Dress Code

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Replies

  • twinmom14ek
    twinmom14ek Posts: 174 Member
    I think that's a matter of professionalism rather than prudishness.

    What is so unprofessional about sleeveless blouse?

    Some people would take it too far--think spaghetti straps versus a sleeveless blouse. Rather than try to differentiate the "appropriate" amount of coverage, it's easiest to write a policy making the discussion moot. Similarly, I worked at a firm that would not allow open-toe shoes because they did not want to differentiate between strappy dress shoes and sandals. Same place also required pantyhose for the first couple years I was there...until enough women pointed out that it's really rather unbearable in the summer when it hits 100 degrees outside.
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    So get a new job. It's a free country.

    So cavalier for you to say that. Been paying attention to the economy? Getting a job is difficult. She has the right to complain.

    That difficulty is precisely why one should *not* complain about their job.
  • WhiteCoc0
    WhiteCoc0 Posts: 160 Member
    I wear what I want to my job! Yay shoulders showing. I look super cute and have a great attitude unlike some people that may dress more "professional" but have HORRIBLE attitude!

    I hate going into a business where they look good and have awful customer service skills/unprofessional attitude. I would rather someone who dresses however they like and have a nice professional attitude.
  • ML512RFA
    ML512RFA Posts: 9 Member
    I actually had a boss tell me I had to wear a bra! (my uniform was a t-shirt under a uniform dress shirt ...no visible nipples) I told him there were plenty of guys with larger breasts than me and when they started wearing them, I would too! LOL
  • StrawberrySuzyQ
    StrawberrySuzyQ Posts: 107 Member
    My job has a dress code and I'm okay with it for the most part. What is your job, exactly?

    I work in a restaurant and we have to have our hair pulled up if it is shoulder length or longer, we have to wear thick polo shirts in the summer (they are black) and white long-sleeve oxford dress shirts in the winter with ties. At all times we wear black pants, black shoes and a full length apron. Personally, I hate the full apron and would be happier with a half apron, as I know most of my coworkers would.

    Would I love to wear a t-shirt? Absolutely, but the only time we were allowed was when the St. Louis Cardinals were in the post season and then only when they were actually playing a game. (obviously I live in MO) Would I love to be able to wear shorts? Of course! But working in a restaurant it is smarter to wear clothes that cover your skin so as to minimize burns, among other things.

    I have always worked where there was a SET dress code, so I am not really bothered by it. You can go ahead and whine, but it seems kind of petty to me....but that is just me.

    If I had my way my coworkers would be required to tuck their shirts in and when wearing the white oxfords to have the sleeves all the way down with the cuffs buttoned and the neck buttoned and the tie where it should be worn, so I guess they are glad I'm not the boss.

    Is is all THAT important that your shoulders are showing or is it just how you like to dress? There are places that I go to clean and we are given a dress code as to what is inappropriate to wear for cleaning...which includes shorts and tank tops.
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    We have a dress code policy, but it's not really enforced. We are supposed to wear nice, non-ratty clothes, no jeans, no tennis shoes, no flip flops, but can be 'business casual' (men are supposed to wear collared shirts).

    I work in IT and from where I'm sitting I can count 5 people wearing jeans, most with tennis shoes, and I'm wearing sandals that 'flip flop' (but not the cheapo flip flops you'd see at the beach).

    As long as we are not meeting with a customer or vendor, we are pretty much over looked.

    Oh, and I wear sleeveless shirts almost every day in the summer. Dressy ones, but sleeveless.
  • TexasSunny
    TexasSunny Posts: 87 Member
    I think it just takes one slob or slutty dresser to ruin it for everyone....so companies have to keep that in mind and steer toward a more conservative look.

    I'm a teacher in a very casual school. I was very surpized at the lax dress code when I started there. Capris, flip flops, sneakers, one blue jean day each week (if not more), etc... I figure as long as I don't look any slouchier (because that's a word?) than the female principal then I'm alright. But there have been a few female teachers sent home for being too revealing.... skirt too short or too much cleavage.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I wear what I want to my job! Yay shoulders showing. I look super cute and have a great attitude unlike some people that may dress more "professional" but have HORRIBLE attitude!

    I hate going into a business where they look good and have awful customer service skills/unprofessional attitude. I would rather someone who dresses however they like and have a nice professional attitude.
    Those are not the only two options.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I actually had a boss tell me I had to wear a bra! (my uniform was a t-shirt under a uniform dress shirt ...no visible nipples) I told him there were plenty of guys with larger breasts than me and when they started wearing them, I would too! LOL
    Easy solution, just tell him you are wearing one. It's not like he can check.
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    I think 'no shoulders' is just a more tasteful way of stating 'for the love of god, stop showing your bra straps'.

    "No visible bra straps" is also in our dress code SOP separately.
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
    What is so unprofessional about sleeveless blouse?

    SKIN!

