Reply With QuoteChinos, any shoes and a long-sleeved shirt, top button unbuttoned - I reckon.
I've not worked in an office environment since 2008, however I've landed myself a 6 month contract working for Scotish Widows from the Lloyds Bank HQ in Bristol.
Speaking to the recruitment consultant he's recommended business casual as the appropriate dress code. Since I established my own business 14 years ago I gradually stopped wearing suits and ties...in fact I no longer own a suit of any description.
I don't want to spend a load of cash on a short term contract/wardrobe so just wanting a gist on what's appropriate...assuming no requirement for a tie and likewise jeans wouldn't be acceptable.
I'm not a chinos and polo shirt type of guy so looking for suggestions.
Thanks
Steve.
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Chinos, any shoes and a long-sleeved shirt, top button unbuttoned - I reckon.
This.Originally Posted by blackal
This is pretty much what I wear to work. Well what I've been wearing to the office since July 2020.
You're painting yourself into a corner with all your exclusions
A suit/no tie (it doesn't need to be expensive and bespoke), chinos with jacket; by the end of the contract you will probably drop the jacket weather permitting. You can stray away from the black/navy colour scheme if you wish but you might as well have something that will fit more formal occasions if needed (weddings/funerals).
I suggest that being a little conservative at the start will allow you to gauge the dress code adopted in the office and adjust accordingly.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Jeans and a shirt for me.
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Chinos span quite a wide range of levels of smartness dependent on cut so I'd say trousers and a long sleeved shirt rather than chinos. Definitely jeans would stick out as too casual in our office.
After a year of slobbing round my house in tatty clothes, I actually quite like putting on something smarter for the office. Chance to wear a watch too!
Last edited by Christian; 11th January 2022 at 16:40.
Given what you've written I would go slightly more business in appearance - smart shirt and trousers and smart shoes, which you probably have already. Places like Uniqlo have a good choice and at very reasonable prices. I would also wear a tie but then I don't mind wearing one normally. The point is, you'll look smart and give a good impression at the HQ.
Absolutely this. It's been my office attire for a while now.
I personally wouldn't bother with a tie but a suit or smart trousers with a nice shirt on day1 will allow you to gauge levels and you can always dress down further if needed.
Dark chinos not white!
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Long black cloak with red coloured lining.
Last edited by joe narvey; 11th January 2022 at 17:49.
Lederhosen
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Business Casual is just a suit with no tie.
Smart casual is chinos/trousers and shirt/polo
My best advice has always been start smart and then go with the flow. Nothing worse that starting somewhere and being seen as under dressed!
You can get a decent suit and some shorts for a few hundred in M&S. A dark blue suit always works.
Depends on the office and industry. Business casual normally means a buttoned shirt and trousers.
Having worked across sectors, it does differ - Telco more typically jeans and a shirt. Banking and defence more formal trousers, shoes and a shirt (sometimes suit, no tie).
Probably worth asking your line manager what the dress code is in the office before you start
I would talk to the recruiter or new manager and double check. Failing that if you’re local pop down and have a coffee outside, see what the general theme is.
LBG is very familiar to me.
It is not a formal employer, jeans and a shirt is fine with leather shoes.
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Definitely chinos, Oxford shirt and sports jacket. Nice pair of brogues too.
You may well find each week starts with a shirt & chinos, but loosens to jeans t-shirt and trainers by Friday
Chino style trousers. Smart shirt/ sweater. Good quality shoes. Can’t go wrong.
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Full Highland Dress . Rain or shine . If anyone mentions it say you are a Scottish Widower fighting for male inclusivity … ya sassenach boaheid!
It’s not what you wear but how you wear it. Richard Madden could wear t-shirt, jacket and trainers and look smarter than Boris in a Saville Row suit.
I work for a professional services company and wear non faded black or dark blue jeans, long sleeved Oxford shirt and pair of green suede chukka boots if in the office and not client facing. If client facing I will wear a suit complete with tie to err on the side of being appropriately dressed. For more relaxed clients, I’ll ditch the tie.
I've been in a few LBG offices and while it varies I think you are safe with this advice and will blend in with the other colleagues. Maybe week one, smarter trousers and a jacket. You can always take the jacket off.
Given the heads up, I’d go slightly more business (smarter) than casual.
I only ever wear jeans, with boots and either a polo shirt or a smart shirt to offices these days - but that’s generally because my clients know/knew me before contracting me, and I wouldn’t work for someone that made a big deal about wearing a suit and unless it’s a funeral or similar I’m not wearing a tie.
If you go smarter you can back off once you see what everyone else is wearing though and make whatever subtle changes you like to suit you and the way you like to dress.
It's just a matter of time...
You don't need a jacket.
If you have a decent plain shirt in your wardrobe, wear that. If not, get something with a collar that will take stiffeners. Single cuffs.
Trousers are up to you but dark material is fine. Jean cut is fine, no denim obviously.
Shoes rather than trainers. Shoes and belt colour should match.
I was driving past one of their big regional offices a couple of years ago when there must have been a fire drill. Looked like chucking out time at the local disco. Wasn’t even a (dress down) Friday. Genuinely appeared to be dress however you want! I was quite surprised.
That’s what I’d do. You look better a bit “too” smart than a bit too casual.
