Business Attire Goes More Casual but Most Office Workers Embrace Dress Codes

At one time, wearing jeans to the office was considered a special privilege or part of a weekly "casual day," but jeans today are considered acceptable "business casual" attire, according to 45 percent of administrative professionals responding to a survey by office product company Quill Corporation. In fact, only 35.6 percent of respondents work for companies that still have a designated casual day. The survey was conducted among 407 administrative professionals.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (Business Wire EON) November 21, 2007 -- At one time, wearing jeans to the office was considered a special privilege or part of a weekly “casual day,” but jeans today are considered acceptable “business casual” attire, according to 45 percent of administrative professionals responding to a survey by office product company Quill Corporation. In fact, only 35.6 percent of respondents work for companies that still have a designated casual day. The survey was conducted among 407 administrative professionals.

Not surprising, the most common attire regarded as business casual are khaki pants (78.4 percent) and polo/golf shirts (76.2 percent). For women, Capri pants also scored high as acceptable business attire (56.3 percent) as well as sun dresses (45 percent). For footwear, 79.4 percent of women indicated that they wear open-toed shoes to work. The flip-flop is slowly working itself up as an acceptable form of business footwear, at least among women, where 37.3 percent wear flip-flops to work. Only 3.7 percent of men wear flip-flops to work, and only 8.4 percent wear sandals.

While work attire is edging toward greater casualness, the Quill survey found that about 56 percent of respondents indicated that their office strictly or somewhat enforces an office dress code. Despite the encroachment of casual attire in the workplace, 85.3 percent of respondents think that a professional office should have a dress code. Another 87.5 percent believe that a dress code affects the environment of an office. As if to validate the importance of preserving a dress code, more than 11 percent of administrative professionals have witnessed a co-worker being sent home from work to change clothes.

The consensus among women was that professional attire on the job helps them command more respect and that sloppily dressed women are perceived as also doing sloppy work. Male respondents, in general, welcomed the relaxation of dress codes regarding suits and ties, but still consider a professional demeanor to be reflected in proper attire. More than 21 percent of respondents indicated that their supervisor adhered to a different dress code than the one to which they have to conform.

About Quill:

Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, Quill Corporation is the nation’s premier business-to-business direct marketer of office products, custom printing, furniture and technology supplies. Quill maintains a nationwide network of regional distribution centers to facilitate fast order delivery. Renowned for its outstanding customer service, Quill reaches customers through direct marketing, telemarketing, outside sales and online at www.quill.com. Quill Corporation has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Staples, Inc. since 1998.