Give or take, for most of the male populous who work in offices, wearing a suit, or at the very least, trousers shirt and tie, is pratically de rigeur. But in this office environment, where the male is subject to a fashion big brother, what of the female of the species? It seems to me that give or take, anything goes, which seems rather unfair.

Granted, it is nice to look smart sometimes, and granted, some (though very few workplaces) insist women wear a blouse with skirt or trousers. But this is rare. It infuriates me on a hot day in the office when I am forced to wear a shirt and tie only to see the girls next to me wearing anything they damn well want! And if I have the audacity to loosen my top button, or, shock horror, take my tie off, I am hauled up for 'not being smart' in work.

Am I alone in my grievance?

It infuriates you to see girls wearing next to nothing?

What planet are you on, man!!!!!

Er, any vacancies.....?

i think everyone should look smart for work, i like to have work clothes and "normal" clothes.

Having to dress smart in the office is so old fashioned.

We wear smart-casual most of the time, and completely casual on Fridays.

We are currently wearing completely casual all month.

but then you dont have the seperation and you'd alwyas feel worky. i like wearing a suit - makes me feel grown up! no really though, i do meeting with people so have too. non uniform day is quite schooly. maybe it should be relaxed around summer, but its never that hot here anyway

Depends on what your customers expect, and whether or not they see you in the flesh. I wear a suit to work, but I hardly ever leave the office, so it seems a little pointless...

However (as Natalie said) putting a suit on in the morning helps me get my head into work mode, so it does have some benefits.

I don't realy need such a seperation between work and play as I quite enjoy my job. It's also handy to be able to go straight out after work without having to get changed first. Nothing worse than standing in the pub in a shirt and tie.

i htink wearing a waist coat and top hat may overdo it though:hihi:

Man, the ladies love the shirt and tie in the pub! Go into a city-centre bar in a well-cut suit... Watch and wait!!!

I always feel sorry for people who have to wear a shirt and tie in summer, they are so uncomfortable.

I've never understood this thing about what "customers expect", I'm a customer and I don't expect the bank cashier to be wearing a shirt and tie, he can do his job just as well in a t-shirt as in a suit.

I think some people would be more approachable if they dressed more casually, like bank staff, lawyers, etc. you would be able to tell more about their personallity.

People in suits look a bit "robotic".

Originally posted by Agent Dan
Man, the ladies love the shirt and tie in the pub! Go into a city-centre bar in a well-cut suit... Watch and wait!!!

Without wanting to diss the ladies, some of them think

suit = good job = buys me things

Originally posted by nick2
Without wanting to diss the ladies, some of them think

suit = good job = buys me things
or they could be thinking hes not on the rock and roll

Originally posted by mikebayly
Give or take, for most of the male populous who work in offices, wearing a suit, or at the very least, trousers shirt and tie, is pratically de rigeur. But in this office environment, where the male is subject to a fashion big brother, what of the female of the species? It seems to me that give or take, anything goes, which seems rather unfair.

Granted, it is nice to look smart sometimes, and granted, some (though very few workplaces) insist women wear a blouse with skirt or trousers. But this is rare. It infuriates me on a hot day in the office when I am forced to wear a shirt and tie only to see the girls next to me wearing anything they damn well want! And if I have the audacity to loosen my top button, or, shock horror, take my tie off, I am hauled up for 'not being smart' in work.

Am I alone in my grievance?

There was a similiar grievance to this in the Department for Work and Pensions. I believe a number of the male civil servants took their case to a tribunal and subsequently won. As I'm aware the wearing of a tie within that department is now optional. If you are that upset with the double standards in your company's dress policy you should take them to a tribunal and see where it leads!!

i've worked for 3 big IT companies and all had an office casual policy, i never bother to wear a tie and the general standard of dress isn't even quite upto trousers and shirt just having a quick look around.
We have a casual Friday on this site (but that's not a company policy).

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
or they could be thinking hes not on the rock and roll

Same thing realy.

