I rarely read the news feed Apple sends across my phone. Mostly because although I have an awesome iPhone 6, which is the totally perfect size for talking, it’s not the perfect screen size for my 20/40 eyes to use for reading. However, as I accidentally scrolled to the left one too many times, May 25th’s New York Times article “The End of The Office Dress Code” caught my questionable eyesight and my attention. I was compelled to explore further investigations of this potential phenomenon via my desktop monitor because, well, I wasn’t wearing my glasses at the time.
The article’s focus is on an exhibit on uniforms and conformity and the ironic relationship between uniforms and fashion. The writer also speaks to the change in attitudes toward what is deemed professional dress in the workplace, a uniform of sorts, especially for women, and how fashion trends have created an evolution of the “dress code”. If a huge, ginormous billionaire such as Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook can admit to wearing the same grey t-shirt everyday to give himself more brain space to “focus his energy on other decisions”, surely there can be no correlation between what we wear to work and productivity, right? Apparently, there was also this social media thing dubbed “Sweatergate” last month, attributable to an joke perpetuated by a Los Angeles meteorologist centering around the need to cover up her bare shoulders while on the air and her male coworker covering them for her….social media went berserk. How dare he! Double standards!! Off with the station manager’s head!! Whereas many moons ago, it was considered crass to wear a tank dress without a sweater or blazer anywhere other than a picnic. Clearly, mindsets about clothing in the workplace are changing and Twitter has neither chill nor sense of humor.
Having worn security uniforms and movie theater usher vests everyday at one point, I appreciate the extra brain space not having to think too hard about your work attire creates as well as the purpose for uniforms and visibility in customer service oriented positions. But in the office as a paper pusher? Nah. The office dress code has long been one of the minor annoyances I struggled with- even before I had an office job. When I began thoughts about a career path, I was pretty adamant with two things – one, I must work indoors 100% of the time and two, I don’t want to wear a three-piece suit and pumps every day. I’m a really casual, calm, cool, and collected individual. Not that I’m a t-shirt and pajama bottoms for work kind of girl, but I am a cute top, curvy jeans, and comfy wedges Señora.
My office attire and my bar attire preferences are one and the same. In my early 20’s, these preferences usually got me written up. Needless to say, I also got sent home a few times to change. Some would argue that it’s common sense to never wear leggings or belly shirts to work; ok, I get the why a belly shirt is wrong thing. But my argument to leggings was always why not?? They are pants. My whoo-ha is covered. Plus, I’m sitting on it anyway. Who cares? I crunch numbers in a cubicle all day. I later realized the answer to my question of “who cares?” was anyone who believed it is the woman’s job to curb male carnal instincts because he just is unable to can. Sexy clothing and bare legs or protruding breasts are a distraction to your office mates and therefore, unprofessional. So are bike shorts on men, unless you’re a courier. Thus, we have created dress codes that spell out for employees how to leave the house everyday because otherwise, if left up to our own vices, we would come in looking like Tina Turner and The Mack everyday and cause such a distraction that work productivity would diminish to near zero. *insert eye roll here*.
I must admit, Human Resources has tried to make dress codes as equal as possible in the last twenty years or so by not making codes gender specific or having a long list of “acceptable wear” just for women. However, as a result of these efforts, I have seen dress codes that are two pages long and require employee signatures to verify it was read. Because for every outfit a female can’t wear, there has to be an equivalent outfit that a male can’t wear listed, too. Pants for everyone; thonged sandals for none. Funny dress code tidbit: my last place of employment actually had the words “no visibly dirty clothing” in its dress code policy. I still wonder why this sentiment had to be put into words…I’m going to assume it was due to someone being extra proactive and not someone who came out the house that morning with ketchup and mustard stains on a white button-up.
My last battle with a dress code was during the mid-2000’s concerning Capri-length pants for ladies. I don’t win many dress code battles, so this one was a milestone for me.The fashion trend was Capri, or knickers, and pumps. I thought it was cute and business casual; my fellow female coworkers thought it was convenient and comfortable. My boss, a lawyer by trade; an Executive Director by title, didn’t like the trend. They were “too close to shorts” he said. He notoriously wore a suit and tie 4 days a week and on day 5 he wore a polo shirt and khaki’s. I persuaded him to consult a few online forums, talk to a couple of women in senior management, and even take a trip to Macy’s to see if Capri suits were in fact being sold as business wear. (They were.) Much to his chagrin, he conceded to allowing the pants as work attire, but inserted a new clause in the dress code – no pants shorter than knee-length. The concern was not that someone would show up in Daisy Duke’s, but that that someone would be male. So to keep the dress code equal, it had to be done. Or, he could have spent that two weeks on doing something else uber important, like focusing on the new document retention policy requirements for nonprofits.
In the constant struggle by GenXers for work-life balance, the happy medium seems to be shifting to glass-enclosed offices, less free coffee, more healthy snacks, and a heightened sense of personal accountability. Professionalism is no longer about designer suits and dressing up for the job you want; it’s an attitude. Now, I am in no way advocating for dirty clothes and pajamas or for showing up to official business meetings wearing miniskirts and flip-flops. However, the traditional three-piece uniform with sensible pumps is staying in the closet, sans interview. My current office’s dress code policy is one line – “be comfortable, but dress appropriately for your day’s business interactions.” Meaning, please recognize sweatsuits to a business meeting with grant makers will be frowned upon and we probably won’t ask you to go to another meeting with anyone ever again. Unspoken, yet, understood. And somehow, work gets done. Imagine that. Clothes and productivity not being totally related. Who would have thought it possible? This girl right here. Oh, and Mark Zuckerberg.
findyourdivatude 