Casual Friday or casual fired day?

The Los Angeles Daily News has banned jeans and tennis shoes in the workplace. Tennis shoes? Do they mean sneakers? Hmm. Maybe newspapers really are out of touch.   

But the paper isn't alone. CNN reports that 64% of employers surveyed have banned flip-flops, 28% have outlawed jeans, and 49% have forbidden miniskirts. More than one-third (35%) of companies have gone as far as to send employees home for unsuitable work garb. Is getting sent home early a bad thing?

Lastly, 41% of bosses said that they would be more apt to promote someone professionally dressed over the colleague in the denim miniskirt, flip-flops and "Baby Mama Seeks Drama" T-shirt.  Anyone else remember Julia Robert's response when questioned about her inappropriate work attire in "Erin Brockovich"? She said: "Ed, I think I look nice."

Does someone in your office dress like she's going to give her dog a bath? Do you think the clothes make the manager?

photo: Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich by Bob Marshak for Universal Studios.

Comments

[Reggie]

As much as I can appreciate maintaining an atmosphere of professionalism it's worth noting that the "acceptable" is totally subjective. When I worked in fashion I would sometimes look around at my colleagues and think, "it takes alot of money to look like you administer a $20 blow job"

[Robert Wayne]

If I had a secretary the first thing I'd tell her is no tattoos and no flip flops on the job. I don't care how hip it is to destroy your skin or wear plastic shower shoes all over the place she's going to dress with some degree of class.

[Roxy]

I'm sick of all-clothes, no action. Clothes do not make the manager, much less anyone else. Clothes are fabric. Some people view it as more than fabric, but some people also pay undue attention to skin color and how pretty someone looks.

In a team, it is polite to wear a "uniform;" yet the office "game" is more about how you play than what you wear. As long as the wearer is comfortable and not a health risk, there shouldn't be an issue. Let's stop fussing about fake professionalism, and focus on what managers actually DO rather than how nicely they fit into the office decor.