Is the recession making us all look like gangsters?

Today saw the addition of yet another gem to the AccountingWEB zany press release vault: 'British workers are following the gangster chic dress code in order to be seen as powerful leaders'.

According to Travelodge's annual clothing inventory report, 60% all the shirts left behind in their hotels were white, and 80% of discarded business suits were black. The hotel chain surveyed 5,000 British workers and found that seven out of ten wear a smart black suit and crisp white shirt when they need to 'dress to impress' at work. Apparently, you lot can’t get enough of the ‘Reservoir Dogs’ mobster look and, as with most things nowadays, the recession is to blame.

Commenting on the survey, psychologist Corrine Sweet said: “Due to the economic climate, 2009 has been one of the toughest years in decades within the work and business environment. Rivalry amongst workers has never been so fierce, therefore in a bid to stand out amongst co-workers, British workers have opted for ‘power dressing’ by wearing black and white.”

The survey also pinpointed the ‘happy colours’ selected by workers in each profession. Marketing and PR people are reputed to prefer pink to pick themselves up, as do bankers, while IT workers favour blue. Accountants and lawyers apparently dress identically in white.

Are they right? Do all accountants rock up to meetings dressed in white? What’s your work uniform?