"dress code"

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ian515

PRO user
now, I understand that some functions call for "business attire", but I have always been the type of guy who likes to be dressed as if he is going to be standing outside for a couple hours, crawling around on the ground to get the shot, haning out a window...whatever. after starting my own business, which is primarily news based, I have noticed when I show up to the non news shoots, I am usually waaay underdressed.

in the freelance video world, does the old saying "dress not for the job you have but the job you want" apply, I mean, I already have the job I want.

should I be paying more attention to the office dresscode?

I dunno, just a random thought that popped into my head today when walking into a real estate office dressed in a wind breaker, jeans and a hat *slapping head*
 
You kinda have to know the situation you're going into and the people you will be working with. Also, as funny as it may sound, how you physically look and your attitude can change the way you have to dress(or can get away with dressing), too. Fortunately for me, I can wear shorts(or jeans) and a plain white or grey T-shirt on "around/in-town shoots or jeans and T-shirt(plain, logo'd, whatever) at the track. I still come across as looking professional, but I'm also comfortable to do my job, and as we all know, we usually have a very physical job. If need be, I'll wear a polo shirt. I've also shot in a suit and a tux. Not fun. Look at the situation/environment you'll be shooting in and look in the mirror at what you'll be wearing. How do you come across? Hell, some people still look like unprofessional slobs in a suit and others can look like the most polished professional on the planet in just jeans and a T-shirt...
 
What's a hat "slapping head"? But in answer to your question, I usually ask the field producer the expected attire. Sometimes jeans, sometimes khakis. Avoid collarless shirts. Sometimes a ninja outfit at a multi-cam shoot. I'd rather be over dressed than under dressed.
 
I usually dress as if I were going to play golf. It is comfortable and most offten professional. I do check to see what type of shoot I will be working on and dress acordinly. I allways have a pair of shorts and polo shirt wiht me in case I need to change.
 
Dress Code on Shoots

I too dress like I am going to play golf. Black or Khaki slacks and a polo style shirt. When the weather is cool, I wear a fleece pullover over a polo style shirt. I will also wear jeans on a shoot, but like the others on this board say, it depends on the shoot.
 
Dress however you want when you are on your own time. Dress how they want when they are paying you. If you don't they may be paying someone else next time, and you will never know why.

If I am meeting a client to do a sales presentation, then it's usually slacks or dockers at the least, and a nice Polo shirt. I have a bunch of polos with my logo on them some a little simpler for working in, some nicer for meeting potential clients. When working, again a polo shirt on top. Clean jeans for outside or casual inside, if I'm shooting in a nicer environment then again dockers. If the client or shoot calls fo it I will where a suit or tux, however that's very rare for what I do, others might be different.
 
Dressing well is extremely important. This was driven home for me a long time ago when I went on a shoot where I was better dressed than the producer. He was wearing a T-shirt and cargo pants. I was wearing a button down shirt and some new jeans. The client kept talking to me and asking me questions. I kept responding, "I don't know, why don't you ask the producer?" gesturing towards him. The client kept trying to talk to me any way because I looked more professional.

I always try to look professional and presentable, but also be comfortable. I generally try to wear dark colors to a shoot so I don't reflect any colors, or get caught in a window reflection.

On a news shoot I know that on the same day I might be walking in to the capitol building, a swamp, or both. I try to be prepared for any thing.

Normally I wear a wicking polo shirt. New Balance sells some labeled "Lightning Dry" here at an outlet store and online. You can also find them in golf stores. I think they're great. I get hot very easily and I tend to sweat a lot in the summer to the point where one producer actually asked me if I had another shirt in the car! That's not a problem in these. Dark colors also help hide sweat by the way. I have a whole closet full of them now.

I also usually wear nice cargo pants with the zip off legs (the ones that turn in to shorts). Nike makes some good ones under the ACG brand. I also some times wear black jeans, or even slacks depending on the shoot. I never wear any thing with holes or tattered edges on a shoot.

For shoes I generally wear waterproof hiking sneakers. Nothing too garish. You never know what you'll be standing in, or where. At the least they keep my feet dry when shooting in the snow, or walking across a dewy field.
 
I kept 2 spare outfits with me at all time in the car. One was a jacket and tie, the other was a polo-type shirt and slacks.

That way, I was always prepared. Changing in the car - well, that's another story.
 
A Step Above Productions said:
I usually dress as if I were going to play golf. It is comfortable and most offten professional.
Click to expand...
Well, that's one way to stand out in a crowd

vintage_golfer_outfit.jpg


:D :D

Warren
 
None of this applies if you work in Los Angeles, where its mandatory to wear the latest hipster fashions- client be damned. ;)
 
I usually do black jeans and a sweater in the winter. During the summer if I am outside it's shorts and a polo shirt, inside it's the black jeans and a pole shirt.
 
I use one simple rule.

Non-faded collared shirt, no jeans but colored denim is ok.

If the company wants me to dress better I will need an allowance, as the IRS has not let me deduct clothing since the 70's.

But I have witnessed around D.C. several duds’ who wear clothing 3 sizes to small because they think they are Buff. But in reality they come off as way to “Butch” to be straight.
 
I worked on a two camera gig where the other cameraman turned up with a “PornStar” t-shirt.
He thought it was ok because he and the producer got along. What he didn’t think about is how the client, a government dep, would feel about it and the pressure they put on the producer.
It was a very uncomfortable shoot and he was never hired by them again.

I’ve been dressing up a bit lately for corporate or commercial shoots. Still jeans and track shoes but with a brand shirt… fcuk, or Jag for men. What is interesting is how different I get treated. Clients introduce themselves thinking I’m on the creative team, office runners bring me coffee etc… its weird, if I dress like I’m with the agency and they all treat me like a grown up.
 
Bingo!

Dress like a grown up. = Get treated like a grown up.

It works in the real world too. I get much better treatment at the airport, the doctor's office, wherever if I dress well. I hardly ever wear a non collared shirt in public any more.
 
I have a surcharge for a coat and tie.

If it's corporate, I agree with most of the posts. Polo shirt and khakis.

Otherwise, I usually wear a collared cotton shirt and jeans or cargos.
 
This thread reminded me of when I worked at Report on Business TV (Business news channel now called BNN) here in Canada. The control room crew dressed casually and comfortably and I never saw anybody dressed in anything I would call inappropriate. The bosses, however, seemed to get a bug up the butt about having a crew in jeans and t-shirts (we are in the control room, remember, we don't meet the guests) so a memo went out that we were to dress more 'professionally' hinting that collared shirts and slacks (!) would not be out of order.

This sparked a minor revolt where the technical producers advised the crews (on the pretext of a 'casual day' to dress as sloppily as they could. Ripped jeans and Metallica t-shirts with beer stains would not be out of place. Shaving for 3 days was for suckers. Then they hinted to the suits that this was as bad as many crews dressed all the time so they should back off and let us dress the way we felt most comfortable.

Nothing more was said after that about a 'dress code'.

That being said, the people who actually met and greeted the business clients were always dressed 'business casual'
 
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