At TEQUILA\ we used to joke that often at meeting where we needed to be smarter in presentation from the usual t-shirt and jeans, all of us would pull out of the wardrobe the “Digital Uniform” - invariably we’d all turn up in some kind of matching outfit.
That was two or three years ago, but I’m glad to report that, in London at least, the Digital Marketing Uniform appears to be well and truly strong (not least in my own wardrobe).
I was on the train this morning listening to two blokes talk about the intricacies of getting DivX movies to play on an Apple TV (that alone should have been enough of a pointer!) when I noticed I was dressed in a very similar way to both of them. We were all wearing the uniform, and although I didn’t ask them, I’d put money on them both being at an agency somewhere -one was obviously a coder, while I am sure the other was a producer.
It get’s that way - you can start to spot the job role of people who work in the industry by what they are wearing - in the same way you can spot an ageing above the line creative by the wacky flowery shirt they will wear on summer party days!
So, what is this digital uniform so you can spot those around you in a John Carpenter “They Live” sunglasses kind of way?
Simple…
Blue Jeans
Why wear a full suit when jeans will suffice - they’re smart casual right?
Navy Suit Jacket
But, the top half of your body deserves the full smart look - so employ a navy blue suit jacket, preferrably with a nice accented colour strip of check.
White Shirt
Other colours don’t do it - got to be white, probably double cuff with cufflinks, or if not then at least with two buttons. Oh, and a nice contrasting lining to the inside of the cuff and the collar always goes down well to show off your “creative” side.
Brown Shoes
Some can pull it off with trainers, but to get the full digital marketing uniform just right you’re going to need a nice pair of brown shoes, maybe even brogues.
Trendy Nerd Glasses
Even if you don’t need them to see, a corking pair of nerdy, yet extremely trendy designer glasses will really set this outfit off and show the world that although you work in marketing, you’re a nerdy geek marketer through and through - should have gone to specsavers!
See - it’s easy! You too can look like you work in digital just by switching your wardrobe.
Howard
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