Business clothing – but make it CyberShield

How nice it is to work from home! You can have a cuddle with the dog, make yourself a sandwich or walk around in a baggy look 😉 Nevertheless, one or two people will sometimes have to work away from home for CyberShield.
In such cases, you should be aware that ...

for CyberShield your inner values and your content performance are important,
you are representing CyberShield,
your clothing also makes a statement about how much you value yourself and how much you value the other person,
Outsiders have already formed an opinion of you before they even speak to you. Your clothes are a big part of this opinion formation.

The look: You only get to make a first impression once!

Humans are creatures who like to compartmentalize everything and our brains make decisions within nanoseconds. Whether we think this is good or bad is irrelevant. However, this means that a “first impression” only exists once. You should take advantage of this.

Branching off: we can branch off here and talk about whether we should even care what people think about us who have never spoken to us and already have a supposed opinion. We can also talk about the various studies that show that clothes not only leave an impression on other people, but also on the person wearing them. Perhaps it makes sense to support your motivation in the home office with appropriate clothing? I suggest a nice dinner - e.g. at the next team event - to discuss this branch.

However, I would like to skip this aspect at this point. I would like to make the assertion that we all want to be successful (in the sense of being valued as a person and having our work recognized) and that we also want CyberShield to be successful. A first step in this direction is choosing the right clothing.

But what is the right clothing? This question is not so easy to answer. Various factors play a role in the answer: Age, personal style, cultural background, etc.

Different occasions call for different clothing.

Relevant dress codes for us

Casual

Although “casual” means leisurewear, don't let this mislead you. It doesn't mean jogging bottoms or hoodies. The casual look refers to a relaxed outfit that is still presentable. Examples: (pressed) cotton trousers, polo shirt and jacket. A smart pair of jeans in combination with a shirt/blouse is also a casual outfit. Ties are too much. Ladies can also wear knee-length dresses and skirts (no more than a hand's breadth above the knee) in combination with tights.

Neat, clean sneakers or loafers are fine. Ladies also have a wider choice here: everything from sandals to boots is permitted.

Business Casual

This look is a little more formal than the casual look. Although you don't have to wear a tie here, it's better to wear a plain-colored shirt or one with a subtle pattern than a polo shirt. If it's cooler, you can put on a sweater or cardigan. Suitable pants are either suit pants or other cotton pants, but not jeans. Smart low shoes go well here, such as lace-up shoes or loafers. Ladies also have a wider choice. The basic rule is: more elegant than a casual look, but not as formal as a trouser suit. Don't show off too much cleavage and don't forget to wear tights with dresses/skirts.

Business Attire

Even if there is a tendency to interpret office attire more and more freely, the business attire dress code still exists! It is the classic dark suit with a white or at least plain, light-colored shirt and elegant low shoes with laces or loafers.

CyberShield Look

As you can see, it's very easy to recreate the CyberShield look 😉 No problem at all!

One thing is crystallizing right now: Elegant and serious? Yes! But also crazy, innovative and individual! We asked ourselves how we could implement this in our look. We are currently experimenting with a classic dark suit and white CyberShield shirt and funny socks and/or clean sneakers, for example at trade fairs. Let us know what you think! We have two trade fairs coming up in April - we'll try it out and keep you up to date on our experiences 🙂

Here we have created an overview that you should use as a guide:

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Here are a few more tips:

An appropriately colored undershirt belongs under a shirt.
Do not wear tennis socks with a suit.
In most cases, trousers need a belt that matches the color of the shoes or outfit.
Clothing should be clean and, if the fabric requires it, ironed.
Wear tights with dresses/skirts.
Some jewelry is welcome, but don't overdo it.
Sports shoes are not sneakers and are therefore taboo.
Last but not least: a well-groomed person should be in the outfit 😉
For very formal events, such as a gala reception, it is advisable to have a tie in stock.

The material

Once the dress code has been clarified, it is also important for us to talk about the materials used.

Unfortunately, we have noticed that most suits, for example, are made of wool, cashmere, silk and so on. Shoes are often made of leather. We attach great importance to treating each other and all fellow creatures with respect. That is why the circumstances in the clothing industry, which uses animal products, make us unspeakably sad. Especially because there are high-quality alternatives that are free from animal suffering, most of which are also less care-intensive and have more practical properties (e.g. down jacket vs. Primaloft). In addition to the ethical reasons, there are also practical reasons to do without animal ingredients.

The use of animal products is anything but peaceful: Attention, the videos are not for the faint-hearted!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd47A5eyEQs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCc7LwlBoIg

Do your clothes pollute the environment?

The production of clothing usually means the use of pesticides (e.g. for cotton), the destruction of the soil (through conventional cultivation), the waste and pollution of water and the use of chemicals.
Sure: conserving resources is always the best way to go! But please don't come to the office or trade fair stand naked because of this... 😉 A better way is to wear clothes for a long time or, if possible, to buy second-hand items. If you do need something new, then please look for sustainable materials, such as recycled material or natural fabrics in organic quality.

These seals can help you decide on sustainable clothing:

More background information on the seals or chemicals in your clothing can be found here: https://www.greenpeace.de/publikationen/e01211-greenpeace-chemie-einkaufsratgeber-textil-siegel-2018.pdf

We would be delighted if you would consider our recommendations when making your choice. You're not doing it for us -> your body (chemicals) and the planet will thank you!

Here are some shopping examples:

Suits
Ethically correct: