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Original poster

Dressing for work in an American corporation

390 replies

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 02/04/2015 16:31

Just that - what is essential to look professional in a US blue chip company? I'm assuming a suit / day dress is standard wear, along with decent shoes and bag. But what about the subtle stuff: manicure / hair / make up / tights?

Any advice much appreciated!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
CheersMedea · 02/04/2015 17:07

Do you mean a US company office in the UK/abroad or a US company office in the USA?

fiorentina · 02/04/2015 20:45

Depends if you are visiting them in the US or working from them here. When I wore a smart dress and heels to my company's U.S. office, several people commented how European I looked. They had some interesting work dress. Think Next in the 90's. Here it is standard smart work clothes.

Original poster
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 09/04/2015 18:19

Oh, sorry I didn't see these replies!

Based in the US (important info I should have included !)

I think I'm fine with people thinking I have European dress style, but I am concerned about things like a manicure, a regular blow dry, needing a full face of makeup ... Never mind non-Simon Cowell pearly whites..!

Or maybe I should cultivate a dishevelled English eccentric look from the start? (Or does that only work for men?) Smile

OP posts:
Nolim · 09/04/2015 18:24

Depends on your group i guess but i dont think that ppl would be gossiping in the water cooler about your manicure or lavk of thereof.

BL00CowWonders · 09/04/2015 18:27

I always find American women more made-up but less dressed up than European women.
V much agree with the PP about Next from the 90s Smile

HazleNutt · 09/04/2015 21:32

Mine (Washington DC) is suits/tailored dress. Very boring classical ones - grey, beige, navy. Everybody has a manicure, as they're cheap and easily available - styles vary from natural to long fake ones (the latter rather a minority though). Everybody does wear at least some make up, yes.
Interestingly, bare legs seem to be fine - but I'd play it safe and wear tights (sheer, no funny patterned stuff) before you know what's ok in yours.

Fabulassie · 09/04/2015 21:41

Your hair should be well groomed, but the clothes can be a little less smart than here. That said, if you do dress smartly, they won't look down at you. They'll just think you're wonderfully British or something.

When I moved here I noticed that the British news readers all looked dishevelled. American female news readers are always done up like they're in a Miss America pageant or something. It can be a bit over the top but you don't have to go quite that far!

burnishedsilver · 09/04/2015 23:42

If its an IT company it might be jeans.

blackcurrants · 10/04/2015 00:33

I'd agree with less well dressed but very well made up. I don't think you have to 'get your hair done' once a week or anything, but people do look more groomed than we do in the UK, and much less ... stylish.
Think: better basics but a bit bland.

Depending on the level of office formality, you might be anywhere from mandatory suits to anything-but-jeans (I have friends in publishing who live in their cords and cardies, for example, and corporate lawyer friends who live in suits, suits, and suits.)

I like a site called www.wardrobeoxygen.com and I think the woman on there (in DC but in quite a creative/relaxed office) does some interesting things with her clothes. She also links to a lot of other fashion bloggers, often with very different styles.

Canyouforgiveher · 10/04/2015 00:42

generally far less stylish than europe. Trouser suits are very usual for women - less women wear skirts than in Europe (although that is changing a bit I think). Also I notice my friends in Ireland who are lawyers/in corporate roles, wear quite up to the minute fashionable "outfits" - dress with matching jacket and boots or whatever. most women I know here in similar roles just wear well-cut trouser suits- often in black or grey.

Very little keeping up with fashion too.

One thing I notice is that all US women wore tights or covered their legs in summer whereas in Ireland, even lawyers would go into court with bare legs - would not happen here.

more groomed, less stylish about sums it up. oh and most women who have an engagement ring, have a minimum one-caret solitaire diamond :)

Original poster
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 10/04/2015 02:20

Thanks for all the replies - unfortunately I'm better at stylish but less groomed, but I'll have to get myself sorted!

I don't normally wear my engagement ring to work but DH and I were talking about an eternity ring the other day, so maybe I need to upgrade our plans... Wink

OP posts:
kickassangel · 10/04/2015 02:26

Where are you based? I live in the Midwest and people are barely one step up from jeans, even those that work for big internationals like Google.

Original poster
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 10/04/2015 02:27

East Coast, Kiss

OP posts:
HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/04/2015 02:32

I "grew up" in corporate Toronto. The big cities are a LOT more formal than smaller ones. East coast more formal than west. North more formal than south. Client-facing (lawyers, Big 4 accountantts) more formal than corporate.

