Wardrobe Dissonance: What is it and how do companies support it with Promotional Products
Into the abyss that is my closet, trying to choose something to wear to meet my daughter’s new kindergarten teacher, socially distantly of course, I come to the same realization that many others are experiencing. I no longer know how to dress myself to effectively leave my home. Sure, I’ve been to the outside world of Aldi, Target and my chiropractor but in 6 months I have not actually had to prepare to meet another person and make a conscious effort to “look nice”. I find I no longer identify with clothing that used to hold meaning or at least used to be considered staples. What are, after all, pants that require buttons? This change in our lifestyle has thrown me into a state of Wardrobe Dissonance which, while frustrating, also has a light at the end of the tunnel for both us as consumers and companies wanting to instill culture in new and unique ways.
Observe:
When the orders came to work from home back in March, many hunkered down for what was anticipated to be a 2 week staycation. Puzzles were out of stock along with toilet paper. At the time, no one really knew what we were getting into. 6 months later, there are still many people who work remotely and who will be working remotely for an unknown amount of time. Personally, I used to visit clients and travel regularly for work and now I am staying within a 10 mile radius of my home. Quickly, structured pants were replaced with leggings, tank tops were the base of every outfit and soft and comfortable replaced any “look” I previously would have gone for. It also didn’t take long for the make-up to hit the shelf. Despite consistent zooming, I looked more like a typical suburban mom on her way to Target rather than a full-time digital marketing consultant. And, if I’m honest, it wasn’t so bad. I could switch from work out to work in no time. I saved considerable money and even shed a few pounds in the meantime.
Interpret:
The problem comes when we lose our sense of identity. At some point, we have to go meet the teacher, meet the client, apply for a job or any number of other things, and we have to dress the part. What does that look like? How do we adjust and move forward? What are we willing to go back to and what are we not willing to give up.
There is a psychology to dressing. The basis of the “Dress for Success” adage is rooted in the idea that your cognitive response to how you and people in your surroundings dress, dictates your response and the way you interact with them. Someone who dresses formally with more authority is seen as authoritative, while two people dressing more casually will interact more casually. The dissonance comes in when, after 6 months you may no longer identify with who you were and your style. This isn’t negative and isn’t positive, but it is a disruption and can cause stress. So you are staring at your closet and have nothing to wear, what do you do? Do you reach for the old and comfortable? Do you pull out your three piece suit from the ancient dry cleaner bag? Do you give up and go for the snuggie?
Meghan Guse, Associated Front End Engineer with Active Campaign is looking forward to the day she goes back in the office (scheduled for next summer) and describes creating her work from home look as high-end lounge pants, a steady t-shirt rotation and a pony. Despite their more relaxed dress code, this isn’t something that would fly at work. “Sometimes I look at the old work shirts, and I miss them.”
Sure, it was fun for a while. But now what?
Activate:
We are all in a unique position where shifting wardrobe dissonance into a reinvention is wholly possible, both as individuals and as organizations. There are parts of this shift I am not willing to give up. For example, leggings with pockets are amazing. Fun prints that make me feel edgy literally make me more edgy. But there are some things I am ready to move on from.
Who do you want to be?
Maybe your new thing is a creative t-shirt with a funny saying every Tuesday. Why not? Maybe you pull in a few staple pieces. Remember you are now Dressing for YOURSELF. Be the person you want to be. If you truly miss dressing up, then dress up.
How do organizations embrace this?
Recognize it: The first step is recognizing that your employees do not look like they looked 6 months ago and that’s OKAY.
Embrace it: Now, a great and simple way to promote your organization is to go back to basics, a comfortable t-shirt. We are dressing for comfort now, so why not ride that wave? Providing your employees with t-shirts that showcase their team, your values, your cultural sayings or inside jokes is a great way to encourage culture. Taking it the next step by encouraging your employees to don their favorite t-shirt in a meeting can help them embrace this new comfort as a normal environment. Plus, it can take some of the decision making out of the process.
Prepare for it: Finally, be ready to embrace comfort as king when people come back. Reevaluate your dress codes. Are they still appropriate for the world we live in today? Maybe even encourage employees to buy something new when they come back so they can feel like they are part of this transition into what is now appropriate.
A few brands I have embraced during the shut down:
CVG (constantly varied gear) - Leggings with pockets and shirts with snark. It has them all.
SHEFIT - Amazing sports bras. Women owned.
AllMade: Already a favorite but the softness is just amazing and their activism makes me feel so much better about being comfortable.