What Do People of Different Occupations Wear to Work?

There are jobs that require employees to wear uniforms, and others that allow workers to wear their own clothing that adheres to the company’s dress code. Police and military officers, couriers and individuals in the hospitality industry typically wear uniforms, while professionals in law, finance or administrative positions follow a conservative dress code.

Some uniforms are distinctive and immediately identify an individual’s occupation. They are often consistent among employees – such as those worn by fire fighters and housekeepers – or vary in style, such as scrubs worn by nurses and doctors. Additional occupations that require employees to wear uniforms are chef, fast-food employee, pilot, stewardess and construction worker, among others.

While individuals in corporate jobs aren’t generally required to wear uniforms, they are usually subject to following a dress code. In some occupations, the dress codes are stricter, such as those in law and finance fields. In these and other similar professions, companies require employees’ attire to be business professional or business casual. Business professional often denotes a suit and tie for men and pant or skirt suits for women. Business casual means men can lose the tie but keep the slacks. For women, business casual clothing should be professional and fit appropriately, and for both men and women, jeans are unacceptable. People in retail jobs either wear uniforms or follow a dress code, which varies depending on the company.