Berlin
Practically Family
- Messages
- 510
- Location
- The Netherlands
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Do you dress down to compensate?
- Thread starter Penny Dreadful
- Start date
- Messages
- 4,479
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
I work in a conservative field, so wearing suits everyday is considered entirely appropriate for me (Causal fridays mean no suits in my field). However, my actual work environment can be quite casual because we have people from several fields, so some people are quite casual. Good diversity.
However, when I go to a conference, since my field is so conservative, I hold really strictly to my field's conception of business formal and would only wear an outfit was dark blue or black, within the acceptable skirt lengths and shirt colors. Something like red lipstick is not considered appropriate, so I wouldn't wear it. I feel it would be disrespectful to not adhere to the standards of clothing considered appropriate for my profession at the conference. I would actually be "dressed down" in most vintage or vintage-inspired stuff I own at such a place and would stick out like a sore thumb.
However, when I go to a conference, since my field is so conservative, I hold really strictly to my field's conception of business formal and would only wear an outfit was dark blue or black, within the acceptable skirt lengths and shirt colors. Something like red lipstick is not considered appropriate, so I wouldn't wear it. I feel it would be disrespectful to not adhere to the standards of clothing considered appropriate for my profession at the conference. I would actually be "dressed down" in most vintage or vintage-inspired stuff I own at such a place and would stick out like a sore thumb.
tuppencehapenny
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
- Location
- UK
I dress quite "normal" most of the time, it just happens that a lot of what I wear is vintage. I've always worn skirts and dresses (never been able to get trousers to fit since I was a teen) I don't think I particularly look "dressed up" in a mid-40s shirtwaist day dress or knee-length skirt and wool cardigan, even to the jeans-and-a-T-shirt crowd. Of course, all that changes when I add a hat, but I've never had a negative comment.
Hey_Laaaaaady!
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 55
- Location
- somewhere between 1947-1951
I almost *always* have my hair and makeup done, because I've found it affect my self-esteem (negatively) if I don't. That itself is "dressed up" to some people. 
But I try to maintain vintage standards when wearing vintage clothes, ie, (as one member said) don't wear a housedress when a girl back then would've worn a wool suit & hat! I try to dress appropriate to the occasion, taking vintage clothing standards into thought.
But when I'm not wearing vintage I like to dress nicely--well, what some people would call dressed up. Nice tops, slacks or jeans with boots/heels, and in this weather, my leather jacket, beret, and cute little gloves.
But I try to maintain vintage standards when wearing vintage clothes, ie, (as one member said) don't wear a housedress when a girl back then would've worn a wool suit & hat! I try to dress appropriate to the occasion, taking vintage clothing standards into thought.
But when I'm not wearing vintage I like to dress nicely--well, what some people would call dressed up. Nice tops, slacks or jeans with boots/heels, and in this weather, my leather jacket, beret, and cute little gloves.
