New job, first day clothes

WhatYaSay

This probably sounds a bit odd, I'm starting a new job this week in a company with a casual dress policy. 'Jeans, t-shirts, jumpers all fine' the email said. It's a change for me coming from a formal office wear environment. Should I go for suit trousers and shirt for first day until i suss out the tone? I'd imagine I'll go for shirts and dark jeans when settled anyway, can't really imagine rocking into work in a t-shirt!

Agent Smith

Wear a Suit. Take off tie if needs be.

techdiver

If it says jeans and t-shirt is fine, most of the staff will be wearing that. You will stick out like a sore thumb if you wear a suit.

I know in my industry, you would often get teased for wearing a shirt into work (Software Development).

Creamy Goodness

Wear a shirt and slacks and nice shoes.

Suss people out and then react accordingly.

For the record I wear jeans and a t-shirt to work, it's great, I don't have to buy any new clothes (it's what I wear normally) and more importantly I don't have to think is my "work clothes" washed and dried.

OleRodrigo

Always wear a suit on the first day. Its a mark of respect. You might be teased if its a more casual environment, but it shows good manners IMO - same as turning up to an interview properly dressed. You can take off the tie and jacket, as mentioned already.

witchgirl26

I'd always over dress for the first week or so. Get to know the lay of the land within your team. Plus it's most likely you'll have your work ID photo taken that week so better to look suited & booted in it. Good luck!

techdiver

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Always wear a suit on the first day. Its a mark of respect. You might be teased if its a more casual environment, but it shows good manners IMO - same as turning up to an interview properly dressed. You can take off the tie and jacket, as mentioned already.

Why does it show good manners, when the OP clearly stated on on an email received from the company that jeans etc are ok?

I really laugh at this attitude to dress policy in the work place especially for roles that are not client facing.

BTW, I wore my work clothes (jeans etc) to my last job interview and was offered the role 2 hours later. Clearly they were interested in my abilities than my dress sense.

MagicMarker

Agent Smith wrote: »

Wear a Suit. Take off tie if needs be.

WTF? They specifically said jeans and tshirts are fine. The OP will look like a right twat if he wears a suit.

OP, just wear decent casual clothing. Wear what you'd wear on a first date to the pub.

Tar.Aldarion

You can dress up a little for the first day, just like nice shoes, chinos and a shirt or something? Gradually reduce that to flip flops, shorts and a graphic tshirt like everybody else

techdiver

techdiver wrote: »

....
I know in my industry, you would often get teased for wearing a shirt into work (Software Development).

Sounds a terrible environment, many folks don't like the t shirt look once they reach late 20s/early 30s.

techdiver

Augeo wrote: »

Sounds a terrible environment, many folks don't like the t shirt look once they reach late 20s/early 30s.

I was being flippant. It would be more directed to people who typically don't wear shirts and then turn up wearing one on a particular day.

BGozIE

If the email, which stated the info on the casual attire, was related to your first day... which I'll assume to be the case, then they are more or less telling you to dress casually.

Personally I'd go for a shirt and jeans/chinos...not too casual I suppose.

I work in IT and people wear what they like...BA's in my office wear suits, developers wear a pretty casual attire.

If your not customer facing...it makes sweet fa difference IMO.

road_high

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Always wear a suit on the first day. Its a mark of respect. You might be teased if its a more casual environment, but it shows good manners IMO - same as turning up to an interview properly dressed. You can take off the tie and jacket, as mentioned already.

Why on earth would you do this? You want to feel relaxed and settled in on a first, not feeling/looking awkward and sticking out like a soar thumb.
One job I had started in the past I wasn't sure what the attire was and just checked it with HR before starting. It was "smart/casual". Turning up in a suit I'd have looked like a right plonker tbh.

OleRodrigo

road_high wrote: »

Why on earth would you do this? You want to feel relaxed and settled in on a first, not feeling/looking awkward and sticking out like a soar thumb.
One job I had started in the past I wasn't sure what the attire was and just checked it with HR before starting. It was "smart/casual". Turning up in a suit I'd have looked like a right plonker tbh.

