NBR: How strict is your dress code at work?

Chief_Carters_Lady · May 2009

One of my coworkers has decided that a spaghetti strap dress (no wrap or jacket) is OK to wear to work. I don't really think this is going to go over very well.

But now I'm curious. If you work in an office environment, how strict is your dress code?

chiromommyMichelle · May 2009

We have a vague dress code of 'business casual' which unfortunately leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The only specifics mentioned are no denim, no sneakers. We've had numerous front desk people over the years who stretch that definition waaaaay past 'business' and straight to the casual.

MrsBro6116 · May 2009

There are only 6 people in my office. We can wear whatever we want if we are not going to a meeting (jeans, flip flops, etc). But if people are coming in the office or we are going to a library for training/meeting/whatever we have to be in a minimum of business casual (dress shoes, no flips).

Even with our lax dress code (if you can even call it that) I wouldn't dare wear spaghetti straps without a cover. Just doesn't feel right. imo

sgrl · May 2009

No flip flops, no denim, nothing too revealing.

fairychick77 · May 2009

My work is business casual and we can wear jeans on Friday. I would def not wear a dress with spaghetti straps w//o a cardigan or something over it!

ivs112 · May 2009

It's business casual. I don't have to wear a suit everyday but I have to wear slacks and no spaghetti straps, lol. Sleeveless shirts are ok but they have to cover the majority of your shoulder. Also you have to wear stockings with dresses and skirts which is why I never wear dresses or skirts to work. That's really going to suck this summer!

j37o · May 2009

Suits are preferred at my workplace, but we can wear professional casual from time to time. Nothing low cut allowed for my section of work and no shoulders showing. Two day a week I also must keep 3/4 of my arms covered. It makes buying maternity clothes hard.

MrsCarroll.6-10-07 · May 2009

We are like you guys...business casual that some people take way to lightly. No demin or sneakers. Yet, for some reason our HR doesn't think VANS are sneakers...the same slobo that doesn't tuck in his shirt.

Some people wear flip flops, but they are "dressy" flip flops. I think its weird. I throw on my flops after 5 when everyone leaves sometimes...

I would not wear speghetti straps without a sweater/wrap to work...that would be a no no here I think.

WildHorseFeathers · May 2009

Casual business attire as my place of work has such a diverse set of jobs to do in the same building.

AfterAll · May 2009

I'm a high school teacher and there is shockingly no dress code. There are teachers in their 50s who wear leggings with heels or velour sweat suits with heels. Lots of jeans and polo shirts, khaki's, etc.

I usually wear dress pants and a nice top...I always make sure to cover up as much as possible since I am young and I teach high school kids.

Evelynsmom · May 2009

Yah, that wouldn't be allowed at my place. We can't wear jeans, shorts, sneakers, a dress or skirt above the knee without panty hose (although my boss says as long as we don't have a meeting or need to go over to one of the hospitals we can skip the hose), no shirts with slogans/logos on them and no excessive cleavage exposed.

Ivana_Stolichnaya · May 2009

Ummm...it's just a general office dress code. We're no high end law firm, so anything that looks appropriate for an office is ok. The men either wear a button up shirt with a tie or a polo shirt with slacks. Women are usually in dress slacks and a nice top. Fridays are jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes. Open toed shoes are fine but no flip-flops. Everyone's pretty good with following the rules, however I just passed a woman who is wearing a long black skirt, black and white striped tights and black converse shoes. Hmm

Mandalyn8 · May 2009

AfterAll:
I'm a high school teacher and there is shockingly no dress code. There are teachers in their 50s who wear leggings with heels or velour sweat suits with heels. Lots of jeans and polo shirts, khaki's, etc.

I usually wear dress pants and a nice top...I always make sure to cover up as much as possible since I am young and I teach high school kids.

I teach Middle, but it's basically the same here - most people dress professionally (like you do) but then there are the ones who think it's okay to wear a sweat suit and somehow get away with it.

ArmyBride0604 · May 2009

Loosely business casual - university IT office and people stretch it. No jeans except on Friday but other than that pretty much anything goes. Skimpy is frowned upon though so a spaghetti strapped dress would definitely require a cardigan/jacket.

jwpbride · May 2009

I'm a middle school teacher. We can only wear jeans on Friday if we pay $1, we can wear sleeveless tops, but no tanks (does that make sense?)... and I think that's basically it! Nothing too short or tight... pretty basic.

twobecomethree · May 2009

we're business casual - no flipflops, no jeans of any color, no capris, no spaghetti straps... basically pants/skirt with button down or dress shirt or a dress.

i hate when people try to get away with stuff bc i'm the one that has to call them out on it. HR turned into Fashion Police. ugh.

