Do you find sleeveless blouses inappropriate for the workplace? I don't mean wifebeaters or tight tank tops, I mean a shirt with a collar/turtleneck, etc but no sleeves?? What else do you find inapprorpriate but perhaps see a lot of coworkers wearing?
I personally found them to be inapprorpiate prior to working here. Everyone wears them around here, alone, not under a jacket. We were just discussing this in the office and thought I would ask the throbbing brain...
We typically don'y have to wear ties here, we are somewhat dress casual. I don;t know if the sleeveless blouses would be too much for us here. We have a secretary that will occasiuonally wear low cut blouses, which I think is kind of tacky for the workplace.
You get all squeezed up inside/Like the days were carved in stone/You get all wired up inside/And it's bad to be alone
You can go out, you can take a ride/And when you get out on your own/You get all smoothed out inside/And it's good to be alone
-Peart
Guys in our office need to be in Shirts and Ties, and look professional at all times. Women on the other hand... I am not sure what is up with there dress code. Our secretary has come in with something that is not to much different than what one would wear on the street corner for a night of “work”. Another in our office can be best described as frumpy. (But then again she is the least feminine woman I know without being referred to as butch) My supervisor is business casual to business dress. I don’t understand and I don’t care. I know I am going to be in a shirt and tie.
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
We have those here, too. I believe in the fashion industry they're referred to as "shells"--why, I have no idea. If they aren't t-shirt fabric, it's probably ok. Stuff that isn't, to me: cropped khakis except on Fridays or if well-pressed; flip-flops of almost any kind; cotton t-shirts; denim, except on Fridays; and any t-shirt with a logo. I used to work at a women's clothing store that had a pretty strict, almost business-professional dress code, so my rule of thumb is if it wouldn't work there, it won't work here.
I don't dream. I plan.
I'm in an office with no other female planners, so I've been struggling with what to wear as I have no one to confer with. Some of the guys wear dark jeans and will only wear ties when they have a meeting, so it's pretty casual for an office.
As for the sleeveless, I wouldn't wear it without a jacket, but under a jacket (which I wear almost every day), I have no problem with something fun - even a graphic tee (no logos) like I'm wearing today. I figure the rest of the suit dresses it up and well...it's my birthday, I can wear what I want to (wear what I want to, wear what I want to)
How do I know you are who you think you are?
Past discussions on workplace attire.
It depends on the type of blouse. I do wear sleeveless tops, but I always wear a jacket. In fact, I don't leave home without a jacket.
"A witty woman is a treasure, a witty beauty is a power!"
It's business casual up here in the 'executive wing'. Downstairs which is the admin services and bldg dept is a little more casual. We don't really have a dress code though, except jeans allowed on Friday for everyone. It's really quite flexible depending on what you will be doing for the day.
I think if you wear a sleeveless shirt you should wear a jacket or cardigan, and if it gets too warm, take the sweater off. But, you shouldn't just wear a sleeveless shirt.
I have more of a problem of people wearing sandles. I hate feet anyway, but if your going to wear sandles, have a nice manicure. And, for crying out loud, make sure they fit properly. I hate when toes stick out beyond the end of the sandle. There's this lady at work with toes as long as fingers and they always stick past the endge of her sandles.
In the summer, this building is perpetually freezing so anyone in a sleeveless top would be covered in goosebumps. In winter it is typically in the upper-80s, but you'd look funny coming to work in sleeveless top then, now wouldn't you?
I wear the planner uniform exclusively.
I have seen
old ships sailing
like swans asleep
I have over the years learned not to sweat the little things. Once I did send an employee home for very obviously not wearing a bra.
Dress "codes" depend on the setting. We are very casual on the Great Plains, and most of our staff are field inspectors.
I say if it isn't ripped, jeans(except on Fridays - denim skirts are ok though), too short, too low on the waist (low-rise ok, but not ultra-low rise), or too revealing (this is subjective, of course) that it is ok. One thing I really hate, and I apologize to anyone out there who might do this, is when women wear nylons or socks with open toed shoes - I am not talking about Birkie's or any other lounging sandals, but "dress" sandals. I hate the constraints that strict dress codes put on people's personal style. There are some people that can look very professional in a denim skirt or a shell. Open-toed dress sandals can also be very attractive...especially without nylons. Others can pull off something that is lower cut without a problem....and still others are uncomfortable in high-cut shirts (take me, for instance...I am very uncomfortable in high-cut shirts and turtlenecks - what can I say...I'm a freak that way).
As far as what I think is unprofessional....bad personal hygiene, unkempt hair, and no smile.
I agree completely! It is even worse if the toes stick out past the edge of the sandals, AND they are wearing nylons!Originally posted by SW MI Planner
And, for crying out loud, make sure they fit properly. I hate when toes stick out beyond the end of the sandle. There's this lady at work with toes as long as fingers and they always stick past the endge of her sandles.
Last edited by NHPlanner; 24 May 2005 at 12:28 PM.
I usually wear a very nice dress shirt, khakis, but rarely wear a tie.
Today I am dressed in dressy pants but a solid black polo shirt.
Planning Commission and Council require a tie and jacket. I need a new suit jacket.
