Clothing
In America, your clothing--whether business or casual--should always be clean,
ironed, and neatly worn. Business wear is fairly standard, though northeastern
cities like New York and Boston are a bit more conservative than places like
Los Angeles. Both men and women in business wear suits, meaning the jacket is
of the same material and matches the trousers or skirt. Shoes are well
maintained and shined. Women wear nylon stockings of appropriate color for the
season. Men wear neckties, and many women wear some kind of neatly tied scarf
with a suit.
In casual settings, exercise and sports clothing is widely worn by men, women and
children, though in some environments it might be too casual. Blue jeans are worn throughout
the United States by people in all walks of life. If you are in a casual setting but are afraid of
appearing
too casual, pick up a copy of a major golf magazine, and wear the same
type of clothes the male golfers do.
Clothing Should Fit. Whether business or casual, the clothing should fit well, and
be kept clean and neat. That means wearing a shirt, and certainly underwear, for a maximum
of one day before throwing it in the wash. Many Americans find body odor extremely
offensive (even though the same odor would not be out of place in certain other
countries). Even if you yourself wash and use deodorant, your body odor could come across
if you try to get an extra day out of your clothing before washing. Be sure that other people's
noses will be more sensitive to this than your own.
