I have one pair of black pants and they are velvet for the holidays. I decided years ago when I noticed the black pants uniform that I would be contrary. For at least 20 years no one has seen me in black pants at work lol.
After two years of alternating days working in two different buildings, I finally got smart. I used to have to try to remember which outfit I wore, and when, so as not to repeat wearing it too soon at each building. Last year I started wearing the same thing two days in a row and no one has a clue. It’s so nice knowing that I only have to make the decision of what to wear half as often as I used to.
Two staffers (one male and one female) do an experiment…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wearing-the-same-thing-everyday_us_57ebe81de4b024a52d2be5db
(Yes, Huffington Post is a usually-partisan news site, but this is not a partisan political issue.)
Wow, I cannot believe how many people can either dress so casually or work from home. A very different
environment then I expected.
I suppose I could go to work in jeans. I just don’t. I teach at a college. I guess I’m old school. Showing up in jeans and a tee shirt?? I just can’t do it. H is a Dean. He wears a jacket and tie everyday. Probably doesn’t gave to. But it would seem so unprofessional to show up,in jeans and a polo.
D1 working in finance in NYC must dress more professionally. S works for a bank in our small city and must wear a tie. D2 worked for a financial firm in Boston and they had strict dress requirements. No bare shoulders or open toed shoes, etc. She now works for a college in Boston and it is more casual. But still not jeans or sweats.
Is requiring more professional dress an east coast thing?
How can anyone wear anything several days in a row and not find it well beyond “dirty” ?
Maybe because I work with kids, and have recess duty, and live where it’s hot, but Ewwww, the thought of wearing any garment a second day in a row makes me cringe. And even if it’s not two days in a row , it’s two wearings MAX for anything but scarves, cardigans or skirts that have only been over leggings.
Probably, but there may also be industry variation. Finance may be dressier than computing, for example.
I mentioned upthread that I stick to a few brands and fill in the missing pieces from other brands. The reason is simple: it saves me $$ in the long run. For example, Max Mara clothes fit my body well without alterations (only hemming is needed for pants and maxi dresses) - I can always buy a 42 sight unseen online, and it will fit (I buy a lot of non-returnable clothing that way and save bundle$$$). I have a collection of pencil and A-line skirts, pants, dresses, and matching jackets (for those days when I need to wear a jacket). Cardigans, tees, basics like that come from random brands, and I get them on sale when they go on sale… The pricier MSRP, Euro-sewn stuff is better made, and it lasts accordingly. Classic lines mean I can keep wearing the stuff for a long time, just update the shoes and accessories. All of my clothes are tested for comfort and wrinkling, so if something does not feel good or wrinkles too easily. Shoes… if I cannot do a 100 yard dash in my shoes, fuggedabboutit. 
So interesting sbout Max Mara; I’m all over the map in the sizes I wear there.
Interesting! Maybe it is because I work in an over-air conditioned office and dry clean most of my clothes, but I definitely can wear a garnent three or four times without drycleaning. It certainly isn’t as crisp and pressed but certainly within the realm of polite society.
The doctors here mostly wear scrubs and polo shirts or aloha shirts and slacks. The attorneys do wear jackets to court and I generally wear one if I’m testifying at the leg or doing a presentation. Otherwise HI is fairly casual for attire.
I’m on the east coast (DC) and most people I know wear business casual. The exceptions are mostly law firms.
Max Mara used to cut a bit bigger, but this season they seem to be a bit more snug (I know I didn’t gain any weight). I have blazers and pants that are 10+ years old. I do love how the material feels.
I have a new wool dress this winter and I’ve had it on 5 days straight now. It’s comfortable and appropriate for my life. I feel good in it. I’ve changed the silk tee I wear underneath and spot cleaned the hem where my coffee dripped but probably won’t send it to the dry cleaners till the end of the season, unless I travel in it. Then I might send it for refreshing.