You will never look like a plonker in a good suit, unless you're covered in earings and tatoos, no matter what anyone says. Like I said, its a mark of respect until you have a clear idea - from management and through your own observations - on what the culture is.

If my new collegues thought badly of me for wearing a suit on the first day, its not a place I'd want to work in.

Smart casual is quickly achieved by removing your tie.

techdiver

OleRodrigo wrote: »

You will never look like a plonker in a good suit, unless you're covered in earings and tatoos, no matter what anyone says. Like I said, its a mark of respect until you have a clear idea - from management and through your own observations - on what the culture is.

If my new collegues thought badly of me for wearing a suit on the first day, its not a place I'd want to work in.

Smart casual is quickly achieved by removing your tie.

What has a piece of colourful fabric, tied around your neck got to do with respect?

WhatYaSay

Thanks for the input folks. Quite the devisive subject I see! I'll go with the suit and figure it from there. Can't really see myself ever going for t shirts for work tbh. Never had a problem dressing for work, I like the idea of keeping it separate myself. Have a brother of the polar opposite mindset so I know there are 2 strong opinions on it! Cheers again!

MagicMarker

Christ almighty. OP, you've been told what you can wear. But wear a suit if you must.

connmel

IMO if you turn up in a suit having been told otherwise it will look like you didn't take the time to read the email properly and would create a worse impression. I really think dark jeans/chinos and an open neck shirt would be perfect. Still smart but not overly so.

MagicMarker

What line of work is this OP?

OleRodrigo

techdiver wrote: »

What has a piece of colourful fabric, tied around your neck got to do with respect?

Woud you wear one to a job interview ?

techdiver

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Woud you wear one to a job interview ?

As pointed out before, I did not wear one to my last job interview or the one before that.

Wore what I always wear in the office. Jeans and t-shirt.

NoCrackHaving

OP wearing a suit will just look like you (a) aren't able to understand a simple sentence in an email or (b) didn't bother reading it.

If I told someone via email we usually just wear jeans and shirts unless we're meeting clients etc. and they turned up wearing a full blown suit and tie I'd be wondering will they be missing out on information in future work emails.

road_high

connmel wrote: »

IMO if you turn up in a suit having been told otherwise it will look like you didn't take the time to read the email properly and would create a worse impression. I really think dark jeans/chinos and an open neck shirt would be perfect. Still smart but not overly so.

Exactly. And I can just imagine the mild sniggering that could go on from your new colleagues behind his/her back about the oddball wearing a suit on the 1st day where everyone else is casual.

OleRodrigo

road_high wrote: »

Exactly. And I can just imagine the mild sniggering that could go on from your new colleagues behind his/her back about the oddball wearing a suit on the 1st day where everyone else is casual.

If its an IT company, where the majority of ' engineers ' would be oddballs anyway, it would make no difference.

seamus

OleRodrigo wrote: »

You will never look like a plonker in a good suit

Except when you turn up in a full suit and all of your colleagues are wearing jeans and a sloppy jumper with the sleeves rolled up. Then you will look like a bit of plonker, especially when you've been basically told that everyone wears jeans and tshirts anyway.

You already feel like you stick out on the first day, no need to actually make yourself stick out.

In casual environments there are plenty of people who still choose to wear slacks with a shirt (not a dress shirt, but the kind of thing you'd wear to a party), so if you dress up like you're going to a child's birthday party, you can't go wrong. Cocktail dresses or shorts excepted.

If my new collegues thought badly of me for wearing a suit on the first day, its not a place I'd want to work in.

They won't think badly of him, but like everyone has been saying, he will stick out. And there might be a little running joke for as long as he works there about how WhatYaSay turned up dressed for a wedding on his first day.

Not that big a deal, but why go to the hassle of putting on a suit when it's clear you don't need to?

