Opinions On Work Place Dress

[Bob Peale]

but you DO!!! (oops, sorry, was that a secret?)

What, you mean you don't think I'm a natural blonde?

 

[*bratcat*]

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

If you tell me that, if sitting in a courtroom, your co counsel walks in in a jogging suit to defend you on a capital charge, you're going to think to yourself "Hmm, let's just see how talented this guy is,"

Well, I would hope my lawyer would show up in appropriate dress in a situation where he had to impress a judge, a jury or the opposition. But I can remember the days when gas station attendants wore uniforms, captains hats with a bill, and a tie - and I think we are way past that. As for judging talent - I would carefully choose a lawyer long before we ever entered court - but that is not really the point you are trying to make.

or during your consultation for LASIK surgery, the doctor performing the surgery breezes by in a G-String and you think, "Now there's a qualified surgeon," you're full of shit (no offense intended).

The one time I had to choose whether a surgeon was cutting on me or not in the near future I was in an emergency room and I didn't pay attention to what he was wearing under his scrubs - he could have been wearing a G-string for all I know. I chose him and he recosntructed my foot just fine.

I don't have a problem with the outfit, I have a problem with the judgement.

I would question totally inappropriate wear - but the woman wasn't wearing a bikini, or short shorts with a halter top, she was wearing a skirt and a jacket. Maybe not to your tastes, maybe not even exactly appropriate, but it didn't sound like it was totally inappropriate and it sounds more like she maybe needed just a little coaching on more appropriate wear.

This is kind of beside the point, but it gives you an idea of how I feel about formal dress:

One of the reasons I left the military was so I would never have to wear another uniform, and so I could always dress in something comfortable. I have a pretty nice and expensive suit for weddings and funerals, but the last time I wore it for an interview the interviewers were put off a little by the formality (they hired me anyway).

I have given instructions to my daughter and to the rest of my family that I specifically forbid formal wear at my funeral, and that they are to wear Hawaiian shirts and have a fun old time at my wake. If I were to be buried (I want to be cremated instead) - I would leave instructions to be buried in a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.

 

[Wizard]

Dress codes suck. It's the height of arrogance to judge someone else by the way they are dressed. You can say you like it or you don't, but to make any other judgements about a person based on the way they choose to dress is just plain disrespectful.

I used to think like you and your right ...as I used to have long hair and still have my Tatts..I always had a bandana on and now I have short hair , dress better golf shirts in place of Harley T shirts.....cleaned up how I talk and ya know what..........

Folks pay more attention to me now........Yea it is wrong but society will judge a book my it's cover........

Life will teach you this.................Took me a long time but I learned........

 

[Bob Peale]

Well, I would hope my lawyer would show up in appropriate dress in a situation where he had to impress a judge, a jury or the opposition.

You just hit on the crux of the point. We were trying to impress a partner, asking them to make an investment in us.

 

[Cheyenne]

Folks pay more attention to me now........Yea it is wrong but society will judge a book my it's cover........

Exactly. You've described the business world perfectly. It may not be fair, but then no one promised life would be fair.

Here's another little quirk. Once you have an established relationship and have PROVEN your worth, you can get away with a little more. Then you are no longer being "judged" by the client since you are a known commodity. But still, if it is a big important meeting and not just a casual lunch you are going to, you need to dress the part to get your point across.

 

[sigh]

The problem we have is that we have a bunch of late 20's/early 30's playing grownup but they were never taught by grownups how to play.

Before I said something, I wanted to make sure I wasn't out of touch...

alright bob, i was with you until you made this comment, but now i have to say that, yes indeed, you're out of touch

i'm not even into my late twenties yet but i'm a driving influence in my department and a damned good pharmacist too...and while being a mother of a child with special needs for 9 years i still managed to make it through high school, then college (the first with honors and the second with high commendation) and into your "grown-up" world without needing to be "taught how to play"

i wear hose with skirts, and business suits when needed (or clinical garb when that's more appropriate)...i'm certain that i've never offended anyone with my dress, whether it be a patient at the bedside or a system ceo in the administrative conference room

stop your stereotyping, and your patronizing too...it's offensive

 

[lobito]

If she thought she was be provocative to get the business then she did this on her own, and SHOULD have talked to you first about it...

If she just doesn't know any better/have enough sense to dress in a business fashion, then that's another story.

 

[Tabby432]

If she thought she was be provocative to get the business then she did this on her own, and SHOULD have talked to you first about it...

If she just doesn't know any better/have enough sense to dress in a business fashion, then that's another story.

Whatever the reason, it's the same story. Poor judgment on her part.

 

[Bob Peale]

alright bob, i was with you until you made this comment, but now i have to say that, yes indeed, you're out of touch

i'm not even into my late twenties yet but i'm a driving influence in my department and a damned good pharmacist too...and while being a mother of a child with special needs for 9 years i still managed to make it through high school, then college (the first with honors and the second with high commendation) and into your "grown-up" world without needing to be "taught how to play"

i wear hose with skirts, and business suits when needed (or clinical garb when that's more appropriate)...i'm certain that i've never offended anyone with my dress, whether it be a patient at the bedside or a system ceo in the administrative conference room

stop your stereotyping, and your patronizing too...it's offensive

OK, I'm going to say this one more time

The comment:

"The problem we have is that we have a bunch of late 20's/early 30's playing grownup but they were never taught by grownups how to play. "

refers to a SPECIFIC group of people. Not a class of people, not general deomgraphic, but 6 people that all are a certain age and are all exhibiting a specific behavior.

