# Office Temp - Question about Proper Male Attire
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 3, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920 "2013-01-03T04:28:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/21 "2013-01-03T15:43:11Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Yeah, this has come up before here. OK. No one wears a tie where I’ve worked for the last 15 years, in let’s see 5 places. Heck, I have visited suppliers and customers in most of these jobs too, and no one wears a tie!
>
> I didn’t realize that some places of employment were still like this, because around here no one wears a tie!
Just as a point of reference, my wife works for a bank. Not only does everyone wear a tie, all the men wear suits. Note, she works in business banking and almost all client contact happens out of the office so this isn’t about looking fancy for clients who may come in. All the men wear suits because that’s just the culture. On casual Friday they don’t wear a jacket.
I agree with everyone else, wear a tie until you know the culture of the office. Most places are business casual, but not everywhere is (and in some places business casual still means a tie.)
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/22 "2013-01-03T15:43:53Z")
Make sure, _absolutely_ sure, that your fly is up. The tie thing is less important.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/23 "2013-01-03T15:50:05Z")
Heck, wearing a tie to a job interview around here is a 50/50 option. I’m not kidding.
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### Author:  [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/24 "2013-01-03T15:50:08Z")
I’ve actually found it more frequent that people will be wearing a suit coat without a tie than a tie without a suit coat lately. If it were up to me, I’d make a [bolo tie](http://www.amazon.com/Western-Classic-Concho-Ornament-Nickel/dp/B003TP9P4K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357228002&sr=8-1&keywords=Bolo+tie) fashion statement.
Of course, I’m in a midtown Manhattan financial-industry office right now in jeans, hiking boots, and a Christmas-y sweater. 🙂
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/25 "2013-01-03T15:55:44Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> I didn’t realize that some places of employment were still like this, because around here no one wears a tie!
I think it depends on what “around here” means. In the last two offices where I worked, things were usually pretty casual. But where I am now, we’re expected to dress up. I’m good with that, because I have a pretty awesome tie collection. 😃
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### Author:  [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/26 "2013-01-03T15:58:23Z")
Nobody’s brought up the tired old “noose” complaint, but just in case:
If you think your tie is choking you, you need to get a shirt that fits.
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### Author:  [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/27 "2013-01-03T16:50:21Z")
They are not going to think less of you if you wear a tie - you’re a temp and are expected to come across as a bit of a keener.
If you get there and everyone is in golf shirts and khakis, then you know what to wear on day two. If you are dressed down and everyone is wearing a tie, you will feel MUCH more awkward.
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### Author:  [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/28 "2013-01-03T16:52:46Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#):
>
> It’s been a few decades since I temped, but wear a tie and you can always take it off.
Yea… they only take a couple of seconds to unclip.
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/29 "2013-01-03T17:21:43Z")
> [@Seanette](#):
>
> I’d suggest asking the temp agency person who contacts you about the assignment what the dress code is. Otherwise, I tend to think it’s better to dress more nicely than to underdress on the first day. The regular staff are no doubt accustomed to new co-workers (temp and otherwise) not being quite sure about that place’s culture, and you don’t want to give your on-site supervisor qualms about whether you take the job seriously.
This really is dead on correct. When I started this temp job, I read all the paperwork the company gave me and it included a dress code - business attire. Which I wore. The first day. My boss showed up in jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers, and she told me you do NOT want to wear nice clothes for this job - wear jeans. So dress up the first day - they’ll tell you what to wear after that. Plus you’ll see for yourself.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/30 "2013-01-03T22:01:10Z")
I went downtown today (to get hitched up with another temp agency), and I took a look at what the guys downtown are wearing - I saw a mix of ties and no ties, but most guys had dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes on. I did see one bowtie - that was bit of surprise!
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/31 "2013-01-03T22:04:22Z")
> [@Ffolliott](#):
>
> I worked as an office temp (word processing, temp secretary, light phones) for a few years about 20 years ago.
>
> I need some additional income, and plan to test the waters in the temp market again.
>
> My question: What is considered proper attire for a guy seeking work as an office temp these days?
>
> Specifically, should I wear a tie?
