What the hell is "professional dress"?

[rene moon]

My office just recently implemented a dress code. I was sent home to change my stockings because "they were inappropriate". They were fishnets but not tacky ones and I have worn them before.

I take pride in my appearance and I am rather fashionable, so to be told I was dressed inappropriate was embarrassing. I have never been told that in my life! I think I am a classy, yet stylish dresser.

I've been researching what professional dress is and all I can tell is that it is boring and lame.

What can I do to get through this stupid dress code? We all dressed fine before, they just felt to do this for no reason.

What can I wear that will fall in these guidelines without having to look like a corporate drone?

[On the Road]

1. From Your Point of View

it probably is boring and lame. It would help if they had some more specific guidelines.

If you can find it, look at Dress for Success for Women. I love the author's approach, and it's gives a different way of looking at office clothing.

[Chovexani]

As one of my old bosses once said

Dressing professionally means not dressing for that profession, if you catch my drift. She was hilarious, I loved working for her.

Dress codes suck. I prefer Goth/Ren clothing and it's one of the reasons I shun working in office environments. I'd never, ever think of wearing fishnets to work though--big no no.

When I have to dress like a muggle I just wear pantsuits in neutral colors. I express myself through a tasteful accessory here or there, like an small ankh pendant or something. It's painful but I grin and bear it.

[Dora]

2. Follow the code, but go commando.

Makes mooning easier.

[Dora]

3. Follow the code, but go commando.

Makes mooning easier.

[RubyDuby in GA]

4. When you find out let me know

I'm the office manager for my firm and I'm wearing jeans and tennis shoes today. :)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

5. Nothing

There's this 'groupthink' mentality that seems to have pervaded your workplace. I mean, the idea of 'sending home' an adult because of her clothes smacks to me of a kind of narrow thinking that would send me - fast and screaming - looking for another job.

As an attorney, I'm curious - were any others sent home? If so, what was their "inappropriate" apparel?

And, if any others were sent home, were they men?

Take a cue from the male dress code, and work around it. If I were in your position right now, I'd start dressing like a man - sharp suits, spiffy shirts (very lacy and yet demure, if you get my drift), the highest heels I could find, and accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. I'm talking about SERIOUS jewelry here now, honey. The creative use of very wild scarves. Things like that.

A woman is nothing if she's not properly accessorized. (I know this is true because all my gay male friends tell me it is.)

So, get after them, refuse to bend to their will, do a little creative (and sexy) cross-dressing, and beat them at their own game.

And, do let me know how you fare. This really bites the bag.

[Demit]

6. the classic advice is: dress like your boss.

If your boss is a man, look for the next power-female and imitate her.

Sorry, fishnets are really not for the office. Ditto anything that shows cleavage (despite how office people on tv dress).

[texastoast]

7. Nothing that makes men think about sex

And fishnets make men think about what is at the top of the stocking. Whatever you do, don't go braless and exhibit any desire for equality.

This whole movement away from "business casual" is a result of the neocon movement. Image with no substance is everything. It started in 2000. Paying more money for business clothing helps the corps who make it using Chinese labor show a bigger profit.

[StClone]

8. The only pain in the arse bigger than a Dress code

Is being the one having to enforce it.

If it isn't in writing there can be too much discretion and seemingly biased. And, if it is in writing they can be tough on the person interpreting the code. I know a bank that lost some good employees after a dust up over what constituted "open toe."

Do your best and always go on the side of conservative as much as I hate to give that advice here. :-)

[madrchsod]

9. there used to be a billing center

for a well known brown delivery company in our city that had a male manager who would measure the length of the skirts or dress the girls wore. some of the young girls i knew said it just was creepy the way the guy would go about measuring their clothes..i didn`t pursue what they meant.....

[Mend]

10. Ah the 50's again...

look at what we wore in the 60's when we got so totally fed up with this crap....and then wear the opposite. Think repuke with rod up ass on a pole, add JC Penney's and you will be close. The right wing will push and push at individuality, personal freedom, and sexuality until everyone gets sick to death of them.

[rene moon]

11. Thanks for all the advice

I still hate the dress code!

P.S. I would never show cleavage because I dont have any.