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Back in the early 1980s, for my first real corporate job out of college in Atlanta, I bought a couple of polyester wash-and-wear suits from Sears. Nobody ever said anything. A young guy who was hired soon after I was went out and bought several nice and relatively expensive (for a twentysomething) coordinated slacks and jackets, which I thought looked pretty sharp. On his first day, a senior manager looked at him, said, "We wear suits here," and walked away. My coworker was angry, because he hadn't been told this prior to starting, so he went to the Goodwill store and bought a couple of used, $3 suits. Those were considered acceptable. A year or so later, another disgruntled coworker decided to test the dress code by wearing a white Miami Vice suit. The boss told him to go home and change into something more appropriate. He protested, saying that his suit met the criteria of the published company dress code. It didn't work; the boss still sent him home.
Now I work in liberal Portland, OR, where every day is "casual Friday," and people have their individual dress styles. I'm known as "the guy with the Hawaiian wife who needs to move to Hawaii and telecommute so we can all go visit him," so, during the summer months, I often dress in shoes with socks, dress slacks, and Sig Zane or Kahala shirts. (Our last CEO owned a place in Hawaii and often dressed the same way, so there was a precedent.) During our two glorious months of sunny, mid-80s weather in downtown Portland, I sometimes imagine I'm walking down Bishop Street.
Thanks! Unfortunately (okay, fortunately), my wife has a great job in Portland that she couldn't hope to equal financially in Hawaii, and a few years until retirement, so my coworkers will have to wait.
Yes, tucked in! And Socks! And a Belt! Slacks! And dress shoes!
Honolulu is business casual unless you are an attorney. The only different thing from the mainland business casual is the shirt. Wear a conservative aloha shirt even to interviews. If you buy the Tommy Bahama white shirt with bright red lettering on the back that says "Tommy Bahama", that doesn't qualify as conservative.
Actually, the attorneys I work with and for (I am one as well) usually wear the standard slacks and aloha shirt with shoes, unless we are in court, then its a suit, or throw a blazer over aloha shirt. I think it varies among the offices though. The large, fancy firms? More mainland business casual. Small firms, solo practitioners and goverment lawyers? Mostly aloha wear unless fancier needed for court/clients.
Actually, the attorneys I work with and for (I am one as well) usually wear the standard slacks and aloha shirt with shoes, unless we are in court, then its a suit, or throw a blazer over aloha shirt. I think it varies among the offices though. The large, fancy firms? More mainland business casual. Small firms, solo practitioners and goverment lawyers? Mostly aloha wear unless fancier needed for court/clients.
So true. I worked for an attorney (Longshoremans, workers comp, maritime law) and there was no way he'd receive potential clients in a suit and tie. These were men from the docks primarily and he needed to relate to them as best he could.
But he kept a few suits in his office in case he was called to court. I had a jacket too in case I had to accompany him.
Thank you again for all the advice. We arrived in HNL yesterday; I found my way to Reyn Spooner at Ala Moana. The good shirts ran $89; there was nothing cheaper that the salesgirl could recommend. That was a bit more than I wanted to pay. I asked for a local discount, and she just smiled nicely. I ended up buying a nice shirt at Nordstrom's for $79, still more than I'm accustomed to paying for shirts but it's a good investment & I really like the shirt. With the black pants & dress shoes, I think I cleaned up pretty good. I had my business meeting this evening & felt like I'd made a good choice. With the benefit of more time to shop, I know I'll be able to expand my Aloha wardrobe at a more reasonable price. I've got a month before I have to dress up again. :-)
OpenD wrote: "Reyn Spooner shirts. Their signature look is a shirt made of a reversed printed cloth with the print side turned in." I don't know the history of the Aloha shirt, but I was told this was fairly common back in the day. I have other brands like that. Maybe fashion has moved on and they're the only ones still doing it.
Thank you again for all the advice. We arrived in HNL yesterday; I found my way to Reyn Spooner at Ala Moana. The good shirts ran $89; there was nothing cheaper that the salesgirl could recommend. That was a bit more than I wanted to pay. I asked for a local discount, and she just smiled nicely. I ended up buying a nice shirt at Nordstrom's for $79, still more than I'm accustomed to paying for shirts but it's a good investment & I really like the shirt. With the black pants & dress shoes, I think I cleaned up pretty good. I had my business meeting this evening & felt like I'd made a good choice. With the benefit of more time to shop, I know I'll be able to expand my Aloha wardrobe at a more reasonable price. I've got a month before I have to dress up again. :-)
If you are on a budget, you can try Sears at Ala Moana - and there is a Walmart nearby.
If you are on a budget, you can try Sears at Ala Moana - and there is a Walmart nearby.
The Nordstrom Rack store is Nordstrom's discount store. Usually find the same quality of clothes
at a significant discount to that in the main store, however the selections varies.
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