>
> Thanks…
If you’re _seeking_ work, wear decent slacks, a nice shirt, a jacket and a tie. Once you _have_ work, you can adjust your attire to conform with everyone else in the office.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/32 "2013-01-03T22:06:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Business casual is the style these days. No one wears a tie. You you look like a keener jerk if you wear a tie.
>
> NO ONE WEARS A TIE.
I don’t know where the OP is seeking work, but a lot of temp word processing happens at law firms, which are pretty conservative. Lawyers wear suits and ties (or whatever the equivalent for women is).
Lots of firms have policies that allow one to dress down a bit on Fridays, and a smaller number of firms have “business casual” dress codes, but in general they’re pretty conservative places, especially the big firms.
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### Author:  [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/33 "2013-01-03T22:45:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Business casual is the style these days. No one wears a tie. You you look like a keener jerk if you wear a tie.
>
> NO ONE WEARS A TIE.
This is sometimes true for some places. But it’s definitely not always true, and not everywhere either.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/34 "2013-01-03T23:03:37Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#):
>
> But they can’t be tied?
If they aren’t already tied when you need one, then it’s too late. Unless she’s into it, then you can take your time.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/35 "2013-01-03T23:16:09Z")
Not only is it regional (East Coast v. West) and industry based (law firms tend to be tie places) but it can also vary from group to group within the same company at the same location.
It isn’t a horrible idea as a temp to have a bag with dress down clothes in it - just in case the “office temp” you thought you were going to be turns out to be “follow me into the warehouse and we’ll get you started on those pallets.”
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### Author:  [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/36 "2013-01-04T00:24:00Z")
> [@leahcim](#):
>
> I’ve actually found it more frequent that people will be wearing a suit coat without a tie than a tie without a suit coat lately. If it were up to me, I’d make a [bolo tie](http://www.amazon.com/Western-Classic-Concho-Ornament-Nickel/dp/B003TP9P4K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357228002&sr=8-1&keywords=Bolo+tie) fashion statement.
>
> Of course, I’m in a midtown Manhattan financial-industry office right now in jeans, hiking boots, and a Christmas-y sweater. 🙂
You could also start wearing [these.](http://www.amazon.com/UniformTux-Black-Satin-Western-Tie/dp/B001PULDVY/ref=pd_sbs_a_31) 😉
My advice to the OP: Wear nice slacks, a button-down shirt [long sleeved] and a tie. Add a jacket if you think it’ll be more formal. You really don’t want to be underdressed on your first day of temp work, but if you think you might be doing more active stuff, bring a change of clothes just in case.
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### Author:  [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/37 "2013-01-04T09:33:51Z")
> [@Missy2U](#):
>
> This really is dead on correct. When I started this temp job, I read all the paperwork the company gave me and it included a dress code - business attire. Which I wore. The first day. My boss showed up in jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers, and she told me you do NOT want to wear nice clothes for this job - wear jeans. So dress up the first day - they’ll tell you what to wear after that. Plus you’ll see for yourself.
I’ve had similar experiences (done a bit of temping).
---
### Author:  [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/38 "2013-01-04T09:34:55Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> I went downtown today (to get hitched up with another temp agency), and I took a look at what the guys downtown are wearing - I saw a mix of ties and no ties, but most guys had dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes on. I did see one bowtie - that was bit of surprise!
My DH has a fondness for bowties, courtesy of a former boss. We also know a young man at church (probably under 30) who likes bowties and three-piece suits.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/39 "2013-01-04T12:13:25Z")
I recommend either a Bolo or Bow Tie as well. You want to stand out and distinguish yourself.
In fact, a cravat might even be appropriate.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-temp-question-about-proper-male-attire/645920/40 "2013-01-04T23:00:05Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#):
>
> If you’re _seeking_ work, wear decent slacks, a nice shirt, a jacket and a tie. Once you _have_ work, you can adjust your attire to conform with everyone else in the office.
Again it depends on where you work. Here people who interview in jackets are either new college grads who don’t know better, eccentric, or clueless. I sure didn’t wear a tie when I interviewed here 16 years ago. On the other hand a place like a law office is very different.
Heck, my VP and exec VP never wear ties, and when I started I got an article about our fairly famous CEO who hated ties, and only wore jackets when meeting with Prime Ministers and the like.
I can re-offer the other standard option of visiting the job site before starting work and seeing what people wear.
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