On being fashionally repressed

By curiousillusion ( August 21, 2009 at 6:51 pm) · Filed under personal, work, , ,

Lately I’ve been ranting up a storm about something that I find so ridiculous, I can’t wrap my mind around it: my new job’s dress code for women. Now I understand that dress codes are important – my previous job didn’t have much of  a dress code and several employees took advantage, which resulted in some women looking completely inappropriate.  However this dress code is just beyond excessive… and kind of depressing.

My main issue is with the skirt length – it has to fall below the knee.  Now I don’t go for the mini skirt look or anything but every single one of my skirts falls right at or slightly *above* the knee.  It doesn’t make me look unprofessional at all… in fact, I always tend to look professional, if I do say so myself.  A skirt any longer than that would result in me looking frumpy, I’m too short.

But that’s not all.  Shoes are apparently a big deal.  No high heels, no sandals, no open-toed shoes, no clogs, shoes must have backs (not just a strap, an all out back)… basically ballet flats (which I stocked up on over the summer) are all I’m allowed to wear.  Which is fine but most of the time the back of shoes irritate the backs of my feet and pain is not good, especially when I’m standing up all day.

Anyway it’s just too much.  Basically the people who came up with this dress code are men whose wives must completely cover themselves up, due to their culture/religion.  And that’s fine for them (well, I guess it’s fine?) but if that’s the route this job is going, I will not stay longer than a year.  I don’t have much of a wardrobe or a fashion sense, I suppose, but I am not about to spend what little money I earn in order to revamp my clothes to fit the rules.  Yes, pants and a top are appropriate and I do wear that sometimes, but there’s something about a skirt that makes me feel… I don’t know.  Girly?  Professional?  Happy.

So anyway, to heck with that – I’m gonna wear what I’m going to wear.  And if I’m going to get in trouble for wearing a skirt that is above my kneecap instead of below it, then so be it.  (Ok I’m not completely a rebel… a girl at work wore a skirt that was right above her knees for meet the teacher and no one said anything to her.)  As a co-worker said the other day… it is what it is.  I kinda just hope I don’t get in trouble… I love my skirts!

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  • ronnica
    I hate how dress codes are always behind the times because they're written by older people or not updated in many years. It's not scandalous to wear a skirt that shows the knees or high heels! I have friends that can dress fairly casually, but they can't wear flip flops. They're no longer just for the beach...and haven't been for some time! Thankfully, I'm the only girl in my office, so I basically set my own dress code which is: no jeans. Yep, that's about that. (I dress pretty modestly anyway)
  • I agree that short people shouldn't wear longer skirts. I makes our legs look even shorter than they are.

    I can understand the shoe thing. The workplace of a friend had to change their shoe policies for safety reasons. A person wearing sandals at work can hurt their feet much easier and gain compensation. This looks bad on a workplace so they put in stricter rules for footwear. If that makes any sense?
  • justtheashes
    Id just wear them until someone says something. I wore my mary jane crocs to work alllll the time before the broke, and no one said anything, even though they werent closed backed.
  • I'd kill myself if I worked at a company that had a dress code that strict. I used to get in trouble in junior high school because my shorts were too short. Our school had the most stupid dress code that shorts had to be 3 inches BELOW the knee. Yes, below the knee!

    It was incredibly stupid especially if you are a tall kid who is extremely leggy. After the 4th time of getting in trouble I just asked the teacher that always sent me to the princpals office as well as the principal that if they didn't like my shorts they could buy them for me as most stores do not sell shorts that fall that low below the knees. Oh yeah, I also got in trouble because my stirrup pants (yes it was all the rage in the early 90s) were too tight.. So basically long leggings that are meant to be tight were too tight. Um in the 7th grade I was about 80 pounds, extremely skinny, with no freaking curves. My teacher was just a bitch.

    Like Heather said, I'd wear pants to work for the first few days to scope out what all the other teachers are wearing and then make your decision about what you think you can get away with. As for shoes, I think the shoe dress code is ridculious. Seriously? No heels, no clogs, no open toes... yeah thats just crazy.

    I'm so glad where I work I only have a dress code on days that we have meetings with clients etc which is sooooooooooo rare due to the fact that we are in Canada and most of our customers are in the US.
  • What??!? What is up with that dress code? Talk about repression! I mean is it 1949? You keep on wearing your skirts... I am sure they are adorable! :)
    On the flip side, I sort of wish they'd enforce some sort of dress code at my school. Some teachers come in sweatpants and t-shirts and sneakers everyday. Others rock flip-flops, but the worst is the group of social studies cougars that wear low cut tops, tight jeans, heels, and short dresses/skirts. One of them even wore white pants with a visible black thong last year!
  • Oh my word. I can't believe it's THAT strict!! I say go for it--wear your skirts and see what happens!
  • TotallyHeather
    That seems a little excessive. I'm sure you won't get in trouble for wearing a skirt just above the knee. Maybe could could wear pants the first few days just to see what other teachers are wearing? And when they start wearing heels and shorter skirts, you can too. That way you, the new girl, don't stick out immediately.
  • justtheashes
    Just below the knee would probably be even easier to get away with. Are they going to get our a ruler and measure? Above the knee is more noticable though.
  • What about some pretty slips that have a lacey bottom to stick out under the skirts and make them look longer? I do that sometimes, and there are places online to get super cute ones in different colors and hem styles.
  • Yikes! That is a bit excessive. I guess if you did get in trouble you could always use the excuse of discrimination.
  • Wow, that's pretty crazy.
  • no i agree w/ you. the dress code is redonk! heck the 2 catholic schools i taught in, the teacher dress code was not that strict. we're adults, we can use our best judgement
  • I bet they only have a dress code so they have something to draw on if people are dressing inappropriately, so I think a little fudging of the rules shouldn't be a big deal.

    The shoe thing seems a bit weird though! I wonder why that is.
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