Unless you have been living in a media-free cave for the past six months, you know that the country appears to be on the verge of an economic Armageddon. Now would not be a good time to come to work flaunting grandiose designs from the world’s most famous designers. Now would not be the time to show up draped in Gucci and Louis Vuitton or to go ostentatious with the jewelry. If you are wearing more on your back than your co-workers make in a month, you might be treading on thin ice and indicating to your employer that it is time to let you go. Here’s why:
Candidate for lay-off: You give the appearance of someone who can afford such luxury items, so some might deduce that you don’t really need your job. It will be easier to drop the unemployment hammer on you than your more moderately dressed co-workers, who obviously need the job more than you do.
Haughty/full of self: Wearing such items on the regular can be insulting to your co-workers, the majority of whom toil in obscurity to achieve the American dream. If you’re dressing above their pay-grade, then maybe you think you really are above them, which ain’t cool at all.
Moonlighting: Your employers may rightly or wrongly believe that you are moonlighting on the side at some other gig. At some companies, moonlighting without prior consent is grounds for substantial sanctions, including termination.
Breeds distrust: If your company observes you splurging recklessly without any constraint, then they may believe, rightly or wrongly, that you will do the same if you are in charge of a company budget. Therefore, your actions and appearance alone may prevent you from getting promotions or being put in charge of an important assignment where budgetary frugality is paramount. At that point, you become expendable.
People who are guilty of conspicuous consumption rarely garner the admiration or respect of their peers, subordinates and superiors. Subsequently, even if the person is the most talented and works the hardest, they diminish their chances of being selected for such honors as Employee of the Year or given bonuses or other awards, especially if colleagues’ votes are part of the tally.
As you can clearly discern from the examples listed, you should dress with decorum and class, which will minimize the chance that those waves of jealousy will turn into dangerous currents. –terry shropshire