I work in a very casual office, but being in a climate similar to hell, wearing something without sleeves isn't a big no-no around here. I too hate the nylon and sandal look, it's so awful, Especially since they make nylons without the toes so you can wear open toed shoes with nylons and not look like a complete freak.
When Jesus said "love your enemies", he probably didn't mean kill them.
Our PC and CC have dropped this requirement. But I still will dress in tie, slacks, penny loafers and a jacket (in winter).
A lot of people rejoiced at this requirement being dropped. I gues I was raised different. When presenting to a government body I will always look my best.
You get all squeezed up inside/Like the days were carved in stone/You get all wired up inside/And it's bad to be alone
You can go out, you can take a ride/And when you get out on your own/You get all smoothed out inside/And it's good to be alone
-Peart
That is a problem. I don't know if I would have sent her home. Maybe I would have just put her somewhere out of the view of the public. Like my office.
"I am very good at reading women, but I get into trouble for using the Braille method."
~ Otterpop ~
Well personally work place attire is one of the issues I have about working for someone else and have chosen to do what I do.
Personally my Dr has been trting to wean me off my hormones so I an perpetually hot, I would no more be able to keep a sleeve or jacket on in the summer than anything. So I try my best to have my sleeveless option look as good as possible and get a bit of color on my arms so they don't glare.
I also hate to wear shoes in the summer so the smaller the shoe the better and also something that comes off is great. I think that I am also going to wear longer dressy shorts this summer too.
But in comparision I will always be fine compared to the lady that owns the company. She and her daughters all ought to be on "what NOT to wear". Most of the time they are in outfits that would just never be seen as appropriate. But that is the nice thing about real estate, you just don't have to over dress to do the job.
We try to dress nice for open houses but that is only once a week.
So you guys enjoy your stuffy dress codes, it isn't for me.
It is all a matter of perspective!!!
Dress Shirt and Tie for County Board and Planning Commission (coat depending on the weather). Same for scheduled developer meetings. Otherwise its jeans and golf shirt with boots. It real tough climbing fences and ladders in anything else. Oh, I didn't mention, I'm also the building inspector in this one person office.
ME TOO!!! Quite frankly, I hate to wear shoes at all, and in the summer, I just can't take it anymore. (In college, I was in the same building all day and people would know I was there when they saw a pair of shoes under a desk somewhere...)
Now, I would never get up from my desk without shoes on, but I will admit to slipping them off when my feet are hidden and have gotten caught a couple of times. Recently, my boss came in and smiled, saying "when you put your shoes back on, I'd like you to go out in the field with me..." OOPS!
How do I know you are who you think you are?
Sleeveless blouses are very common here. Women don't wear jackets over them, either.
I knew I wasn't a planner for some reason, dress code. Jeans and t-shirts here in the surveying world. I ocassionally have summer help (summer help, summer not) show up in shorts. I give them hell, but my boss allows it. This usually lasts until I send them through a patch of poison ivy
Agreed.
I wear flip flops until I have to meet with someone then I put on real heels, but open toed ones.
I really have made an effort to get away from the khaki thing, so I wear a lot of skirts (knee length) and nice blouses/sweater tops. I don't wear button down shirts for a number of reasons unless it is a really nice shirt.
I once wore a pair of boxer shorts on the outside of my pants. Oh, that must have been Halloween. Didn't go over very well...so to speak.
A nuisance may be merely a right thing in the wrong place — like a pig in the parlor instead of the barnyard.
As a consultant the general rule in my company is to dress one level better than the standard for the client. I'm waiting for the day we get a client that requires a jacket and tie so I can go to the next level and show up in a tux!
When I worked in the Institutional Advancement office of a small public university one summer we had a strange fashion trend go through a portion of the staff. The middle age women started wearing sheer black blouses over white bras. I just didn't get it. It wasn't appropriate for a professional environment (even a semi-professional one like a public college) and the look wasn't very flattering for any of these women. It eventually stopped. I don't know if they came the their senses, someone said something to them, or if the fad just died out. It sure was odd while it lasted.
As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. - H.L. Mencken
All the young executives in Vancouver wear sandals in summer. You'll walk by a guy with a few thousand dollar suit and wham - sandals. I'm not talking flip flops, mind you. More like outdoorsy, bouldering, and hiking type sandals.I have more of a problem of people wearing sandles. I hate feet anyway, but if your going to wear sandles, have a nice manicure. And, for crying out loud, make sure they fit properly. I hate when toes stick out beyond the end of the sandle. There's this lady at work with toes as long as fingers and they always stick past the endge of her sandles.
That's pretty much our rule on the "Dark Side", too. Depending on my meeting schedule, I'll dress up in a jacket and tie every day of the week, or only once or twice. I usually average a jacket and tie 2-3 times a week; the other days are slacks/khakis, dress shirts or polos.
As my husband often complains, dress codes do not apply to women. I don't know about that... I think women do a pretty good job of policing themselves in the dress code wars.
That said, it is hotter than hell here in Las Vegas and us ladies wear sleeveless all the time. Men wear short sleeved dress shirts which I bet is a big no-no in most states. Here you actually get harassed here if you look like you are dressed too warmly in the summer time or you wear too much black.
So the conclusion is: it depends on what is appropriate for weather.
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