Originally posted by nick2
Same thing realy.
prob the snob in me, but i wouldnt look twice. even if he worked in macd's - its a job!

heh heh! Of course they associate it with money - it's only when they see the hole in me wallet that they run a mile!

And MacD's?? :P I'll have you know I'm a respectable businessman!

I think, though I could be wrong, that women are more bothered about what their potential partner does for a living than men are, men tend to go more for looks.

Yeah i like a man to earn a living, got sick of paying for student boyfriends at college etc.. (paying their way, not literally paying for one!!) its a luxury to be taken out to dinner once in a blue moon by my man! i pay my own way in general though, but thats how i was brought up!

I've always had to wear a tie at work and I can't stand the things.

I did start turning up without one a couple of years back... this caught on a bit too much for managements liking so they sent out a reminder to the company on dress code.

You can look smart without a tie!

Dress to suit the venue i say, but think about some poor people that have to wear uniform in hot weather. Uniform looks smart in some jobs and what the public expect, but we could not remove our ties unless it was exceptionally hot.

Originally posted by Wattsy
Dress to suit the venue i say, but think about some poor people that have to wear uniform in hot weather. Uniform looks smart in some jobs and what the public expect, but we could not remove our ties unless it was exceptionally hot.
what country are you in?;)

My office is really casual, I wear jeans and trainers most of the time. My first day I turned up in a suit, to be greeted by one of the directors wearing shorts and flip flops!
I always try and make an effort though if I have a meeting because I work in a very male dominated industry, and I feel that when I am dressed smartly (but not in next to nothing!) I am taken more seriously. I hate it when men assume that because I am a young woman I don't have clue what am doing and am just there to make tea, when I am as qualified as they are!

Originally posted by beckyaa
My office is really casual, I wear jeans and trainers most of the time. My first day I turned up in a suit, to be greeted by one of the directors wearing shorts and flip flops!
I always try and make an effort though if I have a meeting because I work in a very male dominated industry, and I feel that when I am dressed smartly (but not in next to nothing!) I am taken more seriously. I hate it when men assume that because I am a young woman I don't have clue what am doing and am just there to make tea, when I am as qualified as they are!
Be a good girl and put kettle on darlin' ;) :hihi:

I make sure that I look the part, for my job.

I work in an office, but also go out to do presentations at groups and organisations etc,

I wear a suit and blouse for work, and insist on ensuring that I look smart.

I feel that looking smart does the company justice, by providing a professional impression to clients and potential clients.

Also, dressing in a professional way, IMO creates a professional mental attitude.

A professional image/attitude will impress them, IMO.

I have the same attitide when I am answering the phone.

It looks sloppy, if one answers with a:-

"Yehh...? Wott? wotd'jer want!"

I and my colleagues answer the phone with a bright and cheery "Good Morning! (/afternoon) this is <company name> how can I help you?"

I was once complimented by the Managing Director of the company for whom I worked in its Sheffield branch. He told my immediate boss in our branch that he had never had the phone answered to him so well. Now, I didn't know the man from Adam, but I treated him with the same courtesy and professionalism with which I would treat anyone to whom I answered the phone.

PT

As far as I know the only time I've had to wear a shirt and tie in the office was when I did temp work for Clerical Medical in Bristol. In my previous career I generally worked in the design/IT industry and most of the jobs in that area tend to be very casual. Jeans, t-shirt and trainers. At the most it's been smart-casual but we still got away with shorts in the summer. I think it depends on whether the job is client-facing. We designers were generally kept behind a wall of account managers so we didn't see the client face to face. On the odd occasion though when we had to go out for meetings we were required to look smart. Fair enough because it wasn't every day and it's best to make a good impression.

In the job I'm doing now (gas fitting) there's a required dress code but only because it's company uniform. Green Kier t-shirt, polo shirt or jumper, black fleece, body-warmer or winter coat and black trousers with black/brown safety boots. Everything we wear is branded with the company logo in some place or other but I do like to be in uniform in this job. It makes me feel more professional, rather than a group of lads turning up at your door in scruffy jeans and a jumper covered in muck from the previous 20 jobs. Not to say they're any worse at their jobs than I am but it's just a personal preference. :)

Anyway, back to the office....

