March 21, 2022
Macy’s has updated its dress code to encourage employees to dress according to their personal style so that they can better be seen as experts in style advice.
Previously, the dress code called for business casual (i.e. no jeans, sneakers), with many departments mandating all black.
The looser wardrobe guidelines are part of a new brand platform,”Own your style‘, which aims to better position Macy’s as the authority on fashion advice and discovery.
“The personal style and self-expression of our colleagues will delight and inspire our customers to express their own personal style,” said a spokeswoman for Macy’s WWD.
Dress code varies depending on an employee’s role. The spokeswoman explained: “A colleague in our general sales area can dress in a more casual look of their favorite pair of jeans paired with stylish sneakers, while colleagues in specific sales areas – fine jewellery, beauty – wear a more upscale look. This can be a dress, a skirt, a suit or a blazer paired with eye-catching accessories. We empower colleagues to let their personal style shine through.”
The move comes after a period when the casualization of America’s closets accelerated during the pandemic.
The entire Macy’s Own Your Style platform emphasizes digital and social experiences, branded content, sequenced storytelling, personal consultation and personalized, data-backed recommendations.
At store level, digital screens show changing style tips, including cross-merchandising outfits. Monthly Own Your Style and Now Trending sections curated with must-have products will be added to retail spaces.
Online, Macy’s will launch personalized websites based on customers’ purchase history. The Own Your Style online experience offers a wide range of trend advice, including updated takes on the preppy look, relaxed jeans and the no-makeup-makeup look.
The online push also includes a bigger role for Macy’s Style Crew, a group of employees who post shoppable video and photo content on their own social channels and earn commissions on clicks.
Rich Lennox, Macy’s chief brand officer, said in a statement, “We will help our customers express their personal style through personalized data-driven recommendations and expert advice that will differentiate us in a crowded marketplace.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What do you think of the overall effort by the Own Your Style platform to position Macy’s as the go-to place for fashion advice? Do you see more benefits than risks in Macy’s relaxing its dress code and encouraging employees to dress in their personal style?
“Let the young staff be themselves and it will translate into good service for buyers.”
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