<VV> Work uniforms, was: Communiqué

[Dave Keillor]

When I started work at IBM (as an engineer) back in 1963, the "uniform" for professionals and customer engineers (service people) was white shirt and tie (conservative).  The story behind including the service people in this uniform requirement is that one day, T.J. Watson, Senior was visiting a customer account and riding up in the elevator with a customer executive.  Two somewhat scruffy looking guys got on the elevator, and when they got off, Mr. Watson made a remark to the customer executive about their appearance.  To which the exec replied, "Those are your customer engineers, Mr. Watson."

So, a dress code ensued that was modeled on the image of a conservative banker.  There was, however, a side benefit to the white shirt -- when they got dirty from working on a piece of unit record equipment, you could bleach the heck of them.

On the professional side, a white shirt and tie had long been the uniform of all companies.  I suspect those in the pictures were managers, professionals, or technicians.

Dave Keillor
 
-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org [mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of airvair at earthlink.net
Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 1:11 PM
To: shortle; Rob Landers; Sethracer at aol.com; tony.underwood at cox.net; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Work uniforms, was: <VV> Communiqué

I'd say that the tie was the uniform of ALL working men back then, not just
in the Corvair factories (required Corvair content). More a matter of a
generational thing. My dad used to NEVER take off his tie or shoes, even
around the house, which is how ingrained the "business suit as a uniform"
thing was to that generation. Did get him to ditch the tie, finally after
many years of retirement, but the only time he'd take off his shoes was
either to take a shower or go to bed. We buried him without shoes. (G)

-Mark


> [Original Message]
> Subject: Re: <VV> Communiqué
>
> Did all the GM employees wear ties when working on Corvairs? Was that the
GM uniform requirements of the day? Anyone?
Timothy Shortle in Durango Colorado
Getting ready to go to Jacksonville next week