A lot of people who come from business/financial backgrounds often have trouble with this because even in college they're encouraged to turn up in a shirt and tie at a minimum.

Outside of those industries though, it just looks weird unless you're the CFO or CEO.

plys

I work in an office where the dress code is "Casual", which translates in practice to what the OP has described. Some folk still wear shirts and trousers for a variety of reasons.

I fully expect that the HR Admins should let any new starters know in advance what the dress code is. I also fully expect that a new starter doesn't arrive in on their first day wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say OP should wear a suit and tie, I think a pair of trousers/chino's with a smart shirt and jumper and decent pair of shoes on the first day is a given. Err on the side of caution. The dress code may be jeans and a t-shirt, but your manager might be one of those who dresses a bit smarter than that, just because... and (s)he might judge you on the basis of their own opinion of the dress code.

Alanstrainor

Chinos + nice shirt + nice shoes has to be the option. Had a similar thing in my work on my first day. Working in software, wore the above and was glad I didn't wear the suit. Over the next week I realised that they really couldn't care less about what I wore.

Rachiee

OP do not wear a suit really poor first impression looks like you don't know the company or the industry you'll look like a poor foot for the company dark jeans and an open collar short or nice sweater I'd as formal as you should go.

goldenhoarde

On their first day everyone sticks out so being in a suit or not is going to stop you sticking out as you know where nothing is, canteen, toilet or exit!!! (well depending on the size of the place that is). You look new and act new because it is all new to you!

However as they have given a dress policy a suit may be overkill but shirt and trousers (suit without the tie and jacket) will make a good impression as everyone does like to impress on first meeting new people

OleRodrigo

It raises an interesting debate. I know of many seasoned business people, across a number of industries, that would put high value on being properly presented on the right occasion.

On the first day, you dont know who you're going to meet. It could be senior management, directors, any of whom could be engaging with clients. I have yet to meet a senior manager who would regard a well dressed employee on his/her first day and an ' oddball ' - quite the opposite. Even if this new job is with a startup run by twentysomethings in t-shirts and jeans - their venture captial overlords will be dressed more conservatively.

I would agree that continuing to wear a suit after the first day, depsite a clearly different dress policy, would look odd. But first day ? Definitely not.

And whoever thinks chinos are appropriate for anywhere but the bottom of a bin needs their head examined.

WhatYaSay

MagicMarker wrote: »

What line of work is this OP?

Job is in finance department of a very large company. Based on what I saw when there for interview, people I passed in corridor etc, I saw a few suits and definitely the more dressy side of casual than t shirts and board shirts. Everyone interviewing me was in suits but I'd expect that as I was external.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

techdiver

OleRodrigo wrote: »

If its an IT company, where the majority of ' engineers ' would be oddballs anyway, it would make no difference.

Wow! :rolleyes:

mrcheez

OP, why not make it business casual?

- Long-sleeved shirt (without tie)
- Formal trousers
- Black shoes

I did this on my first day, despite the fact the dress can be jeans/tshirt. I actually prefer wearing this outfit still as formal trousers are more comfortable to sit in all day than jeans

You can easily make it "less-formal" by rolling up the sleeves after

cml387

mrcheez wrote: »

OP, why not make it business casual?

- Long-sleeved shirt (without tie)
- Formal trousers
- Black shoes

I did this on my first day, despite the fact the dress can be jeans/tshirt. I actually prefer wearing this outfit still as formal trousers are more comfortable to sit in all day than jeans

You can easily make it "less-formal" by rolling up the sleeves after

Very much I'd go with this. I don't think jeans and teeshirt is good for first day.
Not a full dress suit and tie either (for months afterwards it'll be.."isn't that the suit guy").

Eoin

WhatYaSay wrote: »

Job is in finance department of a very large company. Based on what I saw when there for interview, people I passed in corridor etc, I saw a few suits and definitely the more dressy side of casual than t shirts and board shirts. Everyone interviewing me was in suits but I'd expect that as I was external.

