If he did, CEO Tuld, I suspect, would send him home to ‘change’ :-).
What constitutes an appropriate work attire still depends on institutions and context. It also largely depends on psychology, of how we want to perceived at work, our personality (what feels authentic to us) and how much of who we are privately, we would like to reveal to our colleagues.
What has changed the most in the last decade, is how much we value authenticity in leaders. That comes down to their appearance as well, we value if someone shows up feelings comfortable in their skin/clothes.
Further, hybrid working has made it’s impact of toning down the official look towards more the casual and comfortable. We are dressing for the New Normal.
However, this could be challenging, because the research shows that “polished” still reigns as the most-sought-after appearance trait (Hewlett, 2024).
First impressions matter – we are judged on how we appear in less than 250 milliseconds (Article).
Now, coming to that AC/DC T-shirt (they are collectors items, valuable and rare, ‘Culture in a T-shirt’), how could one wear it at work?
Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Editor at NYT since 2014, suggests:
– Pairing the T-shirt with a cardigan and a pair of well-cut trousers.
– Opting for a blazer or even a suit – not for Jared Cohen though.
– Under a button-up shirt, leaving the top two buttons undone. Just make sure, that you pair the tee with a good watch or other form of jewelry and good shoes.
Alamy: Simon Baker, Margin Call, 2011.