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<p>There could be two angles to the workplace dress. It is at least theoretically possible for a workplace to be dressy but not conservative in how people dress. Or less dressy but still conservative in styles of less-dressy clothes.</p>
<p>I fail to see what’s so objectionable about a Supercuts or Great Clips. Cutting hair is cutting hair. It’s random whether someone trained to cut hair gets their first job in a salon or a Supercuts. They could do a perfectly fine job with a typical mens cut. No objections per se to ponytails on men, but I think very very few men look good that way.</p>
<p>I have two graphic designers who work for me. One has bright red (not natural) hair, those ear piercings that look like grommets, tongue and facial piercing and tons of body art. The other looks more mainstream and rather boy-next-door. The second one does far superior creative work. I’d be leery of making judgments on creativity based on how one presents oneself.</p>
<p>I would look at how the people are dressed in a given firm, particularly in some of the big companies. My neighbor is the artistic director at a large national advertising firm and she dresses and looks as conservative as a Wall St banker. We’ve gone to social functions where she has had her department employees present, and other than some photographers, they looked very conservative too. Even those photographers where in NYC ninja attire (all black) and other than long hair, pony tails, they did not stand out as creative looking. I didn’t see any over piercings, wild hair or dress. I know a CEO of a company dealing with nuclear power plants that is more “creative” in hair (wears a pony tail) and dress than those folks.</p>
<p>Interviewed a 23-year-old graphic designer in Manhattan last week. He wore dark blue jeans, a white dress shirt, and a grey blazer with handstitching detail on the lapel. He looked pulled-together, not too casual and not too dressy.</p>
<p>I know people in the field, too, and with no other knowledge would err on the side of a suit or sports coat. I would not choose to make any kind of distracting or overly creative statement with clothing, either. Taste varies. The portfolio should speak for itself and take center stage.</p>
<p>Interview was today. He wore the suit with the hair back in the ponytail. He looked great. First time in years I have seen him in a pair of pants that didn’t show his boxers.
He was overdressed but the guy told him he looked nice.
He got the job. Starts tomorrow AM.
It isn’t his dream job but it is in his field. Pay is low and only 20 hours a week to start. It is a small 1 man design firm. It seems like a great opportunity to learn hands on.
Of course tonight he gets an email response from another job. This one an internship in Silicon Valley. S of course wants to consider it. Much more exciting company. We shall see where that one goes.
In this economy it is a dilemma. Stick with the permanent job or risk going for a job that might have more long term growth potential.</p>
<p>mom60, that is excellent news! Congrats to your son (and the proud parents). I hope you took a picture of him in his interview attire :)</p>
<p>I think he should go and interview for the internship. Since his current job is only 20 hr/week, he has plenty of time for looking around. By asking certain indirect questions during the interview, he can find out whether the Silicon Valley job is a temporary gig, or if this is how the employer tests future new hires.</p>
<p>This thread reminded me of this recent New York Times article about dressing for job interviews. I remember it because I was surprised by the variability of dress by industry:</p>
<p>[Trendspotting</a> | The Interview - Slide Show - NYTimes.com](<a href=“Trendspotting | The Interview - Slide Show - NYTimes.com”>Trendspotting | The Interview - Slide Show - NYTimes.com)</p>
<p>Congrats!!! Great news! I can relate to the comment about the boxer shorts showing…lol!</p>
<p>It’s goo that he’s interviewing for the internship. You never know what doors may open from the experience. Like Bunsen said, let him inquire as to whether it’s temporary or if it has the potential for FT and when. If his gut tells him it’s the wiser choice in the big picture, then it just may be. In the meantime, enjoy watching your new grad go off to work in the morning!! :)</p>
<p>I love long hair and am very sad, my son recently cut his off. I think he’s fine with a neat pony tail (especially for a graphics design firm!) I don’t think it’s every wrong to wear a suit to an interview, but I’d be inclined to go a little more artistic. Suit jacket/sports jacket, dark shirt to be different perhaps, tie, nice but not matching pants.</p>
<p>He is off to work. He lucked out that the designer doesn’t start work till 9:30. My S is not known for his good time management skills and it killed me to watch him not get out of bed till 8:30. He cut it close but should have made it to work on time. The job doesn’t have parking and he has to search the street to find parking that is not 90 minutes and not street cleaning. Knowing my S he will learn the hard way. His attire today was the suit pants (he couldn’t find his other nice pair of pants) with a dress shirt (not tucked in) with black leather adidas shoes with the hair clean but down.
He emailed the internship job to set up the phone interview. We will see where it goes.</p>
<p>^^lol Sounds like our ‘artistic’ sons share a common habit of sleeping til the last possible minute. On my son’s first day he had to be on the job by 6:30 am (only the first day thank God!) so with the hour commute we thought he should get up no later than 4:45 to leave by 5:15. He got UP at 5:15 and left at 5:30 :eek: It kills us that he cuts it so close, doesn’t even have a bite of food or coffee! Only washes his face (showers the night before), brushes teeth, changes and GOES! Gotta let it go I guess…at least he’s getting there. ;)</p>
<p>1down12go- this is the downside to him living at home. I have to observe it all! I confess that this morning I made him a scrambled egg burrito that he wolfed down as he was getting his stuff together. I couldn’t bear to see him go off with an empty stomach knowing that he doesn’t get off till 1:30 and will not have a lunch break.</p>
<p>^^ it’s hard to turn off the ‘mom switch’… The not-eating-anything-at-all-until-he’s-ready-to-pass-out thing has me and my husband just crazy! So much easier when he was away and we didn’t actually have to witness it! I couldn’t resist throwing some granola bars in his work bag before he left…don’t know if he ate them but it made ME feel better haha</p>