The feeling here definitely matches that of Steve and I would instinctively agree, but there is another valid side.

I’m now almost entirely office-based and apart from when we have a client visiting, everyone is casually-dressed, and generally not particularly smartly.

But if a client or potential client visits, or we visit them, the people involved will dress formally. Now if we didn’t dress up and that client or potential client takes a dislike to our “unprofessional” appearance, then it may affect their decision to do business with us. So however anal you may think that is, not being suited-up can cost the company money, in which case it’s entirely reasonable to expect us to dress formally in these occasions. And the same conflict could arise between different departments in the same company.

On a slight tangent, I think it’s similar with written work. If a letter\document is badly written with poor grammar, I think that it creates a bad impression. I’m amazed at the number of people, including senior managers that don’t seem to know the difference between “their” and “there”. Now you can call me anal if you wish! Some (including my boss!) will say that it doesn’t matter as long as the meaning is still conveyed. I accept this up to a point, but it creates an impression of a lack of attention to detail, which in our area of work can be disastrous.

I’m now waiting for people to pick me up on any poor grammar above…….