Picture your typical CEO – what do you envision? The image that comes to mind for me is someone dressed in a black suit. Maybe all the executives I know are just letting their inner goth out, but I’ve seen a lot of black in corner offices. They’re the odd executives out, according to the survey.
Evidently most executives (63 percent) don’t wear suits, choosing instead to don their business casual before hopping into their SUVs with their brown-bag lunches. Even jeans or shorts (18 percent) ranked ahead of business suits (14 percent).
Navy blue is the new black
Colour choices were less surprising. Navy blue was the top choice (I wonder if respondents consider their jeans navy blue?) at 36 percent, with classic black coming in second at 26 percent. Broken down by gender, though, the results flip – more female execs wear black than navy.
Brown and grey were the next (distant) contenders for office attire but, funnily enough, forest green isn’t mentioned as a popular colour choice. Someone should have told my old boss that – he considered his green suit his “power” suit. (Yes, it was about as fashionable as you’re imagining, which is to say not very.)
Don’t think pink
The survey also found, to no one’s surprise, that pink and red are the least preferred choice (one percent or less). I dig men who can pull off a pink shirt, but I don’t expect to see many of them sitting around board room tables.
It could be reasoned that female CEOs don’t wear pink because it seems too girly and that’s the last thing they want to convey. I don’t see a lot of men wearing red, but I would have thought it would figure more prominently in women’s wardrobes. Maybe it’s too aggressive a colour.
Pink might start making an appearance on the leaders of the business world thanks to breast cancer and anti-bullying campaigns, but I still wouldn’t expect to see it as an everyday colour choice.
What about you – would you wear pink to work?
I think this is definitely a cultural thing; it's not unusual to see pink in a European corner office.
I'm a Canadian living and working in Europe and while I get chided whenever I wear pink in Canada, in Europe no one bats an eye.
Posted by: Rahul | 12/08/2011 at 08:45 AM
I know a top exec (Toronto) who wears pink shirts/ties with his suit - major communications company too.
When you've been around as long as I have absolutely NOTHING is new so all this 'suit/no suit; pink/no pink, etc., etc. is hilarious.
In college .. the 70s .. my lovely, retirement-age Constitutional Matters professor wore pink, pastel green, and pale lilac shirts and ties.
Reminds me of that OLD song .. "everything old is new again".
Posted by: HippyDaysAreHereAgain | 12/11/2011 at 12:25 AM
Men don't wear pink. Effeminate lady-boys do.
Posted by: Juan | 12/11/2011 at 01:49 AM
Actually Juan, real men are comfortable enough in their own skin to wear pink.
Posted by: FT | 12/11/2011 at 10:03 AM
no FT, theyre not. its called metrosexual. and no real women are attracted to men like that. ugh.
Posted by: mae | 12/11/2011 at 11:35 AM
I hate the colour pink - probably because it's the one colour that looks just awful on me - not one piece in my closet. But, for some reason (maybe my European background) I do think certan, very stylish men can pull off the "right" colour pink in shirts and/or ties. Maybe I'm biased about pink on women in the workplace but still think it looks too "girly". Double standard - sorry, in this case yes.
Posted by: Emma | 12/11/2011 at 11:41 AM
Hey Juan and Mae, i guess i am not a reall women (please define it for me, as you seem to be all knowing) because my husband wears pink, wore a pink shirt on our wedding day and I love him and am very attracted him. No he isnt metro or a closet gay. So before you try and define everyone else by a color they may choose to wear how about you look in the mirror at yourselves. Most people who accuse actually are, so maybe your are the effeminate lady boy and metrosexual. Its people like you that make bullying in our society seem ok. I bet kids in your school never would have dared to wear an out there color lest they be laughed and be called names. Let people wear what they feel like wearing as long as it is appropriate workplace attire.
Posted by: Meg..who kinda likes pink | 12/11/2011 at 04:24 PM
I have a black shirt with pink wrangler writing on it. It looks awesome. If you have ever been to a rodeo you would see lots of cowboys, yes who ride bulls and bucking horses wearing pink in the name of breast cancer, and believe me that takes guts to ride those things no sissys there! Pink on a guy, done right is great, suck it up if you dont agree!
Posted by: Tractorman59 | 12/11/2011 at 05:26 PM
Thank you "meg...who kinda likes pink". The comment by mae made my tummy turn a bit in disgust until I read your responce and discovered somebody in this world is still somewhat sane.
Posted by: Cameron | 12/11/2011 at 11:14 PM
although i agree that anyone can wear anything they like, i still feel that pink is predominantly for girls. Men wearing pink may look ok to some but to most people it doesnt look right, rather looking effeminate, girly or even gay, and as a point of fact gay men DO wear pink a lot. I am being told i have got to wear a pink t shirt for work as part of a project but I refuse, I for one cannot wear pink! I may get the sack but so be it! I'd like opinions on this....can i be forced to wear pink?
Posted by: steve knowles | 02/11/2012 at 11:02 AM