I’m rendering this opinion exclusively regarding the dress code of the Colorado Springs Realtors and management of my Colorado Springs Real Estate company, named Selley Group Real Estate, LLC.

Our dress code is essentially predicated upon who we are from the inside out.  In other words, I believe that when we discover who we really are in terms of wholeness and completeness, then everything else will eventually follow, such as what we wear and how we style our clothing.

For me, I think too many people try to dress professionally, ranging from suits to expensive outerwear and accessories, all the while trying to project certain images of success and self-sufficiency.  While this approach to business wear has proven effective regarding image-branding on the short-term, I don’t think it is a natural way to adorn who we are.

For instance, I’ll pick on my husband.  When he practiced nonsurgical healthcare as a doctor, he wore suits to work each day, then would wear a long, white lab coat while in the office.  It’s like he had to project himself as a doctor – someone with clinical sage and ability.  Nonetheless, now that he and I work together, his take on business wear is quite different than his earlier professional years.

My husband sides with John Hazlehurst, who wrote an article entitled, “The sovereignty of the suit.”  Basically, Mr. Hazlehurst writes, “In much of the Southwest and West, businessmen have abandoned the suit and tie in favor of more casual clothes.  Open-necked shirts with slacks and a sports jacket are favored by business leaders in Phoenix, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.”

The same attitudes apply to Colorado Springs, including many Colorado Springs Realtors.  Upscale casual has become standard among businessmen and businesswomen regardless of the industry.

While I tend to be more fashion-conscious – shopping at Nordstrom’s and Specialty Boutiques – I do not have a hard-set rule about what we should wear.  Obviously, I expect appropriateness, but more importantly, I desire the inner parts of my group to share their uniqueness and excellence with our clients.

In a nutshell, I believe confidence and fashion come together, rather than merging who we are into the stereotype of success.

Feel free to express yourselves to Colorado Springs Realtor, Cherise Selley…