Comments on: Office Rat-A-Tat: Office Attire

By: Marcy

Marcy — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:21:17 +0000

I think casual has gone to far in most offices. I hate to sound stuffy or prudish because I am neither, but I think it is a good thing to look smart when you’re working with others. While I don’t think suits are necessary — short, sweats and flip-flops should all be left at home. When you look better, people take you more seriously.

If you work from home — do whatever you please, of course!

By: BigWilly

BigWilly — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:29:37 +0000

I worked in NYC for almost twenty years, and never wore anything but a suit, tie, and polished shoes. I left New York in 1999 (for the suburbs of NJ) and went to a large company with a “business casual” code. I am convinced that my work ethic suffered because of wearing khakis and no tie. (Call me crazy, but…)

I got laid off with a bunch of others about a year and a half ago. Now I’ve been asked to come back, to a different department. I’m determined to dress better, including a tie most days. There’s something about dressing for work that changes one’s mindset. No more polo shirts at the office!

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:16:37 +0000

It’s “business casual” at my job. No jeans, shorts, or flip-flops, but you can get away with most anything else. The guys mostly wear khakis and polos or button-down shirts (no ties), the ladies wear pretty much whatever looks nice as long as it’s not too “revealing” for the HR manager’s taste. Every so often they try putting a suggestion box in the lunch room, until everyone “suggests” jeans on Friday, at which point the box dissapears.

I was in Paris recently and was ASTOUNDED by what some women were wearing to work. I’m talking pinstripe short-shorts with over the knee boots. And no, they don’t work in the red-light district ;)

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:41:09 +0000

We have no dress code. Sounds great until your coworker wears the same pair of cargo sweatpants for the third day in a row.

By: Ashley Daily

Ashley Daily — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:54:25 +0000

I own two businesses- one is completley casual: jeans, sweater (I live in the snow), comfy dansko’s and no one thinks ill of me. the OTHER business REQUIRES that I dress in a skirt suit, nylons, and heels. I think they are both nice because I get to dress up a couple time a week, but mainly get to remain casual for most of the day.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:22:41 +0000

One of my work friends was told by our boss that the long sleeve t-shirt he was wearing was a little to casual for casual friday, but a lady in my office get away with wearing these track suite outfits on non casual days. No one ever says anything to her. It seems that the standard for guy casual is different from girl casual.

By: SaiSai

SaiSai — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:50:35 +0000

I work in the fashion industry, and let me tell you, it’s a whole ‘nother animal.
Our dress code is vague, we’re told we can wear “fashion casual” which can get interesting. Then when customers come to visit, we get an email to dress appropriately; amazingly the skirts get shorter, the shirts lower and the heels higher.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:49:25 +0000

When I was in the Navy it was uniforms (obviously), but the variety was astounding. Dungarees, “utilities,” tropical dungarees (with shorts!), summer working whites, dress whites, working blues, dress blues, and coveralls on the submarines. The best part about being onboard a sub was the rest of the dress code. Sneakers (because nobody wants people clomping around in boots when you’re trying to be stealthy), any t-shirt you want, and any ball cap you want to go with your coveralls.

On shore, they would occasionally let us wear civvies on Fridays once a month for a fee, until we got a new CO who realized that it was actually against regulations to charge money for that sort of thing. You either had to let everyone do it for free, or not at all. After that, there was a “suggested donation” for wearing civvies. The suggestion was so strong it may as well have been an Executive Order.

Now I’m a law student, procrastinating from studying while writing this in my PJ’s.

By: Erin

Erin — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:36:41 +0000

Company policy is business causal Mon. – Thurs. and casual on Friday. Business casual means nice shoes, slacks and a nice shirt. There are some times when a suit is expected (”special visitors”) and dress code is pretty lax on Friday. Most people wear tennies and several wear flip-flops. They’re not supposed to wear flip-flops, but being in San Diego, there’s not much you can do about that.

By: Jocelyn

Jocelyn — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:34:37 +0000

the joys of being a grad student :)
jeans and sneakers in the winter, shorts and flip-flops in the summer
t-shirts: wide variety, from the simpsons to mentalfloss t-shirts