As young hip hoppers and urban fashion trend setters find themselves entering into the workplace and beginning the early steps of their careers, they often times fight to maintain a semblance of their true personality as they become more and more involved in the corporate culture. One of the ways that we find ourselves fighting against the "machine" is to make attempts at exhibiting our individuality in our choice of clothing. For urban fashion fans, this can be a tricky task as we attempt to bring the styles that we are accustomed to into the proper context for the workplace environment. To make the process a little easier, here are a few tips on finding that middle ground where hip-hop and business can comfortably meet.
1. First try throwing out all of the preconceived notions about what the corporate culture is. Most of our opinions are formed by the experiences of our parents along with the settings that we review regularly on television; this means that we are likely to have an outdated view of work the workplace is really about. At a one point in time, certain hairstyles, like braided or spiky hair were frowned upon in the workplace, and in some extreme cases, may have been grounds for dismissal. With a global culture that is slowly but surely growing towards acceptance, a lot of the old ways are starting to fall by the wayside. This means that much of the focus has been taken away from outward appearance, instead looking to the abilities and credentials of the individual; to paraphrase a wise man, "no longer judging a man by his outer countenance, but rather by the content of his character."
2. Now that you've thrown out the pre-conceived notions of what is acceptable based on the old norms, let's think about the items of clothing that are in your daily repertoire. In reviewing your wardrobe, think about the items that are your most favorite part of your collection; this will be a great starting point in determining what your true style is. Once you've determined the foundation of your personal style, even begin to make adjustments or additions as needed to spruce up your attire to a more professional level. Pick out a few items from your favorites that have style to them, but let more of your own personality and flair shine through them. You'll likely find that, as it should be, the clothing simply becomes an accessory for the real you.
3. The next major step, now that you have created a more professional tone with your existing pieces, and maybe a few simple additions or subtractions, is to get into the workplace to find out just what is commonly worn by people who work there - as well as people who visit or are clients of the business. What you want to do is make sure that your attire is not off-putting to the company's client base or to any of the people that you will have to work with on a day-to-day basis. As you find out what is the acceptable norm for your particular workplace, you'll be able to make additional adjustments if need be.
Some simple ways to successfully cross over into the corporate workplace, holding on to some aspects of your urban fashion senses, might include holding on to your favorite pair of neat little denims, but instead of wearing them with a T-shirt, trying a polo, sweater or even dress shirt. Another way may be to not simply toss out your favorite sneakers, but match-up your neatest sneakers with a pair of casual slacks or khakis. And yet another way of matching up urban sensibilities with the corporate world, might be to simply accessorize the urban wear with something like a very smart sport coat.
In some workplaces, you'll even find that they will have casual dress days. Even the most professional of corporate settings will likely have a dress-down day at the beginning or end of the week. This is used as an employee relations tool to give workers a chance to relax, often times allowing a more creative employee to shine through as they enjoy a more casual atmosphere and feel free to create.
Author Resource:
Jermain Grenville is a fashion writer and urban culture expert with over a decade of experience in the urban fashion world. Find out more at baseball caps or newera
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