Is it wrong to wear casual attire at work?
Does it matter what you wear in the office? This author discusses whether workplaces have taken Casual Friday—or Casual Every Day—too far.
In 1994, I interviewed for a job in Honolulu. I showed up in a suit and tie.
I got the job, but I never dressed that way again during my more than three years in Hawaii.
Casual Friday started in Hawaii as Aloha Friday when the city of Honolulu allowed workers to wear Hawaiian shirts during part of the year. The trend then spread to the general workforce.
Yes, despite all those original “Hawaii Five-O” episodes with Jack Lord in a suit, Hawaiian businesses decided long ago that casual dress in a tropical climate made for happier employees.
Casual dress is the new normal
Most of America is not a tropical climate, which makes you wonder: Why is every day Casual Friday at so many organizations? Does it make people more productive, or is it another sign of our ever-deteriorating standards?
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