Comments on: Management Tactic #34: Dress Up When You Go Up

By: Jessica Bailey

Jessica Bailey — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:09:17 +0000

when i travel in Alaska, i always use leg warmers to get more comfortable-:,

By: Carlos Kelly

Carlos Kelly — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:14:12 +0000

we often need leg warmers during the cold winter months in our place. we prefer cotton or wool-`”

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:22:52 +0000

Very interesting. This disproves my theory, doesn’t it? Maybe your good hair made the difference?

By: Nelsy

Nelsy — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:17:36 +0000

i highly doubt that anyone will read this but its cool and i thought of this post almost immediately after it happened.

i was on a plane sitting next to some guy that i assumed did not want to talk to me (and to be perfectly honest, i didn’t really want to talk to him either). but he pulled out a kindle and i couldn’t help but ask how he liked it and things like that. turns out he was a really nice, smart guy and we got to talking and eventually he asked me where and what i was studying blah blahh. he was a professor at harvard and he gave me his card and told me to contact him for research opportunities in the summer.

i was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt and i even had my tattoo showing on my wrist. my hair did look really nice though. but chances are, he doesn’t look for researchers with nice hair. just a hunch.

By: BasementDweller

BasementDweller — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:38:18 +0000

you just might. what happens if your future employer is a leg warmer aficionado (like myself) or his or her favorite color is neon green? they would be a great conversation starter/ice breaker. They may be a little eccentric, but they are practical (they keep my legs warm). Also, i think wearing something you normally would wear shows who you really are. If you are person that wears suits all the time, then by all means, suit yourself <– not as funny as i thought it would be.
But i wear neon green leg warmers. i'm not going to wear a dress if i don't feel like it just to make sure i get treated right. if people don't treat you how you want to be treated, be assertive. say something. if nothing changes, they aren't worth the worry. but most people will respond to confidence.
the key is confidence. if you wear your pj's to the airport, whatever. you payed just as much as the next person to be on that flight. work those pj's.
likewise, if you want to wear a suit to the airport, do it. i just don't think people should have to put on a front to get treated how they want to be treated.

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:35:59 +0000

That’s a darn good theory, and I’m glad you wear whatever you want to wear. However, I don’t think I’m going to dazzle any future employer if I’m wearing neon green leg warmers and leggings. That’s just a guess.

By: BasementDweller

BasementDweller — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:13:16 +0000

what do i wear airport?
well, i wear what i feel like wearing. the other day, it was neon green leg warmers, some leggings, and i don’t even remember what else.
here is my theory:
the airport security sees hundreds, if not thousands, of people walking through the airport everyday. i guarantee that they don’t care about what you are wearing, nor do they care about you. unless, of course, you hold up the line or have weed in your back pocket. Furthermore, if you are concerned with what fellow travelers are thinking about your clothes, don’t be. They don’t care either. You are traveling. There is nothing wrong with choosing comfort over class.
If you are sitting in seat 8A and your future employer wanders into seat 8B, dazzle him with your mind, not your Dolce and Gabbana suit.

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:42:29 +0000

According to your blog, that’s your fourth sleepless night in a row. How are you still able to write?!

I appreciate you supporting my point (in a slightly different way than I put it). The common ground between our arguments is that life is an interview. And when you’re traveling, not only are you coming in contact with a ton of people, you will sit next to at least one person in a very tight space for several hours. For the most part, I prefer not to talk to anyone on the plane. That’s my downtime. But there’s a chance that you might meet someone who will actually be a fantastic contact or future employer. Why not dress the part?

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:38:01 +0000

Fair enough. That’s also my goal when traveling.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:36:27 +0000

Another sleepless night. You hit on one of my personal pet peeves in general, airports and McDonalds alike. WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING OUT AND ABOUT IN YOUR PAJAMAS ANYWAY? Why do we even need to blog about people wearing (sorry Jayme) Juicy track suits ANYWHERE but the gym? (And then — why are you spending $200 on something to wear to the gym?)

But as for the airport, specifically… I am a fairly casual dresser in my personal life, but professionally, I like to make a nice impression. And when I travel for business, I may just end up on an interview. TSA and flight attendants aside, I might find myself next to the editor of Redbook or a talent scout for Hearst. You just never know! And can you imagine if I’m in sweat pants or jean shorts? I’d die. Actually – I would probably elect to bypass the opportunity of a lifetime to speak with one of these people because I would be better off to hope our paths would cross again in the imaginary future than risk them forming an impression of me in my pajamas. But that’s just me.