So, I notice things when I’m out and about the world. And today my observation today was the wardrobe of the employees at the local Target.

I was lucky enough to see several of the employees working. So I guess thats a good thing. Right? But I noticed outside of their wrinkled and difficult to notice “Target” vest was they were basically wearing the clothes you’d where to high school or a weekend at the mall. Basically the wardrobe wasn’t anything to be impressed by. It included ripped jeans, baggy jeans, big blocky sneakers, logo t-shirts and tank tops. I don’t mean to sound like a know-it-all but I thought the Target uniform was tan pants and read shirts? At least that’s what it used to be. Sometimes I would wear khakis and a red polo to the office and go to Target after work only to be mistaken for a Target employee.

Long before I became a white collar employee of the corporate world, I used to work a retail job. Almost every retail box chain had a dress code. I worked for the now deceased Kmart Corporation. Our store had a dress code requirement of black pants (not jeans) and a nice profession white shirt or top (for the ladies). This was accentuated with the bright red Kmart logo vest. Some other workers and management could wear black pants and a red logo Kmart polo. Yet, the uniform was taken seriously and I recall some getting sent home if they didn’t have the right color pants or top.

When I started working for the corporate insurance industry and working in a high rise office building, the dress code was business professional. That meant we had to wear slacks or pressed khakis, along with a shirt and tie. If you had a meeting or face-to-face with a client, a jacket was required (a jacket was a sports coat or suit coat — sorry not sure if the youngins’ know those terms). Fridays were a dress down day. We could wear what they called Business Casual – khakis and polos or rugby. I remember the day they decided to let us go Business Casual all the time. Then dress down Friday allowed jeans or denim. We still have that dress code today if meeting with clients or meetings. Yet, we can now wear nice jeans all the time. No rips. No tears. No sag and no bag.

So, I’m wondering what the next generation is getting out of simple things like work dress codes and appearance disciplines when they are abandoned? I truly think it brings the attitude down to a second thought or could-care-less mentality. We wonder why people now wear their pajamas to Walmart and wear flip-flops all year long like they are real footwear! Sorry, I feel if you’re not at the beach, the pool or going into a locker room, flip flops is not an appropriate shoe. But I digress….

So I guess I just have high standards? Should we expect employees to present themselves like they are at a job and not hanging out with friends? Just a thought….