Dressing down
Meaning: Wearing more casual clothes than usual — deliberately choosing a relaxed look.
Dressing down means intentionally wearing casual or informal clothing instead of your usual style. It's the opposite of dressing up. 'Casual Friday' is the classic example of dressing down in American workplace culture. It implies a conscious choice to be more relaxed, not sloppiness.
Examples
- I'm dressing down today — jeans and a hoodie instead of my usual office look. 我今天穿休闲的——牛仔裤和卫衣,不穿平时的办公装了。Hoy voy informal: vaqueros y sudadera en vez de mi look de oficina habitual.今日はカジュアルにするよ——いつものオフィススタイルじゃなくてジーンズとパーカーで。오늘은 캐주얼하게 입을 거야 — 평소 사무실 룩 대신 청바지랑 후디로.
- On Fridays we dress down at work. No ties, no heels. 我们公司周五是休闲日。不用打领带、不用穿高跟鞋。Los viernes vamos informales al trabajo. Sin corbatas, sin tacones.金曜日は職場でカジュアルデー。ネクタイもヒールもなし。금요일은 직장에서 캐주얼 데이야. 넥타이도 힐도 없어.
- Even when she's dressing down, she still looks put together. 即使穿得很休闲,她看起来仍然很有型。Incluso cuando va informal, sigue teniendo un aspecto arreglado.カジュアルにしてる時でも、彼女はちゃんとまとまって見える。캐주얼하게 입을 때도 그녀는 여전히 깔끔하게 정돈되어 보인다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: workplace, casual events, everyday
Tone: casual, relaxed
✓ Do Say
- I'm dressing down today.我今天穿休闲的。Hoy voy informal.今日はカジュアルにするよ。오늘은 캐주얼하게 입을 거야.
- It's a dress-down day.今天是便装日。Es un día de ir informal.今日はドレスダウンデーだ。오늘은 캐주얼 데이야.
✗ Don't Say
- Can also mean 'to scold someone harshly' — context determines the meaning也可以表示'严厉训斥某人'——语境决定含义También puede significar 'echarle una bronca a alguien': el contexto determina el significado「dressing down」には「厳しく叱る」という意味もある——文脈で意味が決まる'누군가를 심하게 꾸짖다'는 뜻도 있다 — 맥락에 따라 의미가 달라진다
Origin & History
American English expression dating to the mid-20th century, the inverse of 'dressing up.' Gained workplace prominence with the casual Friday movement that started in the 1990s, popularized by tech company culture.
Cultural Context
Era: Mid-20th century onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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