Blue Jeans on Fridays!

What is everyone's opinion on wearing blue jeans on Fridays? I'm OK with it but it seems like the jeans are getting more and more faded. I was told recently by a staff member at one of our student properties that rips and tears in jeans is today's style.
I'm all for dressing towards your targeted market but how far is too far?

Hi Patricia,

While I am all about comfort and fashion, I'm still in the mindset that we're in a business that requires professional dress (regardless of the demographic of the community). I'm certainly not suggesting that tailored suits be the everyday, but I do think conservative business casual, at least, is the way to go.

If you're a corporate office employee and you're not working with residents or seeing anyone from outside those corporate offices, then I think jeans would be fine (non-ripped, of course). When we host a training class on a Friday, I also allow my learners to dress more comfortably, in jeans.

Great question!

Tara

While I am guilty of wearing jeans to work every now and again, it is only when I have no intention of dealing with residents or the general public. (Like when I'm trapped in my office with the door closed working on budgets!!) I do make allowances for snow. I don't want my staff dressed up when we may have to shovel and salt the community.

On the other hand, I do not think it's a good idea for our residents or prospective residents to think we are too casual. Jean seem to indicate a relaxed environment, and I feel you aren't taken as seriously when you are dressed as if it were our day off. If I were looking for a realtor and had two with the exact same qualifications to chose from; one was wearing jeans the other in business attire, I would chose the person dressed for business as it would seem they takes their job seriously.

I have recently done a little personal experement; some days I am dressed to the nines and some days I just do my best to look okay. On the more dressed up days I find that any where I go, I am treated with more difference than on those days that I'm just trying to get by.

Although I feel more casual clothing/dress is okay, I still feel that blue jeans aren't the most professional look that you want to present to prospects and residents. If you do allow staff members to wear them, I wouldn't allow jeans with tears/faded/etc.

However, if you're working on a property project or helping maintenance out, I can understand throwing on a pair of jeans (maybe they do have paint/tears in them) and some tennis shoes to get the job done!

Although I am all about comfort, I think that it truly depends on the demographic you are serving.
If you are in a corporate office and do not have resident interaction I think it would be fine, if you are servicing residents that may be intimidated by a more professional attire, or they are students I think it is also appropriate.

While corporate offices don't seem to like this theory, it's a fact that it depends on the neighborhood of the property. I work in a corporate office now, but previously I managed a property in the Chicago filled with young, culturally hip people--bike riders, music lovers, liberal, many chefs & waiters etc. We experimented with leasing in jeans vs. leasing in slacks/better dress, and every time we had a far better rate with wearing jeans. Sometimes casual makes the customer (or resident) feel MORE comfortable!

Thanks everyone I think jeans will be ok (without rips or holes) only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but only at our student properties.

Jeans on Friday are acceptable at our company, however Saturday through Friday you are expected to look more professional. I believe regardless of what your target market is that you cannot "over dress" when working in a leasing office. If you think about it this is the image that you are giving your prospects and residents, and how professional you dress will convey the image and inspire confidence in you and the team working in the office. If you are "dressing down" you run the risk of losing creditability and in some cases it becomes more difficult to earn the trust of prospects and residents.

The other way to look at it is from the prospects point of view. Prospects (and at your student properties often their parents) are planning to commit anywhere from $8,0000-$15,0000 (depending on your market maybe more or less) to a lease agreement and are looking for someone professional to do business with....does ripped and faded jeans on a weekend when you probably have higher traffic ratios really convey this image?

I don't believe jeans are appropriate in a leasing office on any day. While I do agree with business casual, the interpretation of business casual can be very different depending on who is in your office. For that reason, I am a huge proponent for uniforms. Uniforms allow for everyone to be dressed professionally while maintaining a level of comfort and continuity. My only advice is to make certain the people choosing the uniform are selecting styles and fabrics conducive with the area of the country you operate. I once had a group in Boston select short-sleeved sweaters with cardigans for a summer in Central Texas. It was the most miserable summer I've ever had.