I wear a lot of wool in winter and certainly don’t clean after each wearing. I also wear a lot of velvet, which gets washed when there are spill spots. Mostly I always have a washable layer underneath my clothes, but I am cold natured and don’t perspire. I am bad about spilling things on myself, but I spot clean whenever possible.
A friend who divides her time between a country place and city place buys one new outfit a season for city life and wears it all season. It’s just a base for accessories. I never wondered till now about her laundry habits. 
With the exception of sweating, working outside or perhaps with kids or in a health care setting with patients, I have always thought people wash their clothes too often. My H will wear a pair of jeans for a day of sitting around and throw them down the shute. Drives me crazy! I’ll wear a pair of jeans several times before washing - unless there was a spill or the above conditions.
Re: professors on a college campus. I think that a nice pair of jeans with a button down shirt or sweater and a casual tweed jacket is a great look! Or for anyone business casual.
I’m a guy. I don’t hold a regular job but as part of my business I regularly meet with real estate brokers, attorneys, contractors, and title companies. I have the luxury of wearing whatever I want. My typical “uniform” is jeans in the winter and shorts in the summer and whatever shirt makes sense for the weather.
The only exception is if I need to go to court, I always wear a suit.
Oldfort, good to know. US stores sometimes randomly “translate” their sizing. Italian 42 is either a US 6 or US 8. I buy my stuff online from Euro retailers and always pick the Italian number (or UK 10). Only bought one dress this year for NYE - it fit well.
I am with folks who say we wash our clothing too often. Tees and shirts - sure, but skirts and jeans? I have a very sensitive nose and can easily tell when something is about to smell funky… then it goes in the wash. If I do not wash my outerwear after one wear, I certainly would not wash the dress I wore to my air conditioned workplace.
I am an exercise teacher -so I wear Yoga pants or tights. I don’t find them particularly comfortable. I need to wear form fitting clothes -I use my own body as an example of form -so it doesn’t need to be covered up in baggy clothes.
My DH is a family doc -when he started working 25 years ago it was a dress shirt, lab coat and tie.
Now it is a golf shirt with the practice logo. Interesting how things have changed.
This past year I’ve dressed down considerably vs prior years. A number of reasons, mostly a new work area and weight gain. I went from skirts with shirts, jackets, or sweaters and dresses to whatever black pants are clean paired with tees and flowy cardigans. Fridays are jeans days.
The weight gain I’m working on, so I hope I’ll be in more attractive clothing by summer. In the meantime, I’m upgrading my shirt/sweater/blouse wardrobe. H gave me another Hermes scarf for Christmas, and I’m going to make an effort to at least wear a couple of them each week to spice things up.
Our small town office is very casual thankfully. I wear jeans in the winter, Capris in our hot summers. Tops are chosen based on what fits (weight goes up and down) & what’s clean. I do tend to get into a rut of having a few tops that are in favor at the time - probably vaguely try not to repeat in the same week but if my husband has done laundry mid week it might happen. I don’t sleep well plus don’t care an awful lot - so long as I am clean and look reasonably decent. As I commented during the annual Christmas spirit week when the oh so enthusiastic organizer commented on my lack of participation in the daily what to wear guideline “be thankful I’m dressed” (I know - I’m a Grinch).
I’m so not a morning person, I have been known to leave the house in unmatching shoes (I wore ballet flats for a while till I got a stress fracture and doc said to wear something more supportive - had several of the same style in different colors and inadvertantly shoved my feet into one blue and one black a couple of times). Also have been known to realise my shirt is inside out once I’m awake or someone points it out to me (one day I went to the dentist and as the hygienist finished up giving me instructions she added - oh, and your top is on inside out and laughed when I responded “again!!??” )
No makeup - I have severe rosacea and struggled to find cleansers and moisturisers that don’t turn me into a lobster - it is somewhat under control except my Rudolph nose which has a mind of its own. Anyway, long since gave up on make up which used to make me want to scratch my skin off back in the days when I used to try it.
Ties on doctors are now seen as a source of disease transmission.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=99526
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/08/doctors-stop-wearing-ties.html