| Casual Friday is a popular event in both America | | | | that point, it was still widely unpopular, but in the |
| and Canada. It is also known as “Dress-down | | | | 1970’s the production of cheap clothing in the |
| Friday” or “casual day.” This custom is | | | | United States caused the custom to spread. In |
| basically the act of dressing down every Friday in | | | | fact, there were high budget campaigns by large |
| the workplace. No heels, no ties, no pant suits, no | | | | clothing companies to make Casual Fridays a |
| collared shirts, no body kits. Some offices even | | | | weekly event. |
| have themed down day, such as Sports day or | | | | During the Dot Com era, or “hey day” of |
| Christmas apparel. Typically, jeans, T-shirts, | | | | the late 1990’s/early 2000s there was also a |
| hoodies, and sneakers are allowed on casual | | | | an increase in companies taking advantage of |
| Fridays. However, some offices are a bit more | | | | Casual Fridays, particularly in the San Francisco |
| uptight and they require a “business | | | | Bay area for some reason. At this time, some |
| casual” or what they call “smart | | | | companies were so relaxed that shorts and |
| casual.” | | | | sandals were okay to wear to work. However, |
| So where did this dressing down day come from? | | | | after the fizzle of the Dot-Com phenomenon, |
| Well, the tradition began in the late 1950’s and | | | | many companies decided to reinstate proper |
| it was invented as a way to raise a worker’s | | | | dress codes. One of the biggest backlash was |
| morale in the new white-collar environment. At | | | | Target in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2004. |