LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERSDRESSED FOR BUSINESS
LinguaHouse
Oct. 5, 2022
Level: Pre-Intermediate (A2-B1)
Type of English: Business English
Tags: Office Life; Pronunciation; Clothes; Describing Pictures and Photos; Describing People; Parts of Speech; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old; Article Based
Publication date: 10/05/2022
This lesson looks at the vocabulary around clothes in a business context. Students will read an article about how the way we dress for work has changed. Exercises focus on related vocabulary, reading skills and students will have plenty of opportunities to discuss questions around the topic (by Joe Wilson).
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
- CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
- CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
- CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio only in British English.
ARTICLE - AUDIO TRANSCRIPT
CHANGING BUSINESS CLOTHES
Do we still need to dress for success?
How it was
There was a time when for most people, going to the office meant putting on a suit, a fresh shirt and tie or a blouse and a long skirt. Dressing professionally for the office was part of the job. It was important not only to look smart for your colleagues, but to look respectable for any customers or clients you may have to deal with. Managers particularly, could do worse than invest in an expensive designer suit. You didn’t just dress for the job you had, but for the job you wanted. Being well-dressed was a message to your boss that you were to be taken seriously. It didn’t matter if you felt uncomfortable in your work clothes, it was what you did.
How tech changed how we dress
Then the technology industry started to gain importance and money. They changed the rules of what was expected when it came to dressing for the office. Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Jack Dorsey were not known for wearing suits despite having a great deal of authority. Suddenly businesses were seeing people wearing sweatshirts, baggy clothes, denim and tennis shoes to work. It was not about how you looked but what you did. In some ways, not wearing an expensive suit was a power move. It said, ‘I don’t need you to like how I look.’
How working from home changed us
When the pandemic happened, this forced another change in our relationship with the office, clothes and each other. Very quickly, the world had to learn to work online and communicate from home. Sitting at home while dressed in a suit made no sense. It was well-known that during video calls, many people were dressing professionally only on the part of their body that could be seen by the camera. Below the desk, shorts, jeans and pajamas, or anything else that was comfortable was perfectly fine.
What now?
Now, with the people returning to offices, will this affect the dress code? It’s likely to be different for different companies. The best advice is to watch what your managers wear. Arriving in a suit if your boss and the rest of the people in the office are wearing jeans and sweatshirts is probably not a good idea. It will make you stand out in a way that is not positive. The opposite is also true. Generally, making sure that clothes are clean and smart and that any jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings are not too large is good advice.
Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/dressed-for-business. Accessed on October 13, 2022. © 2008–2022 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.
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