londonaccountant - ICAEW

STYLETIE ME UP,TIE ME DOWNBETH HOLMES DOESN’T WEAR A TIE, BUT FINDS THAT LOTS OF CHAPS STILL DOAlthough it’s fair to say that the corporateuniform of a suit and tie is still omnipresent,as dress-down Fridays have permeated mostworkplaces, there has been something of a shift inexpectation as far as exactly when and where oneshould be expected to don neckwear. Get itwrong at your peril.Image consultant Nancy Stevens(www.alteredimagemk.co.uk) says: ‘I can’t rememberthe last time someone asked me [to buy them] a tie.People are making do with what they’ve got. Theyaren’t seeing it as a necessity.’The problem with this, she adds, is that ‘dressingdown affects productivity. In the UK we don’t know howto do smart casual very well’.So when should you wear a tie, and does it make adifference what size firm you work in, or indeedwhether you work in practice at all? Jeni Taylor,diversity and engagement, PwC, says: ‘Our peopletypically exercise their own judgment on when theyshould dress in business formal and when it’s time tobe more casual.’WHAT DO CLIENTS EXPECT?‘When people are working with clients they dress tomeet client expectations and reflect the formality of theoccasion,’ she says. ‘This means it is sometimes moreappropriate to dress down, but if uncertain they woulddefault on the side of formality and wear a tie.’The mid-tier, on the other hand, makes more of aformal sartorial distinction between different industries.John Staniforth, partner in charge of HR at KingstonSmith LLP, says: ‘We believe in presenting aprofessional and positive image to our clients. Wearingappropriate business dress is integral to this, so we askour male employees to wear a tie at all times.‘However, at our West End office, where our clientsare all within the marketing services and mediaindustry, the firm’s dress policy is slightly different.There, we encourage male employees to wear anopen-neck shirt without a tie to emulate our client baseand, essentially, try to make our clients feel morerelaxed. Of course, if West Endstaff visit other offices formeetings or presentations,they are asked to dress moreformally.’One anonymous solepractitioner told LondonAccountant: ‘I don’t often weara tie and I would not greatlyvalue the opinion of anyonewho cared whether I did ornot. My clients are used tofinding me in shorts, and theytend to be loyal – I tend to puton long trousers and a decentshirt if visiting a client, butseldom a tie. If I lose apotential client as a result ofnot dressing up, I can live withthat.’And what of accountantsworking in industry? Charteredaccountant Russell Ford is theglobal head of HSSoperational risk at HSBC.IT’S SO AMERICAN‘In London, it has to be suit and tie; dress down isso American and so 90s,’ he says. ‘I have a highpressuredoffice job, so for me it’s shirt sleeves rolledup and tie loosened, and then people can see I meanbusiness!’So it seems that the tie will never die, even if it isn’tas popular as it once was: it will simply be kept in ajacket pocket and worn when necessary.A final word from Nancy Stevens, if you’re braveenough to want to try and be on trend this season.‘Knitted ties have become more popular,’ she says.‘As a homage to the 60s they can create an edge to aformal outfit.’ But, she warns: ‘You can’t wear it with acity suit and there is a danger you can look like ageography teacher.’londonaccountant november/december 201015