Last winter, an organization I belong to threw a Caribbean-theme party complete with palm trees and all sorts of other tropical doodads designed to make you feel as if you were at some tropical resort and not in the frigid Northeast.
When I arrived, I thought I was at the wrong affair. Every guy -- save me and one or two others -- was wearing a business suit. Same with the women. I felt the urge to yell: "Hey! Lighten Up!"

I'm very confused about how to dress these days. I know businesses have very specific policies about these things, with official dress-down days. So how do you dress for a meeting? After I broke my heel in March, I went very casual since it took me forever to put on a suit while dangling awkwardly from crutches. I'm almost back to normal -- and still wearing casual clothes to work and to meetings. This has caused some eyebrows to be raised.

"Nice pajamas," some wit quipped as I walked into a meeting wearing casual slacks and a striped shirt. On top of it all, I was sporting a new Caesar-style hairdo, which I've since dropped. It, too, caused quite a stir at the time, though. I think they're just angry because they don't have the you-know-whats to do the same.

There's hope, though. Last week, I attended a New York City new-media gathering where my company had a booth. I've done every other show with a suit and tie. This time, I decided to go casual. It worked out great. Sartorial tastes ran from extremely casual (beat-up shorts and worn shirts) to the impeccable. My dress didn't detract a bit from what we were selling. It helped that the bar was open, too.

Individuality is the hallmark of an entrepreneur. If you're going to run your own business you should be free to dress the way you want there. Now, I know this may cause some consternation among those who feel that the boss must set the proper tone at the company, but I don't think going tieless can hurt a business much -- it may even enhance it.

Ever since I attended a private elementary school where uniforms were required every day, I've had the urge to chuck my tie and uncomfortable suits. Now that I am no longer working for somebody else, I'm free to enjoy the luxury.

Still, it's tricky, dressing for a function. The more successful you are, the more chances you can take in your dress. How much does Bill Gates worry about his looks? Now, I do dress for sales calls, unless I am so familiar with the company and its managers that I know I can walk in casual. If I'm meeting a potential client for the first time -- even if the entire office culture is casual -- I still dress up for the meeting. Wouldn't want to dis the decision maker, after all.

George Giokas is the president and CEO of StaffWriters Plus, a specialty agency that places writers in temporary and permanent positions with corporate and other employers. It also provides editorial consulting work. His database includes 2,500 writers and editors specializing in more than 60 categories. His Web site is located at www.staffwriters.com, and you can E-mail him at george@staffwriters.com.