Most of you know this, but back in the day, many people knew
me as DJ Fashion. Yes it’s cheesy now,
but it served a purpose in my radio and DJ days. Wendell Cruz actually came up with the nick
name Fashion because, well, I like nice clothes. In high school we had to wear a shirt, tie
and jacket – but it wasn’t a uniform jacket or tie. So figured if I had to wear it, I may as well
wear suits that look nice and that I like.
The first time I ever wore jeans and sneakers to school was
my freshmen year at Marist. Mom used to
dress me up to go to pre-K and kindergarten -- slacks, shoes and button down
shirts (with butterfly collars) were my usual wardrobe to school when I was 5 years
old!
As an adult, MTC has been the first job where I had to wear a suit every day. Just because I didn’t have to wear one didn’t
mean I didn’t. During my New Vic days, I
tended to over dress during school-time matinees as opposed to weekend
performances. We had a simple but very important philosophy at the New Vic
regarding our student audiences. Even
though the ticket prices were very low, they were not free because we felt it
was important that the ticket have value, thus teaching the students the value
of the performance. If it was free, the perceived
value of their experience would be skewed in a direction we didn’t want. Because of this though process, I felt
compelled to present myself as professional as possible to these young
people. They deserved our best – just like
everyone else (side note – even Ken Davenport seems to agree with this line of thinking)
Over the years, more specifically between Generation X and the
onslaught of the Millenniums, what’s considered proper work attire seems to
have shifted. Working in the arts world,
the rules are definitely different than they would be at a financial company,
but what is considered business casual has definitely shifted. Regardless of your profession, what you wear
to work and how you present yourself DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE! It’s up to you to understand where you work
and what the culture of your industry is.
No matter where you work, here are a few pointers that you should all
follow:
1.
Wear an
outfit that you can work in. Sounds like
a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people fail this one. I tell all of my female employees in FOH that
they should wear shoes they can stand in for a few hours. If you can walk around the theater and up and
down stairs in heels all day long then God bless you and wear them. If you can’t then go with plan B.
2.
Don’t come to work wrinkled. Whether it’s a t-shirt or a buttoned down, it
shouldn’t look like it was rolled up in a ball at the bottom of your dresser
before you put it on. It looks lazy,
thus making you come across as lazy.
3.
Be selective on how much skin to show. Sometimes Bialystock had it wrong – just because
you got it doesn’t mean you have to flaunt it.
There’s a time and place to flaunt it – and the monthly staff meeting
may not be the place to do it! Rule of
thumb - Your co-workers should never know what color underwear you’re wearing or
that you’re not wearing any.
4.
The less you smell, the better off the rest of
us will be. Whether it’s BO or over-use
of perfume and/or cologne, too much of a smell is not cute. Moderation people!
Final note for the gentlemen – never underestimate the power
of a blazer. Even in casual situations,
adding a blazer to a pair of jeans will raise your look. You just have to find the right cut and style
that suits your physique and personal style.
Not all suit jackets were created equal.
And if you’re complaining that you don’t like to wear ties because they
choke you, well it’s not the tie. Take the
time and get a shirt that fits you properly!
You’ll be amazed how comfortable you’ll feel in clothes that fit!
Stay cool people!
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