Panty hose (do not call them tights - tights are thicker and higher denier) are a must all year round. Must be skin tone. In some environments you can get away with black or navy pantyhose but they must be sheer, not opaque. You must have shaven legs under the pantyhose. Do not wear toeless shoes EVER. Do not wear sling backs. Suits - either trousers or skirts - are better than frocks. If you do wear a dress, put a blazer over it. Professional makeup and hair means groomed but not over the top. Ditto nails. Scarlet nail varnish is too racy. Minimal perfume if any. Tasteful matching jewellery - by matching I mean don't mix silver and gold. Do not wear brown shoes unless you are wearing a brown suit. All your leather must match - no black leather shoes with a navy handbag.

Wow I didn't realise there were so many rules! Thank god I now work in a school Grin

ElizabethHoover · 10/04/2015 02:34

I've been to corporate dos where the American women were very casually dressed in a black tie situation

Want2bSupermum · 10/04/2015 02:49

Ok here goes. I am at big4 in NYC. Basically grooming needs are nails and eyebrows. The ladies will tell you if you need your lip done. Listen to them.

Hair needs to have zero grey and be styled. I get a really good haircut every 2 months and do my roots myself every 2 weeks between hairdresser appointments.

You needs to wear tights (get a bumper pack of M&S ones) and you shave daily. I have gotten my eyes fixed so don't ever have to wear glasses. I figured it was cheaper. Make up is from bare minerals. Tell them what you are looking for and they will do you up and teach you what to do.

Clothes are best if plain and you use accessories to complete the outfit. I hate this. I don't wear my wedding band or engagement ring but I have $20k Rolex on my wrist so I get away with it and often I have another $5-10k around my neck (v generous DH who got me a mikimoto pearl necklace with one child and the Rolex for the other). I swear many are wearing fake pieces of jewelry or have hideous amounts of debt.

Believe it or not I get some fab work dresses at dress barn for $30-50 each. After 6 months I donate them. Other than that I order previous seasons stuff from Woodbury commons.

Original poster
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 10/04/2015 02:57

Shaving everyday....!! Yikes !!

But seriously, thanks, this sort of stuff is exactly what I'm after

OP posts:
Want2bSupermum · 10/04/2015 03:00

Yes the shaving sucks. I use a Venus razor with the large conditioning strips (I think it's venus embrace) and rub thick conditioner into your legs/armpits too when you shave. Get a bath mat as the bath is slippery after.

ElizabethHoover · 10/04/2015 04:43

Supermum you sound a bit of a tit

ElizabethHoover · 10/04/2015 04:47

To be honest though I'm surprised so many of you think shaving your legs or doing your hair is a big deal

claraschu · 10/04/2015 04:54

I wouldn't take all of this as gospel. Does someone at the door run their hand up your bare leg to see if you have shaved in the last 24 hours? What nonsense.

Want2bSupermum · 10/04/2015 05:09

hoover if you don't have something positive to add please go find another post to go through.

clara I was with you until I had to jump into a packed subway car and there was a lady with prickly legs standing next to me. I was with a more senior member of the team and he commented on it. I have shaved daily (below the hem line) since. I would be mortified if that happened.

How you put yourself forward is very important for both men and women here. It's important you eat well and exercise because as a size UK 14 I am often the fattest person in the room. People here are much slimmer on average compared to the UK. Most women I work with alternate running with yoga to stay in shape.

Annabannbobanna · 10/04/2015 05:29

Supermum, you definately sound more groomed, less stylish. In fact all that talk about 'another 10 grand round your neck' is positively vulgar.

claraschu · 10/04/2015 05:52

As a native New Yorker, I can honestly say that I have never rubbed legs with another woman on the subway.

The likelihood of being on the subway rubbing legs with another woman and also accompanied by a senior team member who is sensitive enough to detect her one day old stubble (presumably with his own bare legs, as such stubble is invisible), must be vanishingly small.

Want2bSupermum · 10/04/2015 05:53

Well it's NYC. It's a different culture. In RL it's a pearl necklace and a gold watch. I'm just saying what it is on here. My engagement ring was my brothers and my wedding band doesn't fit since having DD. Women I work with are wearing huge engagement rings that are at least $50k. It is a different culture here and since the OP was asking I answered honestly.

Having lived here for a while now I have a better understanding of how certain people view the 'importance' of the engagement ring. Wearing more expensive jewelry has, to a certain extent, given me a free pass with the whole ring expectation. If the OP is considering upgrading her rings I would suggest starting where you are and seeing how you feel.

Oh and yeah it's plain clothes here all the way. Think duchess of Cambridge but a couple more shades boring. Theory is probably the US equivalent to LK Bennett.