Jessica Kovacs · May 2009

Ours is very strict (financial industry)

Must wear pantyhose even with open toe shoes!
No capri pants
No corduroy (not sure why?)
No sleeveless of any kind

Yeah. It sucks to work here in the summer time.

Mrs.DeliaMarieP · May 2009

it's not at all however a spaghetti strap dress is not acceptable for safety reasons

I work in a hospital laboratory, so pants, shirts with sleeves (short sleeves are okay), and non-open-toed shoes are required. We wear lab coats over our street clothes.

For the most part, we all wear scrubs. I've been wearing yoga pants for comfort.

jonsdeedee · May 2009

The university is business casual but its up to the individual Directors to determine what is appropriate for their office. I tend to let it be on the more casual side, as long as there is no important meetings etc. No jeans except on Fridays, no t-shirts unless under a sweater or something. No sneakers or flip flops or hats. If I can see your undergarments it is inappropriate (yes I have sent someone home for that.) Oh- no shorts. I once had someone show up in short shorts, pantyhose and hooker heels. I sent her home and wrote her a$$ up.

barefootbride2008 · May 2009

My firm is business casual, though plenty of the partners wear suits regularly. Men typically wear pants and button downs (khakis are not business casual IMO, though in the summer guys will sometimes wear them on Fridays and sometimes with a polo, which many partners HATE). For women the range is pretty broad and we've had lots of presentations about how to dress for success, etc. Women attorneys tend to be relatively careful about what they wear for fear that people won't take them seriously, though less so in the summer when people wear a lot of sundresses. Secretaries here push the boundaries a lot, though - khakis and tees, etc.

FWIW, if you are looking for reviews of maternity clothes for a more formal corporate environment, corporette.com did a post about that a few months ago (just search for "maternity").

smilelari · May 2009

Technically we have a business casual dress code.

It has slowly degraded and a lot of people wear jeans. In fact, I'm wearing jeans today

Considering we rarely see customers and when we do there's plenty of notice there's really no point in dressing up to see each other

maschmidt16 · May 2009

AfterAll:
I'm a high school teacher and there is shockingly no dress code. There are teachers in their 50s who wear leggings with heels or velour sweat suits with heels.

why do women of this age (or any age) think those outfits look good?

I work in a small office and there's no strict dress code although you are expected look appropriate if you are supposed to be at a meeting.

Tonya_G · May 2009

Well, I work at a school, so a spaghetti strap dress would be a huge no-no. But I really don't want HS boys ogling my boobs anyway, so I have no trouble not wearing such things. Our dress code is basically business casual (even though some of the staff who've been around longer are known to walk about in jeans with a dress shirt and tie- not quite sure that's business casual), but Fridays are dress down days, which I love, since it means I can wear my jeans (if only they still fit!)

jessandbrandond · May 2009

MrsBro6116:

There are only 6 people in my office. We can wear whatever we want if we are not going to a meeting (jeans, flip flops, etc). But if people are coming in the office or we are going to a library for training/meeting/whatever we have to be in a minimum of business casual (dress shoes, no flips).

Even with our lax dress code (if you can even call it that) I wouldn't dare wear spaghetti straps without a cover. Just doesn't feel right. imo

this... I even feel umcomfortable in a sleeveless top before I saw someone else do it first. Why would you want to press the limits on something like that?

NikiN09 · May 2009

Construction office, so it's pretty casual. Jeans and t-shirts is the norm. No shorts or skirts or open toe sandals.

egsquared · May 2009

We're buisness casual with jeans on Friday. Pretty much any type of shoe goes - tennis shoes, open toed shoes, etc. I even wear my flip flops to work and often don't change into my dressier sandals all day unless I have a meeting to go to. I don't think though that I would wear spaghetti straps with out anything over it. It's funny, I work in HR and I don't think we actually have a written policy about this and I had a male employee ask me today if open toed shoes were allowed - I think he's jealous of the women wearing sandals now that it's warm.

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