Someone on LinkedIn was mentioning that their company was 
enforcing the “dress code” to “professional attire.” Co-workers were discussing this in the lunch room and complaining on how expensive it was going to be to “dress professionally.”
WHAT? I smiled at this. When did casual Friday take over the entire work week anyhow? And is “dressing professionally,” really so expensive?
Come on – 2 black pants and 4 work shirts bought on sale, rotate them during the week, same pearl necklace/earrings and 2-3 pairs of shoes. For a woman, a little boring, but it works.
OR, better solution, do what I did in manufacturing – dress in ALL 
black or all blue every day and change your scarf. Boy was that easy! Do you know I was receiving compliments on my scarves every day, no one even noticed I wore the same outfit – they “loved” the scarves. OK, the scarves were very bright and colorful, but you get the point. Dressing professionally can be as expensive or cheap as you make it. And you sure get dressed quickly in the morning when you have a “personal uniform.”
Interviewing has been a bit challenging too. It used to be we wore a blue suit, white shirt, and pearl necklace. Keep it simple. Now for many jobs if we go in a suit, we are over dressed. For example, a suit now would be used for a marketing/sales job interview, but if I go for an interview for a manufacturing job then going in a suit is inappropriate when they wear jeans. We would all feel awkward. Trust me, I made that mistake.
So… have we gotten too casual? Is it really that expensive to “dress professionally?”
And finally, do people work better when they “dress professionally” versus “casually?” I wonder!
For a long time now, I have had an interest in writing a children’s book. Why? Because when we are young, this is when we have incredible curiosity to learn and our imagination is big. Books expose us to life, to adventure… We believe we can be or do anything. Reading is powerful.
Thinking of Italy, my children enjoyed this Italian children’s book called, “Strega Nona,” by Tomie dePaolo. The book was published in 1975 and won the Caldecott Honor in 1976. The story is about Strega Nona and her magic pasta pot and Big Anthony who secretly tries to use the magic pasta pot, fumbles on the magic verse, filling the town with pasta. Strega Nona comes to the rescue.
I started learning about the Irish when I met my roommate Freshman year at Saint Mary’s College. She came from a big Irish family in upstate NY. She had freckles, strawberry blond hair, great sense of humor, real prankster and enjoyed drinking beer. We were in luck that her brother was a senior at the University of Notre Dame that year. I had just graduated from Miss Porter’s School and suddenly my world went from Daisy Chains to the Fighting Irish and a Leprechaun mascot!
After watching the film The Quiet Man with John Wayne, I thought the Irish have the temperament of the Italians (my background). Fiery one minute and toasting the next. Irish / Italians – this could work!
I’ve always been fascinated by the Sahara Desert in Morocco. A few years ago I was reading the travel section of the Chicago newspaper and there was a beautiful picture of runners in the desert. The caption read, “Marathon Des Sables: Toughest Footrace on Earth!” That caught my attention.
you to the test by having you run about 46 miles. Keep in mind that you have your entire week’s supply of food, clothing, sleeping bag, etc. on your back as you run.
Brilliant Viewpoint 