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I remember when I entered the work force back in 1978 right out of college and went to work for Bell Labs. We were required to wear a suit, ties and white shirt
by dasmoth 9y ago
I remember when I entered the work force back in 1978 right out of college and went to work for Bell Labs. We were required to wear a suit, ties and white shirt. You were not allowed to hang your jacket over your chair; it had to be hung in the closet. You could smoke at your desk, I am not a smoker but many others took advantage of that. You could smoke in conference rooms during meetings and in elevators and many did so (See Mad Men).
Makes an interesting counterpoint to the usual nostalgia about Bell Labs. I'd have guessed the smoking, but probably not that the dress was quite so formal.
- pjc50 9y ago> the dress was quite so formal This was entirely normal for employers large and small at that time. It really was the first startup era (Microsoft/Apple) that eroded it, as the spearpoint of a wider de-formalisation of society.
- Moru 9y agoI remember an older guy that started wearing his shirt outside the pants just like us two young employees. His fellow employees used to snicker at him and calling him young again and such. Well, he must be laughing now, noone uses shirts any more :-)
- knicholes 9y agoFortunately everyone around me at work is wearing a shirt right now!