Smart/business casual definitely sounds like the way to go in that case. FWIW, don't assume that the interviewers put on a suit for your interview; it does sound like it's on the dressier side of casual as you said.

OleRodrigo wrote: »

If its an IT company, where the majority of ' engineers ' would be oddballs anyway, it would make no difference.

Ignoring your lazy stereotyping, why the '' quotes out of interest?

HandsomeDan

T-shirt with a picture of a big mickey on it. Ask them is that casual enough.

bonyn

Don't wear a suit.

Slacks, shirt, jumper, leather shoes and a belt would be good on day one.

Chinos and a shirt or a polo shirt would be good if you need to go a bit more casual.

Steer clear of denim and t-shirts.

bonyn

cml387 wrote: »

Very much I'd go with this. I don't think jeans and teeshirt is good for first day.
Not a full dress suit and tie either (for months afterwards it'll be.."isn't that the suit guy").

A-la "briefcase wanker"

Eoin

Eoin wrote: »

..


Ignoring your lazy stereotyping, why the '' quotes out of interest?

When people think of engineers the picture that comes to mind isn't packs/groups of t shirt & jeans clad nerds who wear such attire to interviews as that's considered appropriate in their field.

No civil, electrical, instrumentation, commissioning or mechanical engineer will turn up for an job interview dressed like that, software etc roles seem to be a tad different, hence the quotes I imagine.

Now given we are decades into a heavily software, IT infrastructured workplace and now enjoying the wider benefits of cloud computing etc that may change but a software guy who comes up with software solutions is no more an engineer to many than an accountant or actuary who do similar in their fields.

slagging folk off for wearing shirts shows what many software folk are like, narrow minded nerds isn't too far off the mark in many cases. Fit in with the jeans & t shirt or else.

mrcheez

Augeo wrote: »

slagging folk off for wearing shirts shows what many software folk are like, narrow minded nerds isn't too far off the mark in many cases. Fit in with the jeans & t shirt or else.

It's more a company-culture thing rather than industry-wide.

Also age plays a factor.

Many web dev jobs are client-facing, for example, and require you to wear shirts... even ties (when meeting clients) in the case of the place I work now.

Pac1Man

I can't believe some of the suggestions here. OP people are giving you these opinions based on their own workplace, not yours.

Follow the HR email! Why ask them otherwise? Replace the t-shirt with a shirt and wear a dressy jumper with dark jeans/chinos and shoes. Smart-casual.

Please do not wear a suit.

OleRodrigo

Eoin wrote: »

Ignoring your lazy stereotyping, why the '' quotes out of interest?

The lazy stereotyping was aimed primarily at the other poster.

Because engineer is a much abused title in the world of IT. But if you work in that area yourself, you dont need me to tell you that.

_Kaiser_

Myself I go with the "business casual" look of dark jeans and a shirt... but then I've been working for so long in these type of environments (IT/multinationals) that it's what I usually wear anyway (I haven't worn runners since I was a kid for example!)

Still, I do like those times when a suit is called for. I just prefer the more "formal" look

Mrs OBumble

Ironically, in some workplaces "business casual" clothing is more expensive than the suits that people would otherwise wear!

OP, something to be aware of: when you move to a 5-day casual job, over time your wardrobe changes to match this. Which can make getting a job in a formal-dress environment later on expensive up-front. Also, even it's it's casual, have a few well-dressed days, so that people never know when you've got a job interview (if anyone asks, say you've got a funeral on).

Also, mix things up a bit in the first week or two: as a female, I always wear a skirt once during the first fortnight. That plants in people's minds the idea that I do wear 'em sometimes, even though in practice I hardly ever do.

WhatYaSay

Bit of follow up, went for shirt and slacks. Could have got away with full suit and tie, couple of lads with ties and plenty in formal shirts and trousers. T shirts definitely in the minority. Saw others in the canteen more casual but my floor seems more the formal side of things.