Originally posted by wibbles
Be a good girl and put kettle on darlin' ;) :hihi:

Do you take sugar?!

Seriously though, I'm used to it!

Can we safely conclude that it very much depends on the environment?

It's interesting to note how much 'I don't care'-ness comes down the phone from certain call centres these days.

Does the dress code attract a certain type of employee? Though it's funny - I work with a lot of programmers, and 'casual' seems to be the norm. The better ones even seem to have ponytails!!

I would imagine that a uniform is mainly so the customers can recognise members of staff in some environments.

Originally posted by Strix
I work with a lot of programmers, and 'casual' seems to be the norm. The better ones even seem to have ponytails!!

Argggghhhh !

What is it with men (especially in IT) and ponytails, have you ever seen anyone look good with a ponytail ?

Why do they do it ?

I hate it when men have longer hair that I do. Men with pony tails look dated. Thought that went out with the 90s. Now a man with a mullet? Phewwweeee!

Originally posted by nick2
Argggghhhh !

What is it with men (especially in IT) and ponytails, have you ever seen anyone look good with a ponytail ?

Why do they do it ?

Long hair is a very old fashion... think of Jesus! (admittedly he didn't have a ponytail, to my knowledge, but you knows what I mean)

You can actually sue your employer for sex discrimination if they force you to wear a shirt and tie and don't enforce the same level of dress code with their female staff.

This of the £ooo,s guys!

Hello Mike by the way.

i hate wearing 'smart' clothes - why should i have to wear a shirt and tie when the women wear what they want!

when the women wear what they want - blimey look at all those words staring with wwwww's!

Might be a bit of an urban myth but I remember hearing a story about Richard Branson (he of the well known flip flip and sweatshirt school of dress).

He'd just had a high powered boardroom meeting with his lawyers who happened to be having a dress down day. After the intense negotiations were concluded he congratulated his lawyers for sorting out whatever it was and then said that if they were ever dressed in that way again during work for him that he'd get himself a new firm.

Moral of the story - he may be allowed to dress down but he expected his lawyers to look the part they were being paid handsomely for.

Would love it if this story is true - imagine the look of frozen horror on the faces of the lawyers!

Originally posted by Couljo
Might be a bit of an urban myth but I remember hearing a story about Richard Branson (he of the well known flip flip and sweatshirt school of dress).

He'd just had a high powered boardroom meeting with his lawyers who happened to be having a dress down day. After the intense negotiations were concluded he congratulated his lawyers for sorting out whatever it was and then said that if they were ever dressed in that way again during work for him that he'd get himself a new firm.

Moral of the story - he may be allowed to dress down but he expected his lawyers to look the part they were being paid handsomely for.

Would love it if this story is true - imagine the look of frozen horror on the faces of the lawyers!

I'd have said "I'll dress smart when you get a haircut and sort that beard out..........you toothy git".

Mr Branson sir, thank you for your monetary support over the years which has enabled my colleagues and I to afford our London homes, property abroad, BMW for the wife and private education for the kids. But you have insulted our taste in expensive lounging clothes and for that you must leave with all due haste, now! Before Tarquin gets too close.....no Tarquin, NOOO!!! Oh that will be an expensive dry cleaning bill Mr Branson. Nothing stains quite like a cream Versace cardigan.

Originally posted by nick2
Argggghhhh !

What is it with men (especially in IT) and ponytails, have you ever seen anyone look good with a ponytail ?

Why do they do it ? Erm :rolleyes: some of us are rather fond :rolleyes: of them. Even better down. Can't keep me mits off.
Mr Strix was worried I'd be looking for a younger model when he had the chop!

Nah :D

I'm thinking of a ritual burning of the clothes I've been wearing for work. I bought some nice new officey togs for a new job in July, but never wore them.

The whole place was covered in a thick film of crisp oil. :gag: I decided to conform to the engineering team uniform - jeans and t-shirt. At least I wore very black jeans and matching t-shirt and a rather fetching, compulsory hi-vis vest!