Yesterday I saw this article on Yahoo’s homepage about what not to wear to the office, if you are a woman and want to get promoted. Again, the “Obvious Police” struck, telling us things that none of us knew…NOT!
Sometimes I am not sure if one should laugh about these tips and tricks or simply be insulted! Then I wonder why I don’t get paid to state the obvious. Ask any of my friends, apparently I am excellent at it 
So, here are the things one should NOT wear to work if one expects a promotion:
1. Shirts with too much cleavage, also known as shirts where your boobs hang out
2. Shirts or pants that reveal your bra line, pantie line, or are see through, so one can see the bra or pantie
3. Mini skirts that are way too short, or for those who don’t get it, skirts that end right under your ass
4. Beach attire, i.e. spaghetti strap tops and gladiator sandals, or worse, flip flops!
5. Clothes that are too sexy, or club clothing, period
Who knew!? Who would have thought that one will not be taken serious, or let alone promoted when one shows up looking like a teenager or slut? I am desperately trying to find a better word than slut, alas, I can’t think of one.
Now, I can’t be a hypocrite here and have to seriously admit that I have been guilty of ignoring business attire rules most of life. No, I haven’t crossed the lines of showing off my bra, underwear, boobs or ass, even when I did have the body to do so, and no, I have definitely NEVER worn flip flops. As we know, I have a huge aversion to flip flops and Crocs. I also found that there are some other common rules that were missing from this list, so I am going to add them here for your convenience. Of course, these are my own:
1. I don’t see anything wrong with wearing open toed shoes, especially not in a casual environment. BUT, if you DO insist on wearing those, at least make sure you have nice looking feet. I do not want to see chipped off toe nail polish, or otherwise scary looking feet peaking at me from sandals or open toed shoes, period. As we know, I also have a strange aversion to feet, especially male feet. Which brings me to rule number 2.
2. Men NEVER get to wear sandals or flip flops to the office….EVER! Especially not when being paired with a button up shirt and slacks or designer jeans!
3. Crocs are forbidden for all, male or female. If I see you with garden clogs, I will either make fun of you, or beat you up.
4. Leggings are out! Leggings under miniskirts or shorts are also out, even if you do have a decent body.
5. Khakis or Dockers – unless you want a permanent douche bag stamp from me.
Look, I honestly don’t really care what people are wearing to work. I have always paid more attention to personality, intellect, capabilities, experience and character and I have never been dazzled by a fancy suit. However, I am also very, very aware that this is NOT how the vast majority of business executives are seeing things. I made the decision years ago that I would not sell out. Meaning, I would not wear things that were uncomfortable and a blatant violation of my being, just so I could get that title or promotion. It was a decision I made for myself and I sure as hell don’t expect others to make the same decision.
The truth is that looks DO matter! What we wear and how we present ourselves does have a fairly big impact on others and there are common rules even I don’t break. For me these rules are obvious, such as not flashing my body parts at work, or wearing things that are so flashy that they barely qualify for club clothing. I am also aware that my idea of cool is not necessarily an executive’s idea of cool. Yes, there are certain areas in which one can dress in creative, casual ways and one’s progress is not hindered. Gaming is one of them, Internet companies, such as Yahoo, another. But even within those worlds are rules, such as dressing the part when one meets with vendors/clients, or represents the company at a conference, meeting or otherwise.
Why these obvious ways of being, or ways to conduct oneself are not clear to everyone is beyond me. I find it sad that certain things need to be explained or said out loud. Apparently not everyone has common sense. But unfortunately how we appear leaves an impression. I am saying “unfortunately” because there are entire studies done on how “pretty” or “good-looking” people get further in life. On how a thin person is viewed as “more capable” than an overweight person. While I do NOT even remotely buy into crap like that, it is clear that those of us who do not look “conventional” will have to make a decision sooner or later about just how far we are willing to stay true to our “freakishness.” And if we choose to do it all the way, then we cannot be too shocked if we don’t end up at the director, VP, or senior VP level of a company.
The vast majority of corporate America is still ruled by the khaki sporting overlords. And fighting that won’t do you any good. But a bit of common sense and a bit of compromise DOES get you pretty far. If you ask me, it gets you far enough 
Some time ago my company decided to fore-go the traditional uniform vests in favor of a uniform dress code. We were given some option for individuality- shirts may vary in color from royal to navy blue, and pants anywhere from “beige” to tan, khaki, or brown. This code was recently updated- here’s how I found out (first let me explain that I have ALWAYS dressed modestly): while filling in for a cashier who was on break, I waited on one of the assistant managers. Several minutes later, after I had returned to my station at the Drop-Off window (pharmacy), he returned with the store’s Co-Manager (a short, lazy woman who I have the utmost DISrespect for- which I wisely keep to myself). I was wearing the regulation company- issued navy polo that day with brown capris. She asked me to STEP AWAY FROM THE COUNTER so that she could inspect the length of my capris, which apparently are now required to be MID-CALF- mine were just below the knee. I had a flashback to Catholic high school and having to get down on my knees while the nuns confirmed that my skirt was long enough to touch ground! (meanwhile there were always girls whose skirts were so short God forbid they should drop a pencil and have to bend over to pick it up!) As far as I know, at least the order forms are still in the lunchroom, there is a company issued woman’s skirt with a length of 21 1/2 inches (just ABOVE the knee on the model in the photo), yet my capris are somehow unprofessional/offensive?! And get this – I work for WALMART!!! where apparently the length of an associate’s capri pants is of the utmost priority!
