uniform? You are aiming for consistency. You want to create a certain type of look your colleagues associate with you. This helps to create a certain level of comfort. If your colleagues know what to expect, and you give it to them, they will look past what you are wearing and be more focused on the business at hand.

Consistency helps you as well. You don't have to spend an inordinate amount of time figuring out what you are going to wear for work. You have four or five business suits; they all look similar. Just pull out the next suit in line, grab a white dress shirt to go with it, and choose a tie. You'll save time and effort by not having to worry about your clothes.

Take Care of Your Clothing

Assuming you will go to the trouble of developing your own work uniform, go one step further and commit to taking care of your clothing. There is no point in investing in new business suits and then treating them like your jeans and T-shirts. The same is true for your dress shirts, ties, and shoes.

In terms of your shoes, one of the best ways to take care of them is to invest in slip-on or zip-up shoe covers. A good pair of covers protects them from the weather. Meanwhile, regular cleaning and polishing will keep your shoes looking like new.

Do you have a self-imposed work uniform? If so, you are not alone. Professional men have learned that coming up with a uniform offers benefits on many levels.