Anonymous wrote:I remember coworkers getting in trouble for inappropriate dress when I was 22 (I’m 37). One girl dressed slutty with short, tight skirts and low cut tops. Another guy wore jean shorts with sneakers to work. He often wore Tshirts too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

My SES has an advanced degree runs a bajillion dollar national program. They have visible tattoos and wear fun shoes. GenX. When needed, they rock the business suit as well. Overall, I think that knowing one's audience is what matters more and more. Showing up for a more casual client super buttoned up shows an inability to adapt to their culture, same as showing up in jeans for a more conservative audience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

They are getting their office fashion advice off tik tok plus they are trying to repurpose their college clothes.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that much older than these recent grads (mid 30s) but it surprises me a lot how many of these kids don’t know how to carry themselves, professionally and personally. Which is a shame because many of these kids ones I work with in a client facing business role actually do good work.

It’s more so that they dress way too juvenile or trendy- like off the shoulder tops and ill fitting clothes that they spend all day messing with because they don’t fit properly, long nails with bright nail polish, play video games on their phones with giant headphones in at lunch, come into meetings with giant lattes filled with whipped cream, ect. The people at my level make side comments about it all the time but they aren’t breaking any rules or anything, they just look silly. And these are kids that make enough money to invest in quality work attire.

Just interested to see what’s changed in the 15 years since I started working, as starting out in a client facing industry, we were borderline obsessed with being professional and put together!

I am a gen-X mom of two gen-Z kids. There are several reasons for this -

- Family and upbringing. DH and I are UMC, well-educated (multiple degrees) and have lived in several countries. I always keep short clipped nails with neutral nail-polish, I do not wear fake eyelashes, I am always dressed modestly with understated jewelry, I wear smart but sensible shoes. DH is similarly dressed in subdued and professional color, patterns and attires. We are health and wallet conscious so junk food is something we avoid. We are around super successful UMC/rich professional people and we very much fit in and are understated.

Our kids see this and they are clued in how to present themselves appropriately. They were not the kids who wore stripper dresses for an honors college commencement or wore PJs to their college classroom taught by the professor who could recommend them for a plum internship. From school to college to internships and jobs - they have always dressed for the future job and role they want. We made it a priority.

- Ignorance. Most kids do not know that their attire is not acceptable to their superiors who are a different generation and have all the power. My kids have been taught to dress smart and professionally. They know that they should dress in the style of their professors, bosses and clients. So, inevitably they get picked up in the client facing roles because they are not an embarrassment. Couple that with being well prepared and well spoken - they will shine over others. My kids have been taught how to dress and behave to impress by us.

Anonymous wrote:Dress for the job you want.

That is all.

Thank you for attending my TED talk.