ingenius/idiotic idea: you decide.

I will soon be changing jobs, and accordingly, I'll be changing work wardrobes. I currently work for the Royal Norwegian Consulate in Boston, for which my usual attire is a tie and a v-neck with slacks. Come the new year, I'll be working IT for Harvard College Library's Scandanvian wing. The new job is a step up in pay and in terms of alignment with my career goals, but its a step down in terms of dress and general sexiness ("assistant to an international diplomat" pulls more ass than "assistant to librarians", naturally). While at the interview (to which I wore the black Park Aves, BTW), I saw that the dress code is notably slacker than my current job (par for the IT course, as I understand it). It was all Dockers and Eccos. Much to my chagrin, there's no way I could fit in with the other cublicle jockies if I wore a tie. Needless to say, this pains me. I'm gonna have to rotate out my point collars and get some more good looking spread collar shirts to wear open-necked. I really want to find a work-around for this drab tieless atmosphere. W/o the visual interest of a tie, I feel so bland, so here's my idea: I'm thinking of wearing (gasp!) colored t-shirts underneath my open-collared shirts, to add a dash of neckline visual interest. I wouldnt do it with just an oxford, as the color would bleed through, but well-coordinated into a v-neck and trousers ensemble, I think it could be cool (think black merino v-neck, white spread collar undone at the top, with a sky or royal blue t-shirt underneath, atop heringbone pants with blue in them). Everyone there is in their 20s, and pretty casual, so I don't think anyone would notice the wrongness, but what do you all think? Could this work? Would it be the revolutionary "lemons-to-lemonade" flourish of an icocnoclastic sprezzatura master triumphing over the conformist confines of office-casual, or simply a dunderheaded fashion fumble?

I've done that a lot at jobs that require a tucked in shirt but no tie. It looks good for casual, IMO. Keep wearing the nice shoes. You'll look positively school-boyish, and that's still sexy.

Originally Posted by Jovan

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I'd still wear nice shoes.

Oh hell yeah. Ain't no job making me wear rubber-soles if it ain't raining!

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

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. Much to my chagrin, there's no way I could fit in with the other cublicle jockies if I wore a tie.
Be a man , wear a tie.

As I'm visualizing it, an open-collar dress shirt with a visible colored undershirt underneath and a vneck sweater on top seems more sloppy than stylish. I might change my mind with the right photographic example, but I think it would be tough combination to execute well. Who cares if no one else wears a tie?

I'd just keep wearing ties. Maybe you'll rub off on your coworkers.

Originally Posted by Quirk

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As I'm visualizing it, an open-collar dress shirt with a visible colored undershirt underneath and a vneck sweater on top seems more sloppy than stylish. I might change my mind with the right photographic example, but I think it would be tough combination to execute well. Who cares if no one else wears a tie?

I'm thinking maybe If I tie it together by having the solid t-shirt be a minor color in the dress shirt's pattern... a kind of variation on how one picks a pocket square. Much as I'd like to have the cajones to wear a tie, hardly anyone there even wears a collared shirt. I'd be afraid of giving the impression that I have one foot out the door as soon as I arrive.

Or don't wear a tie at first, then gradually work them in. Maybe start with a knit -- something a little unusual and informal. Then once every week or two, wear a tie. Then gradually up the frequency. That way, you don't seem priggish at first, and give everyone time to get to know you.

The good thing about such casual workplaces is that you really can wear most anything you like, within reason.

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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Or don't wear a tie at first, then gradually work them in. Maybe start with a knit -- something a little unusual and informal. Then once every week or two, wear a tie. Then gradually up the frequency. That way, you don't seem priggish at first, and give everyone time to get to know you.

Excellent advise, Doc.

Doc's idea is, with all due respect, much better than yours, Joel. There's a reason you don't hear a lot of talk about accessorizing with colored t-shirts. An undershirt is not an ascot, no matter how hard you wish it were.

I'm not convinced it will work, but considering the sartorial environment you'll be in, you apparently have nothing to lose by experimenting a bit. Any particular connection to Norway, btw?

Originally Posted by grimslade

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An undershirt is not an ascot, no matter how hard you wish it were.
Aw nuts. Ok, I guess I'll head the advice of you wizened veterans. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Lucky Strike

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Any particular connection to Norway, btw?
Yeah, my Dad's from Norway, so I grew up speaking norwegian. This also explains the radical difference between the two jobs. Both had norwegian fluency as the primary employment requirement.

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

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Yeah, my Dad's from Norway, so I grew up speaking norwegian. This also explains the radical difference between the two jobs. Both had norwegian fluency as the primary employment requirement.
Ah, I see. Well, morndu from a fellow Norw.

There's just no sense in alienating yourself from your new co-workers by wearing a tie. If wearing a tie is that important to you, it would probably have been better to have chosen an office environment where this is the norm.

In the world of IT, many people consider it a perk not to have to wear a tie.
So, don't count on converting them through your example.

Enjoy gorgeous ties, pants, sweaters, belts and shoes. Don't muck it up with colorful t-shirts.

I see nothing wrong with wearing a colored t-shirt (maybe on top of an undershirt, assuming it's not a strident color), under a shirt. I saw two gentlemen last Sunday on Park Ave with 67-68 and one of them was wearing a colored t-shirt under his shirt and over his undershirt. The color was discreet. The rest of his attire was of very very high quality. (based on the fabric and fit probably a bespoke jacket, superb shoes, etc) I actually passed them and look back at them, just to get a better look. If I had a camera I would have taken his picture.

And he was wearing a tie as well.

--trajan