As a member of that age group, I by no means meant to imply that all of my confederates exhibit the same behavior, or lack the same capabilities.

 

[Wizard]

Exactly. You've described the business world perfectly. It may not be fair, but then no one promised life would be fair.

Here's another little quirk. Once you have an established relationship and have PROVEN your worth, you can get away with a little more. Then you are no longer being "judged" by the client since you are a known commodity. But still, if it is a big important meeting and not just a casual lunch you are going to, you need to dress the part to get your point across.

Cheyenne , I don't have a job like you or Bob but I used to dress very much hippie like or like someone who worked in truck yards...(Which I did) but the way you talk is so important and looks aswell you have to look like you know what your doing......Not someone who just drifted out of the 60's ........

You don't get a second chance to make a First impression.....................

 

[sigh]

ah well...(digging the toe of my shoe into the dirt and looking down a bit red-faced)

i apologized to bob in pm even before i saw this, and now i'll do it in here

i shot off the hip without thorough consideration

i'm sorry bob

 

[Bob Peale]

Cheyenne , I don't have a job like you or Bob but I used to dress very much hippie like or like someone who worked in truck yards...(Which I did) but the way you talk is so important and looks aswell you have to look like you know what your doing......Not someone who just drifted out of the 60's ........

You don't get a second chance to make a First impression.....................

Whoa now....if it was impressions I was after, I would wear the G-String

 

[xwizard4]

my Tatts..I always had a bandana on and now I have short hair , dress better golf shirts in place of Harley T shirts.....cleaned up how I talk and ya know what..........
originally quoted by wizard

"Dress better" is an arbitrary judgement. You can say that clothes of finer quality or workmanship are better. Just because we have been conditioned to judge people on their appearance doesn't mean it needs to be perpetuated.

 

[Wizard]

I wouldn't........Lol.....wouldn't help me any...............lol

 

[Bob Peale]

ah well...(digging the toe of my shoe into the dirt and looking down a bit red-faced)

i apologized to bob in pm even before i saw this, and now i'll do it in here

i shot off the hip without thorough consideration

i'm sorry bob

No offense taken Sigh, honest.

That's the whole point of a discourse

 

[Tabby432]

"Dress better" is an arbitrary judgement. You can say that clothes of finer quality or workmanship are better. Just because we have been conditioned to judge people on their appearance doesn't mean it needs to be perpetuated.

You're wrong. Judging someone because of their race, sex or any other criteria people have no control over is what needs to stop. Clothes and how you conduct yourself fall under the category of living in society. That's socialization... it's a good thing.

 

[Guest]

"Dress better" is an arbitrary judgement. You can say that clothes of finer quality or workmanship are better. Just because we have been conditioned to judge people on their appearance doesn't mean it needs to be perpetuated.

I disagree completely. We need more emphasis on our dress. There was another thread on here about what we all like to wear.

When I'm working at the stable, shoveling shit and working horses, I wear grungy jeans and boots. If I showed up for work in a skirt and heels, I'd look like an idiot.

Likewise, when I worked in an office, I wore skirts, business suits, slacks, etc. I dressed the part, because that's what they were paying me to do. I've also noticed that when I'm dressed a certain way, my behavior reflects it. If I'm dressed professional and businesslike, then I behave in a more professional manner. On casual days, when jeans are ok, everyone's attitude is more casual as well.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I guess that was my inner troll posting!

 

[Bob Peale]

I just hate it when that happens.

Bad Troll!

 

[Wizard]

I guess that was my inner troll posting!

Ok I agree with that.......You wouldn't see me with a suit on for my job but a golf type shirt and or a t shirt are ok but what gives a better image?..........
Back to Bobs question...........I wounldn't want to deal with a chick like he talked about........Judging a book by a cover ....I too would think something like what a "Ho"..................wrong or not it happens in this world.......

I know a few female members of this board that are professional ladys and dress dam professional..........They give a great "biz" image..........

 

[PacificBlue]

I agree with Bob on this one. No hose, no blouse, and a way short skirt are inappropriate for a high-powered meeting such as this. Dressing the part shows respect for those you are meeting with. People notice. The first impression is ALWAYS the most important and once it's made you can't change it period. You don't want the other team thinking about sex when your trying to talk business and frankly the outfit described would be distracting to male and female alike in my opinion.

I think there are tactful ways to address the issue with a co-worker without coming off as being arrogant. During a team meeting before the event go over the company policy on appropriate dress with the whole team...that way you don't look like your picking one person out. Although I never dress this way my co-worker went over the do's and don't(s) with me this week...she did it tactfully and I respected her for it. I won't look like a fool when showing up to a meeting because I didn't know in the future. There are a few dress code items that are specific to this business that I didn't know starting out this week...now I do. She wasn't trying to be my "Mother" she was trying to help me get acclimated in to the corporate culture and I appreciated the help.

The business climate out there today is such that any little thing you can do to put your company ahead is something you should do. Several years ago, I might have let this slide...not today. Million dollar deals can make or break a company. Thousands and thousands of people are out of jobs. Doing anything you can to keep yours is prudent in my opinion. Running out and getting another next week might not be as easy as it once was.

 

[Desert Amazon]

 

[Guest]

Bratcat, aren't you a bit old to be wearing short skirts, especially considering how inappropriate it is in an office setting?