Sue, you are my new hero! You are my hero because a) you put up with this crap and b) you work for Wal-Mart. Actually, you are my hero BECAUSE YOU WORK FOR WAL-MART!
See, I don’t mean to be rude, but Wal-Mart offends me on so many levels that I simply refuse setting foot in one. I wished you would have seen my old rantings on them before the database crashed and I lost over two years of blog material.
If I would have been approached by the short, lazy co-manager (what in the world is a co-manager??), it would have been bad times. I don’t do well with brown-nosing, lazy rule nazis, especially not the kind who generally seems to be ignoring the rules for themselves, and seems to have nothing more important to do than measuring the length of a co-worker’s capris!
I would have told them that the key to Wal-Mart’s success is probably found elsewhere, then would have pointed out the specifics (like making sure they don’t keep getting class-action suits filed against them for discrimination) and would have walked out. Please tell me that there is another place for employment where you live???
LOL- I keep wishing they would get a Target here! not that that’s much better, but it’s at least a lot quieter!
I wish I had thought of doing what one of the cashiers did- showed up in shorts the next day and said “now THESE are short!” -if I hadn’t put on some weight recently I have a few short skirts
! At the time I was in a state of shock (though I don’t know why anything shocks me anymore) but if it’s mentioned again, I think I’ll play the sexual harassment card.
No there really is no other place that could pay me the paltry $14.34/hour I’ve worked my way up to in 14 years with this company- at least not without moving to the city, and since I have no formal degree right now and no other work experience I doubt that I could find anything there either. And working an additional part time job- besides exhausting me- would jeopardize my son’s college scholarship.
Also Wallyworld does have the advantage of allowing me easy transfer to almost anywhere in the US- so if I can maintain my sanity long enough to get through college/pharmacy school (*sigh*- I’ll end up in the back of the WalmartWorld mag by then, in the list of 20 yr associates),then I can figure out where I want to settle (definitely near a large body of water!) and get the hell out! Actually I’m hoping to at least move out of this hypocritical Bible Belt state (TN) in about 3 years.
One of the worst things about Walmart though is the customers- maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s the heavy tourist traffic here, but it seems like when I’m at a Target or ANY other store I don’t hear the RUDENESS and impatience that I hear from customers here. It’s not just the management that treats us like robots- it’s the CUSTOMERS! In the pharmacy they’ve gone so far as to ask us why we had to shut down for lunch?!? (which we only do on weekends when there is only one pharmacist on duty and only for 30 MINUTES!) I used to be very idealistic, and believed in the good in every human being and that everyone is capable of changing for the better- there’s nothing like working in retail (and especially retail pharmacy) to make a person loathe humanity. Fortunately we also have some very kind, appreciative customers to balance that out- if it weren’t for them I think I would have to be on anti-depressants (like so many of our employees are!)
Yes, I think I will agree with you. Wal-Mart has a very unique customer base, namely a pretty trashy one. This is why I will not set foot into a Wal-Mart, no matter what! I think I have managed to visit a Wal-Mart maybe three times in my entire life. I hate to say it, Sue, but I am actively boycotting them. I can’t help but think that Wal-Mart stands for almost everything that is wrong with this country, so I happily shop Target, or even expensive department stores, before I go to one of “them.”
I think I should write another blog about “Why Wal-Mart Employees are on Anti-Depressants” hahaha!
I’ll be looking for that blog!
And yes even though I can’t really afford it, I actively shop at other grocery stores (we don’t get a discount on groceries anyway!) -I believe in keeping the competition in business!
Great article, lots of intersting things to digest. Very informative
Wow – Wal Mart! Evil empire of retail! I’m so sorry, Sue – please keep the competition going and may I suggest the store in Lake Forest, CA when you make that transfer someday!
But back to dress code – Carmen, you know this is one of my favorite topics also, not just in the workplace, but in society at large. My grandma tells me how back in her day ladies would put on their hat and gloves to go out and do the grocery shopping. We’ve come a long, LONG way from that. I am not sure it has been an improvement.
Funny that one should make a comparison between customers of Wal Mart and Target and their general behavior in this blog. You will also notice that customers of Target tend to be far better dressed than those at Wal Mart. There’s a certain mindset that goes with not caring about your appearance, and that, I’m sure, is further evidence of the quality of folks who shop somewhere because they are eager to save a few pennies and treat the employees of said place like crap.
Yes, I agree with the Heathecliffe. As a matter of fact, I recently purchased work clothes at Target. They have a great and very cheap selection of business casual stuff
And somehow, their stuff fits well too.
Sorry, Sue, but Wal-Mart scares me a little. Just passing by their parking lots makes me run the other way!
thanks for all the encouragement
-more on the dress code in general: something I noticed after moving to the South that I hope has not become a trend elsewhere- people shopping in their pjs and slippers? I’ve seen people that look like they literally rolled out of bed and came to Walmart, but mostly it’s teenagers done up like they’re at a slumber party.
As for running the other way, this one’s in a tourist town- sometimes running would be quicker than driving with the traffic around here! -and don’t get me started on the idiot drivers!
Thanks Heathcliffe for the tip on the Lake Forest store- I’ll look into it!
“Heathecliffe” -sorry!
This the best article I have ever seen before….