Out of dress code...

[lillygator]

Ughhh, I just need to vent. I am wearing black slacks and a sleeveless shell with lace around the edges....one of the managers in our department comes by and says you are out of dress code today and I have a couple jackets in my office...I will be sending out a notice to our department since so many people are abusing the dress code.


I shut my door....in our office we have people who wear skirts with slits up to the rear and don't have nice figures and we have to look at that and we also have people who wear pedal pushers and many other things....first of all she is a manager of one person in this department and come on - instead of nit picking on dress codes when it looks nice.....she should be worried about retaining employees and making the department more cohesive....

we have had a lot of turnover lately!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

So what is the out of dress code part? A sleeve less shirt?

Sounds like you are dressed appropriately but she is a stickler for rules.

 

[Pop Daddy]

ya sound sexy to me

 

[lillygator]

yes she is quite the matronly type...and I am still writing my response to her and my two bosses although I am hesitant to send as I don't want to add feul to the fire BUT...if they are going to nit pick our policy states we are all to wear a visiable name badge at all times....no sports teams shirts...and our bosses do this!

 

[Honu]

So you broke the rules and you're complaining about her because she's doing her job? I would hold off on that email response.

This has nothing to do with your manager's matronly appearance or the others in your office with questionable fashion sense. You chose to wear something knowing it was against the rules. The only correct response to this is to say - sorry, it won't happen again. We all have policies at work we don't agree with. The time to voice concerns, is not when you are being called out for breaking the rules.

 

[CheshireVal]

If you broke the dress code I wouldn't push the matter.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Another rule-breaker checking-in. Well I was a rule breaker until I got the rule changed. We weren't allowed to wear denim ANYTHING in the office. Well I have some cute denim skirts and I chose to wear them. The office manager talked to me, and then I went to our boss and lobbied for the rule change. Now we can wear denim.

 

[pyrxtc]

in our office we have people who wear skirts with slits up to the rear and don't have nice figures and we have to look at that

yes she is quite the matronly type...

What does it matter if these people have nice figures or not? Would you not complain if they had nicer figures for you to look at?? Also what does it matter if you boss is matronly?

If it is against the dress code you should not be mad. Just because other people don't follow it does not mean you shouldn't. what are you gonna say when one of your kids says, "but everyone else is doing it!" If you are going to be a tattletale make sure you're not doing something wrong also. It will come back to bite you in the As*!

 

[va32h]

Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn't make it right.

I wouldn't send an email to my boss arguing over something like a dress code. It will make you sound petty.

At my last job, there was no "official" dress code. But it was obvious that the people who dressed professionally moved up in the company, and the people who didn't, stayed put.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I agree, don't send an email. Go and talk to the dress code decision maker. No hurt in asking. Does no one ever question things in the workplace? No wonder they think I am a PITA here.

P.S. Lillygator, does the gator have to do with UF? If so, maybe it's a Gator thing.

 

[laurie31]

Sleeveless is strictly forbidden where I work.

The skirt split thing is not addressed in our dress code...don't know why showing your arms is less professional than showing too much in the rear but I don't make the rules I just follow 'em

I would forget about this...there are much worse things in life to be upset over

Laurie

 

[HappyMommy2]

I'd hold off on the e-mail and just see how you might work toward getting the dress code changed, or at least more fairly enforced.

I had to chuckle at your comment about having to look at people without nice figures wearing revealing clothing--can you imagine a dress code that said something like "Only people with nice figures can wear dresses with slits up the back"?

 

[RickinNYC]

The rule of thumb in most business environments is to always dress better than your own boss. I've always tried to follow that and now that I've worked in non-profit environment, it's a cinch to do! And boy is it much, much cheaper!

Don't send the email. You should pick your battles and this is a little one. Don't sweat it!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

..I will be sending out a notice to our department since so many people are abusing the dress code.

It sounds to me like she did acknowledge that there are other offenders out there. It also sounds like she is planning to address their issues also.

An email asking for clarification on certain items (ie are skirts with high splits and dressy sleeveless shirts ok) --- that is ok.

An email along the lines of "I have a nice figure and so and so doesn't so I should get to wear X but you didn't say anything to her about Y"

isn't going to win you any brownie points.

 

[CookieGVB]

If sleeveless shirts are against dress code, you should probably put your jacket on.

 

[froglady]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which is why companies need dress codes in the first place. You say that even though what you wore was not within the dress code, it looked nice. Obviously, your boss didn't agree. Please remember that all of those people who are following the dress code but don't have "nice" figures probably think they look nice!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Just follow the rules and all will be well. You have no reson to complain if it's against the policy.

 

[lillygator]

the reason I was upset is because she is using selective enforcement. One woman has on capri's, many don't have their name badges on, one woman has a slit up her skirt today that is more than three inches above the knee, another has a tank dress on which is the same style as my shirt yet does not end at the waist.

If I am being called on it -which is fine - I am out of dress code....then everyone else not adhering to the policy should as well.

 

[alliecats]

I'm with you, Miss Jasmine. One year here at work they sent out a memo in JUNE, stating that we would no longer be able to wear capris to work. Mind you, capris had always been officially listed as "approved" on the dress code policy before. And if you are going to go removing a business casual, approved dress code item that is a staple of just about every woman's (at least in this company!) wardrobe in the summer, JUNE is not the right time to do it. Most people have already purchased their summer wardrobe, or at least budgeted the work wardrobe money, by then. There was an uproar. Emails and phone call complaints were flying. They backed down, and amended it to capris had to be capri length, no pedal pushers or long shorts. And the only people who would probably have tried that were the interns.
OP, I'd hold off on the memo, let this all die down and then maybe you can see about voicing your opinions on revising or amending the dress code later, if it's very important to you. Good luck!

 

[JuliaEeyore]

I feel bad for you... I can't imagine working in an environment that had such strict "Dress Codes." I went to Catholic school. I'm done with not being "allowed" to wear certain things. I understand OSHA regulations (open toe shoes) and whatnot. And I understand putting your best foot forward and certain things not being appropriate, and how jeans would be too casual, but I could never work in a place that restricted me from wearing a nice, pretty sleeveless blouse. I'm SO sorry!!!!

I guess I've chosen jobs where I'm allowed a little more creative freedom...

(By the way, are you on OLU? )