Five Questions: Is the business suit no more?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Welcome to Fear and Greed Q&A, where we ask and answer questions about business, investing, economics, politics, and more. I'm Sean Alma, and good morning, Michael Thompson. Hello, Sean. And good Sunday morning to you, Adam Lang. Good morning, Sean. Good morning, Michael. So the Sunday format is about one of us asking the other two, five questions, and vaguely related to the news. So the news this week was that Adam... in his place of employment, gets to work from home like on the occasional Friday and he doesn't have to wear a suit. So. This was big news for us. It's very big news. Big news for me. So we're having a Sunday on clothing, sartorial elegance. What's right when?
Oh, high risk.
Related to workforce, of course. Okay. So question number one. Adam, when should you wear a suit to work? Should it include a tie, cufflinks, polished shoes?
Yes.
Yeah, but that's not the question. When should you wear a suit to work?
Yes. Always. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Get rid of suits. Suits have had their day, right? Okay. But I've already bought them. They're appropriate still in court. Maybe weddings, also funerals. When the judge says, will the plaintiff stand up? I'm not going to be wearing my shorts then, all right? But any other time, no. Ever since leaving an employer... Seven years ago, I have refused to wear a suit. Did you wear a suit previously? Yeah, well, not a full suit. I would rarely wear the jacket. But prior to that, yes, I would wear like... work pants and a shirt and a tie. I did actually enjoy cufflinks. I had a great collection of cufflinks. Do not wear them anymore. That's it. And I think that is something that I'm now trying to encourage others to embrace as well so that I'm not the odd one out.
Okay. So that's a yes and a no. A firm no. Michael, specifically for you, is it ever okay to To wear shorts to work, to wear leisure wear to work.
Well, you can wear shorts professionally, like professional shorts, as long as they are. No, I'm not going to go with the 1980s maths teacher look of the shorts and the socks pulled up right to the knees. No, but look, I think that depending on what you do for work, like you still do need to look presentable. This is an office here. We're talking about an office play. Then I don't think in summer, I don't think there's a problem with wearing shorts. As long as you're not just wearing kind of ratty, ragged, tattered things. Then wearing professional shorts... And neat shoes and probably a nice shirt with it as well. I don't think that's a problem.
Is the business suit dead in today's workplace?
So is this the long sleeve shirt with the shorts? Potentially, yeah. And you roll the sleeves up. Oh. That's fine. Oh, ouch.
So question three is what shoes are okay and what are no-goes? Like can you wear Crocs, for example? No. So let's bring this all together. Shorts and shoes. We're doing this together.
Treat it as an ensemble. Yeah. No, you cannot wear Crocs. Crocs, okay, put broadly. Ugg boots? Crocs should never be worn in general. Yeah, yeah. I agree with that. Uggs? Uggs are a definite no. Sleepwear is not appropriate for the office. Thongs, also not appropriate for the office. Okay. But you can wear, kind of, if you're wearing your shorts. Sandals? No, no, no. Look, unless they were... Very professional dress sandals. But no, I don't think so. I don't think so. With socks. I think generally you still need to have your toes covered.
Okay. As a rule of thumb.
Good, we're getting some guidelines in place here. Well, it's an OH&S thing, right? I mean, especially if you're working with machinery, you're not going to wear your dress sandals.
Can we bring this back to the office today, right? So you've got shorts on. Question Adam asked, and Adam, you can answer. What length socks?
What sort of shoes? Okay. So it's never a problem for me because I'm wearing the suit. So I don't have to worry.
With the suit, Adam, do you wear, I have to ask you about the suit then. Do you wear the socks that are the same color as the suit or shoes or do you go for the bright colored socks?
Okay. All of the above, depending how risky I'm feeling.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:06–3:24
2
Is the business suit dead in today's workplace?
3:24–7:12
3
When is it appropriate to wear shorts to work?
7:12–8:46
4
How can you style shorts for a professional look?
8:46–10:15
5
What types of shoes are acceptable in a professional setting?
10:15–13:09
Speakers
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