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Can I get away with this at ANY job?


Naamah D.

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So you guys know that I'm MallGoth right? Well, I'm almost 21 and have to decide on a job. I really want to do floral and interior design. I was told at another forum that I could wear all black as long as it's plain and can wear my band tees, goth acessories and boots on my off hours.

 

Can I get away with all black at ANY job? This is a question where I need a definate answer before I buy anymore clothes.

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I would recommend asking people you may know, that work in the industry in general and in the industry in your area.

 

It all really depends on the company and management and what they expect of their employees.

 

I had a job in a large law office that allowed me to wear shorts, tank tops and flip flops in the summer, because we worked in the basement library and never saw the public. Everyone else in the building wore mostly business dress, suits and such.

 

My current job, I often wear all black. (I wear black dress pants and some of my favorite shirts to wear are either pure black, or black with small colored details.)

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Every job is going to be different. Most places have a dress code. I wouldn't worry about all black as much as I would about band t-shirts... but that's something to discuss with your employer. None of us know their specifications. :)

 

To an interview you should always dress to impress: no jeans and no plain shirts. Dress up and be presentable. You're about to represent their company, after all.

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As long as you don't have chains and inverted crosses hanging off everything, I can't see it being a problem. The few employers I've had (volunteered and paid) actually encouraged us to wear black, brown, white and grey. Neutrals ftw! As Linds and Spritzie mentioned, most businesses have some sort of dress code.

 

I can understand where you're coming from in that you don't want to completely sell out who you are for a job. I'm the same way. I have tattoos and piercings and love me my Slayer T-shirts, but I also understand that society still places a huge importance on appearence, especially in the work place. There are compromises though. Like plain black dress pants, black long-sleeve tees or button-down shirts or blazers, interesting fabrics and cuts of clothing. It's not as bad as it seems :P

 

I find it's not so much colour of clothing employers object to, but slogans and structure. You don't want rude slogans on your shirts when you're dealing with the public. There's also no need to be wearing clothing that shows every bit of skin when you work in a professional environment. Colour is usually the least of their worries.

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Most of the jobs I've had had a specific uniform, or was basically "No writing on shirts" etc. Some places like Macy*s actually require all black.

 

If you want some basic work clothes, I'd recommend a couple of pairs of khakis and solid color polos.

 

Off hours you can wear anything you'd like and it's actually illegal for them to say you can't wear x when you aren't on the clock, even if you are shopping in the store.

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Every company is different. Slightly (:P) different type of job, but the last bakery I worked in required me to wear black pants (ugh, that sucked in summer!) and a t-shirt under a smock type thing that they provided-- even though I had absolutely ZERO contact with customers or the public. My current job allows me to wear whatever I want, as long as it's appropriate for the work at hand-- their only requirement is a hat. And this is even though I work directly with customers some times- refreshing the showcase, working the till, or answering questions. So every owner or manager will have different requirements. Some may very much frown on anything that isn't professional looking, and others may not care at all. I would guage what you would be able to wear by what other employees are wearing. :)

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This is why I love being a classical musician...all black IS the dress code for performances :P

 

Like others are saying, though, it all depends on the company and the person in charge! I would definitely say no band t-shirts though. I don't see why all black would be a problem unless there is a specific color required for the uniform, honestly, as long as the clothes are of decent quality; it's just another color.

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I also dress like a guy. So would I get fired for dressing like a guy outside of work?

Off hours you can wear anything you'd like and it's actually illegal for them to say you can't wear x when you aren't on the clock

 

 

Off the job, it doesn't matter what you wear. On the job, it really depends on the company and the nature of the work. All black or neutral colours are usually a safe bet. For one of my jobs I have to look professional ("business casual"), for another there is no dress code, and for yet another I'm required to wear jeans and high-visibility shirts. You'll just have to ask the buisness owner (or, start your own business and set your own dress code :P )!

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