The Hecht's banner will come off pre-installed Macy's signs, completing a transition started last year when Federated Department Stores bought May Department Stores. The merger absorbed Hecht's and a number of other storied retail names around the country.

Hecht's at Marley Station mall was replaced by a Macy's last spring.

But unlike the change in Glen Burnie, where overlapping locations made for a midnight switcheroo, there was no Macy's at Westfield Annapolis. That made it possible for Federated to orchestrate a gradual fade to black.

Although there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday just before the 9 a.m. opening, and gift cards will be handed out to the first 500 customers, regulars have been gliding through wider aisles and sitting in larger lounge areas for months.

The stores already have been stocked with such national brands as Calvin Klein, Puma and Champion, in addition to Macy's many private labels, including INC and Charter Club. The juniors section now features 7 for All Mankind and Lucky Brand jeans.

But perhaps nothing symbolizes the change like the new dress code for all 375 Macy's employees at the mall.

"(Black will give) our employees a sleeker appearance, a more professional appearance," said Orlando Veras, a spokesman for Macy's. "The change isn't really drastic. Black is not asking them to wear bright orange."

The policy applies to outerwear items such as jackets, skirts and slacks. But women and men can wear a shirt of a different color if worn with a black jacket. Employees are given a markdown on the regular employee discount twice a year as an extra incentive "to build a wardrobe through the year," Mr. Veras said.

The all-black attire presents a pulled-together look of uniformity often used as a branding strategy for hotels, high-end retailers and salons.

"In branding, you want to be distinctive and you want consistency," said Sandy Dumont, executive director of the Norfolk-based Impression Strategies Institute, an image consulting service that works with large corporations. "Everything in the company has to look state-of-the-art, and that includes the employees."

Laura Siebold, owner of LiveStyle, a fashion consulting firm in Chicago, said enforcing a dress code helps retailers like Macy's control the products they sell. She pointed to high-end department store Bloomingdale's, also operated by Federated, and high-end salons that require employees to wear black.

"They want to project a neutral palette," she said. "You're attracting such a cross section of customers, if one person has a personal style but it doesn't appeal to the customer, it gives a mark against them."

Adding extra items to their wardrobe wasn't a problem for the store's fashion-forward associates, said Colette Zeiders, personal shopper for Macy's and formerly for Hecht's.

"Most people who work in this store do a good amount of shopping," said Ms. Zeiders, a pair of black Versace glasses propped on her head. "That's why people come to retail, they love it!"

Ms. Zeiders said the response from employees was positive from the get-go. And shopping for black clothes wasn't hard for those who already had it as the foundation to their wardrobe. All men need, she said, is a good suit and two pairs of trousers. For women? A seven item wardrobe.

"I'm talking a jacket, I'm talking a skirt, I'm talking about a few blouses or tops," she said. "What we're looking for is a three-piece dress that keeps you looking crisp, clean and professional."

Source: The Capital
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