Retail Job Dress Code

When you are starting out in retail, it is most likely that you will be working at a place that is not exactly the “high end” of department stores. Many retail locations will have some sort of uniform or dress code that you are required to abide by, and they will lay out the exact requirements for your clothing at the time that you are hired, perhaps even providing clothing for you in the case of a uniform.

Instead of a uniform, which the company is legally required to provide, many companies will settle for a dress code instead. You will be required to wear something specific, like a certain color of shirt and pants, and you may be required to wear a belt. In a clothing store, the dress code is usually that you must wear clothing that looks like it was purchased in the store. In most cases, that means khakis or dress pants and a nice top, although some high-scale clothing stores require fancier dress.

Whatever your dress code, it is important to follow it to the letter to keep your retail job going well. You should be able to dress appropriately no matter what, so do not expect to be given a lot of slack if you show up wearing anything other than what you were required to wear. In fact, some stores will send you home or put you on probation if you do not follow the dress code.

Some retail establishments are far more casual, and really don’t have any guidelines for clothing. In these cases, try to dress to fit in with the customers and the rest of the employees, but staying on the nicer side of casual might just keep you looking professional and impress the big bosses down the road.

The one exception to this rule, at times, is the grocery store. Most of these stores will provide you with a uniform or, at the least, a shirt. You may also want to wear the provided aprons to keep your uniform as neat as possible. Remember, when there is a uniform required, you’ll probably also be required to turn it in if you leave your position, so keep your uniform as clean as possible to avoid fines.