In the hospitality business, first impressions count for a lot. You are a visual representation of the brand you work for (or own) and your appearance will set the tone for a guest’s experience. In our industry, it’s essential you take as much pride in the way you look as you do in your education and the way you behave.
With this in mind, and just in time for the back-to-campus rush, here are a few resources and insights into the importance and the codes of business attire, plus a few quick fixes for business attire problems.
Glion’s business dress code
The business attire standards on campus are outlined in our Pre-Arrival Guide for Switzerland and for London.
Hosco also did a great article recently about the four levels of business attire, and you’ll see that Glion’s business attire standard corresponds closely to the business professional level.
Five Common Business Attire Fails
Too-long trousers –Nothing ruins a nice suit like trousers that don’t fit. The most common problem is trousers that are too long or too big.
- As a rule, suit trousers should touch the top of the foot in the front, and not touch the ground behind the heel.
- The best solution is to have your trousers tailored by a professional, but you can also try to fix them yourself. H&M sells clothing tape, a useful little roll of see-through stretchy plastic tape that you can iron into the fold of trousers to pull them up a few centimetres.
Skirt problems – Skirts are a classic piece of feminine business attire, but length is important.
- Length: The classic rule for length is knee-length or three inches above the knee. To test your skirt, place your hand on your thigh with your pinkie finger on your knee cap. Your skirt should touch the other side of your hand when you’re sitting down.
- Back slits: Skirts with a back split seam should follow the same rule, no more than three inches above the knee, back slit included.
- Pantyhose: When wearing a skirt, your legs need to be smooth and covered with nude pantyhose. If your pantyhose get a hole, use nailpolish to stop it and change them ASAP.
Wrinkles – Even the best business attire will look shabby with wrinkles. Here are a few tricks to get wrinkles out without a lot of fuss
- Hang shirts to dry on a hanger, some materials will straighten as they dry.
- Learn how to iron, there’s a method to the madness: How to iron a dress shirt.
- Ironing the collar and front may be enough if the rest is hidden by the blazer.
Hair Issues– All types of hair problems can ruin business attire perfection.
- Hair on your suit: get a roller-tape, or use some clear tape wrapped on your hand.
- Hair on your face: men are required to be clean shaven unless they already have a well-groomed beard.
- Hair everywhere: long hair should be neatly tied back: 6 easy hairstyles for every occasion.
The key to always being well dressed
Possibly one of the most important features of a business wardrobe is simple organization. We recommend bringing:
- 2-3 Suits with matching blazer and trousers/skirt
- 7-10 Shirts
- 2 pairs of good quality leather shoes (one super comfortable pair for applied learning and one fancier pair for your classroom/interview/company visit days)
Realize that on Monday through Friday you will need to be in business attire and you may not have a lot of time to iron, wash clothes, and dry-cleaning takes a few days, so plan ahead every week to avoid morning delays and business attire fails.
We look forward to seeing you on campus, impeccably dressed and smiling!
Happy shopping!
If you have any questions about business attire, you can ask them in the Glion Facebook group for New Students.
