A short one today bloggers as I'm writing from a train - I'm off to a negotiating course, not sure I need it but you never know.
I always get so nervous when I have to walk into a room with people I don't know. I was meant to be on this course with the other high level union rep but she pulled out at the last minute for personal reasons and so here I am on the 1hr train journey to the conference centre and I bloggers, am one nervous lil ostrich.
You see despite knowing that I am reasonably intelligent and can hold my own, the invite said 'no dress code' which is my idea of hell when it comes to anything work related and the reasons are as thus:
- My business clothes help give the impression I'm smart and worth listening to.
- My wardrobe of 'casual' does what it says on the tin. I'm a converse, denim skirt, leggings and t-shirt kinda girl - this usually leads to assumptions of immature, naive, and girl who can be interrupted.
No dress code indeed is dangerous territory. At least with casual you know they really mean 'chinos, trousers and a shirt with no tie but we didn't want to appear stiff', but no dress code!??!
My solution has been to stick with the denim skirt and the leggings but to opt for a semi casual White shirt - oh the dysfunction of my look right now. In addition my non-work jewellery rather than my work type stuff (yes women do that) and only half casual hair has been opted for.
Yes Bloggers, 'no dress code' is a trap!!
it sure is
ReplyDeletei had a job interview once where, when i asked if there was a dress code the woman said "not really" so i turned up in jeans and a t-shirt while everyone else had on a shirt & trousers/skirt so i was severely underdressed and that made me more stressed than i already was
i never got the job and i now overdress for interviews