The Lloyds Bank HQ isn't in Bristol
Steve - your inbox is full.
For your first day I would go with whatever you would wear out to a nice restaurant perhaps, intact jeans with a tidy jumper type of thing. I wouldn't rush out to buy anything new though.
green might be blue defo isn't!The Lloyds Bank HQ isn't in Bristol
bis casj is take your tie off if front of house (sounds like you wont be though), trousers and decent shirt otherwise - assuming you want to make a decent impression as opposed just get paid for the hours spent on site. as an ex Lloyds employee i can safley say if you dress like you are from cardiff you will get treated as such - no apologies i was living in south wales at the time. that said you will 'only' be a contractor so it may not matter a rats ass! - i may be biased
any talk of chinos, jumpers and trainers is for printer repair operatives and cleaners.
As its Bristol city centre you would blend in well with rainbow hair, over sized tie dye hemp jumper, charity shop brown baggy chords and a good splash of petunia oil, don't forget a banner to protest against something!
Google is your friend...
Guayabera and linen trousers.
Last edited by Mr Curta; 12th January 2022 at 12:00.
Ah, the old bare foot look ;)
It's just a matter of time...
TZ preferred casual wear, Dark Green/Brown Moleskin Trousers ?
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And size 6 unisex shoes
Keep an eye on SC, you should be able to find all the casual clobber you need, might have to pair XXS with XXXL but you can make it work..
this. Suck it and see for a few days.
I work for an ultra conservative asset manager which was always suit and tie and now people are having to find their way around the new normal. Much to my amusement. But what it does mean is that things that woudln't look out of place in one office or even one floor of an office may look out of place in others.
Never dress down as a boss once told me. You can always make an outfit look more casual but you can't make yourself look smarter. And you'll always be more comfortable being overdressed than underdressed.
A few bry nylon or polyester shirts and slacks, a fresh pair of undercrackers and you’re good to go for the next six months. Slay ‘em!
I remember pitching up to Nato meeting in Brussels suited and booted. One lad pitched up in skin tight black jeans and a mega death T shirt…..
Modern chinos and long sleeve polo’s are great for travel meetings
Last edited by Middo; 13th January 2022 at 16:46.
Jeans cut, even on twill trousers, sticks out as being less smart in those photos. I honestly don’t understand the “no socks, half mast” thing either. Who wears shoes with no socks all day? Gross!Google is your friend...
Hardly anyone. They usually wear invisible socks.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Wearing keks at half- mast just looks wrong, reminds me of kids at school who had outgrown their keks and couldn’t have a new pair till next school year!
One thing I struggle with is long- sleeved shirts, I don’t like them, I find short sleeves far more comfortable and that’s what I wore when I had a job.
Short sleeves are for IT and lower tier more manual minions!
If one must be ‘more casual’ or one is about to get one’s hands dirty then it is acceptable to remove one’s cuff links (or unbutton your cuffs if you are one of the lower middle classes) and either, ahem, roll your sleeves up or much preferable to use a pair of shirt sleeve garters!
Last edited by paw3001; 12th January 2022 at 23:57.
Shortsleeves belong on Tees and Polos no where else! Maybe a Hawaiian at the beach 🤣
Short- sleeved Ben Sherman Oxfords were my favourites for work.
I was classed as ‘scientific and professional’, splitting my time between grubby chemical plants, slightly less grubby laboratories, an office, and far too many meetings. Tie-wearing virtually disappeared ca2000!
Dress code is a strange one, part of the culture of a workplace, and you only get to understand it by being part of it. Despite being classed as scientific and professional staff some of the stuff we did was distinctly unscientific and definitely unprofessional, in a production environment it’s all about getting things done and done on time............happy days!
I remember being in a divisional meeting at my first job in the baking summer heat where a director went off on a rant about attire.Short sleeves are for IT and lower tier more manual minions!
If one must be ‘more causal’ or one is about to get one’s hands dirty then it is acceptable to remove one’s cuff links (or unbutton your cuffs if you are one of the lower middle classes) and either, ahem, roll your sleeves up or much preferable to use a pair of shirt sleeve garters!
If you want to wear a short sleeve shirts hand in your notice and go be coach drivers or fix photocopiers. Only roll your sleeves up if you’ve dropped your car keys down a drain or plunging a toilet. Don’t wear light blue shirts in summer if you’re fat but never take off your suit jacket if you do, and wear an undershirt (not a vest) if you sweat profusely. Also no brown or square toe shoes allowed under any circumstance.
Was good advice looking but back my sleeves are folded up twice in the office 99% of the time, just never when client facing.
I think I must've spent my working life in a parallel universe! In a technical function people were generally judged on their ability and performance, not their attire.
I’ve never been a fan of brown shoes, black are far more durable and can usually be made to look smart even when nearing the end of their life.
Whatever you wear to work, wear it well. If your clothes look like you’ve slept in them and your shoes are scruffy it doesn’t matter what you have on, you’ll look look like a sack of shit and that’s never a good look.
Last edited by walkerwek1958; 12th January 2022 at 23:44.
It’s a new world in city offices. Ability means nothing, perception is everything, and speaking in plain English is negative and will get you labelled as toxic. Total wind up.
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