    I work for a fortune 500 company in the D.C area...Where my company has a lot of Government contracts...Our HR department Lead Manager is very old fashion...she has this thing about showing too much skin....She feels it's unprofessional...especially when you are around a lot of clients in suits and stuff.
  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
    I don't really care what people wear around me so guess I can understand your frustration. However putting myself in their shoes (depending on the company) it's hard to draw that line. I work for a large corporation (and we have clients and visitors come in here frequently) so they try to keep a business casual dress code. It's still subjective ... and everyone has their own view of what is appropriate or not. On Fridays some departments allow jeans ... that's when you really see it vary! :) ... some have jeans and a nice button down shirt or top, and then some walk in looking like they're ready to tailgate lol ...

    I get the professional perspective ... you walk into negotiations with multiple parties and you want to make sure you dress nice. However what is "nice"? ... it's all subjective ...

    I guess the "hard lines" like "no shoulders" make it easier to draw the line ... 20 years ago I would be wearing a coat and tie here ...
  • Brengild
    Brengild Posts: 127
    Jeans, t-shirts and tennis shoes! Love my job! However, no shorts or sandals. I can live with it!
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    So get a new job. It's a free country.

    So cavalier for you to say that. Been paying attention to the economy? Getting a job is difficult. She has the right to complain.

    That difficulty is precisely why one should *not* complain about their job.

    You remind me of a mosquito.
  • pfgaytriot
    pfgaytriot Posts: 238 Member
    I have no problems with my office dress code. It's business casual, but they're very lenient. I could wear blue jeans and a t-shirt/spaghetti strap everyday if I wanted to, but I choose to dress in business casual attire because it's just more professional looking. We have a lot of public visitors where I work and I don't want people to think I'm a slob. I'd actually welcome a job that required me to wear dressier clothes, they'd also have to pay me a bit more money, too. ;)

    Because Fridays are so lax, I almost always wear jeans to work that day.
  • big_cowboy74
    big_cowboy74 Posts: 27 Member
    Business casual.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    I don't mind my dress code.


    I agreed to follow it in exchange for getting money. Fair enough.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    yup. no tattoos visible. no unnaturally colored hair. no nail polish. such is life for working for a super giant coffee chain. :/
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    I don't mind my dress code.


    I agreed to follow it in exchange for getting money. Fair enough.

    This.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    How would you feel about a man wearing a sleeveless shirt to the office?
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    I don't mind my dress code.


    I agreed to follow it in exchange for getting money. Fair enough.

    wow that sounds like a really easy job
  • EyeLikeTacos
    EyeLikeTacos Posts: 324 Member
    How would you feel about a man wearing a sleeveless shirt to the office?

    I would so like to be able show off my gun show!

    But I cant. ::sad:
  • CStone17
    CStone17 Posts: 37
    Yeah, I agree with what some other people said about it being professionalism. And when making rules, they really have to account for the lowest common denominator in the workplace, which is going to be the people who can't dress themselves decently without guidelines. They could try to allow those who know how to select sleeveless tops that look professional to wear them, but then everyone else (including the LCD people) would consider themselves permitted or encouraged to do so as well and you're back to square one.

    And for the tattoos, that is sort of the same thing. You might have very benign tattoos, but some people have extremely offensive ones. It's better to have a ban across the board than to bring subjectivity in and decide Joe's tattoos are okay but Bill's are not. That just breeds discontent. Bill is going to be upset with management and maybe even Joe.

    Personally, I prefer places where professionalism is encouraged. Long sleeves look better in the work environment on most of the population, as do close-toed shoes. You can't easily force employees to have well-maintained toes, after all.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    the reason is very likely because someone crossed the line and to avoid any sexist or harassment lawsuits, they just made a blanket policy for the company...this happened at my old job; present job has 99.9% males who couldn't care less so I wear what I want (i'm an engineer). A little shoulder/leg/cleavage never hurt anyone's negotiation skills...and i get what I want generally ;) but i'm tasteful still...
  • chocolateandvodka
    chocolateandvodka Posts: 1,850 Member
    no denim. i'm dead serious.

    no denim, no t-shirt or anything that resembles a t-shirt, and no capris. if ankles or legs are showing, it must be a skirt.

    the most frustrating part? we don't see patients or customers. NO ONE SEES WHAT WE WEAR.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I'm wearing a sleeveless blouse today, but it's because I'm a filthy, godless succubus
  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
    im so glad the only dress code at my job is wear clothes
  • zaithyr
    zaithyr Posts: 482 Member
    I used to work in a bank and we had a pretty average dress code- no sleeveless shirts, overly short skirts or low cut blouses, and also no open toe shoes- but that was because we carried heavy coin boxes a lot and it was more for safety. I thought our dress code was pretty lenient compared to other banks in the area where people had to wear long sleeve blazers every day!

    The job I have now I can wear whatever I want (I can even work in my pj's). :)
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    I don't mind my dress code.


    I agreed to follow it in exchange for getting money. Fair enough.

    wow that sounds like a really easy job

    Yeah...it's pretty sweet. We just walk around all day.
  • Krizzle4Rizzle
    Krizzle4Rizzle Posts: 2,704 Member
    I'm wearing a sleeveless blouse today, but it's because I'm a filthy, godless succubus

    Yes, I have heard this.