# not office wear...



## mell61 (17 Jul 2006)

Just needing to vent my spleen...
when I go to work, nice international company, approx 100 people what I really dislike seeing are:
* cheap flip flops, you know the ones, plastic and better suited to pool / gym changing rooms - no problem with elegant ones, its the plastic ones i dislike (if penneys can manage to have nice elegants ones for Eu5 why wear ugly cheap ones???)
* sequins - since when did 'come dancing' direct office wear!   Sequins are for eveings...  just say no to sequined belts / hair bands / cardigans
* any football / sports nylon shirt on casual friday... do people really think this constitutes any form of casual office wear! Especially in good weather... nylon + sweat = not condusive to an amiable work environment!

what else do people dislike seeing on colleagues?


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## ninsaga (17 Jul 2006)

mell61 said:
			
		

> * cheap flip flops,
> * sequins


 I actually don't mind those..it's when the blokes around the office start wearing 'em that really gets on my goat!


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## mell61 (17 Jul 2006)

you bring a goat to work?


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## Purple (17 Jul 2006)

ninsaga said:
			
		

> I actually don't mind those..it's when the blokes around the office start wearing 'em that really gets on my goat!


When is that, cross dressing Tuesday?


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## Oilean Beag (17 Jul 2006)

Visible thongs................ NOT ATTRACTIVE. 
Tight or revealing clothes, some show more skin than the average would on a night out. This casual work wear thing can be very hard to pin down, especially for the girls.


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## mell61 (17 Jul 2006)

or gender bending wednesday?


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## ClubMan (17 Jul 2006)

ninsaga said:
			
		

> I actually don't mind those..it's when the blokes around the office start wearing 'em that really gets on my goat!


Did you work in _Stringfellows _until it closed or something?


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## ninsaga (17 Jul 2006)

mell61 said:
			
		

> you bring a goat to work?



....no... don't be silly..... it's here all the time


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## ninsaga (17 Jul 2006)

Purple said:
			
		

> When is that, cross dressing Tuesday?



yeah..... will probably take a sickie tomorrow at the thought of it


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## ClubMan (17 Jul 2006)

I'm sure your bum doesn't look big in whatever you plan to wear if that's what's upsetting you.


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## ninsaga (17 Jul 2006)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> I'm sure your bum doesn't look big in whatever you plan to wear if that's what's upsetting you.




....eeehhh... thanks and all that...but why are you thinking about my bum there Clubman


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## ClubMan (17 Jul 2006)

Because your goat didn't keep me occupied for long.


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## ninsaga (17 Jul 2006)

ok.. that figures


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## wavelength (18 Jul 2006)

cheap flip flops, sequins ,any football / sports nylon shirt 
 I cant say I am too keen on the items listed but I guess its down to personal taste. While I wouldnt wear them myself I would have no problem if anybody else did!


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## Amygdala (18 Jul 2006)

Guys wearing black shirts with green ties tied in ridiculously large knots.
Ladies who dye their skin orange and their hair blonde, wearing pink tops with glitter.


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## Carpenter (18 Jul 2006)

For the past week the laydeez in my place have been making sweet music, what with the gentle flip, flop of their cheapie footwear on the office carpet.  I'm not into the whole flip flop/ naked feet in work thing myself- think it's best kept at the pool/ beech etc!  Funny thing is , whilst we're all in our short sleeves (dressed for the weather in our non AC building)  there's a guy in the building who's still wearing long sleeved shirt and pullover! Maybe he doesn't believe in wasting money on summer attire?


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## nt00deep (18 Jul 2006)

or maybe he has ye all fooled and has one of those sweaters with a collar and cuffs stuck onto it.


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## Thirsty (19 Jul 2006)

Don't care what anyone wears as long as a) they get their work done and deliver results and b) aren't smelly


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## HelloJed (19 Jul 2006)

Yep, it's not the clothes that annoy me, but a previous co-worker used put on buckets of strong-smelling perfume...it's very off-putting (and sometimes headache-causing)

Found out later that she layered on the perfume because she smoked and felt insecure about the smell in her clothes/hair. News flash: perfume doesn't cover the smell of cigarettes, it just makes it smell more revolting. (She stopped eventually when everyone sitting beside her gave out one day!)


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## MissRibena (19 Jul 2006)

I absolutely don't care what people wear.  In fact, I think the whole thing about what is worn when is fairly anal and harks back to a time when "etiquette" was used as a subversive means of control rather than a pact mutual respect.  The clothes do not make the man and image should not have the importance it does.  I wish people didn't buy into the conformist stuff so easily.

I've suffered at the hands of the smelly workers and it really is the pits (boom boom).  The walking perfurmeries are every bit as bad the ones with shower-phobia.

Rebecca


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## nelly (19 Jul 2006)

if they meet the public then i reckon appropriate apparel should apply but if not then, i don't care so long as there are no bulging bellies, lovehandles or boobs onshow because of illfitting clothes. Strong perfumes also do bug me as i have hayfever.


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## Betsy Og (19 Jul 2006)

the old suit and tie convention is handy though. All you need is a series of shirts and ties, no thought required and it does make the scruffier among us look presentable. So whats wrong with that?

I couldnt be bothered having to put thought and preparation into how I look at work, current solution is quick, easy & effective.


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## TarfHead (19 Jul 2006)

Betsy Og said:
			
		

> the old suit and tie convention is handy though. All you need is a series of shirts and ties, no thought required ..


 
Reminds me of one of my favourite Norm Peterson lines ..

Carla is late one day and her excuse is that she couldn't decide what to wear. When Norm sympathizes saying "Yeah, I hate that", Carla's retort is "But you only have 2 suits".

Norm "Yeah, but I have 3 ties".


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## mell61 (19 Jul 2006)

Re the body odour, I recall years back working with a very sporty girl, who would run 5 mile before work every morning.   The problem was that she didn't do any kind of bathroom / shower / soap and water thing before dressing for work. 
As she was the receiptionist in the office the boss had to have words with her.   It worked fine for a couple of days then back to her old ways.
Last we heard she left (she didn't like the companies attitude to her personal fragrance) and was last heard of working as a stewardess on a charter airline...  I really hope that she changed the ways, 4+ hours of BO in an enclosed space...


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## Betsy Og (19 Jul 2006)

Must be an absolute nightmare having to speak to someone about that kind of thing (BO etc), with the employment acts in one hand & your rosary beads in the other !!, I'd say its a HR minefield.


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## wavelength (19 Jul 2006)

MissRibena said:
			
		

> I absolutely don't care what people wear. In fact, I think the whole thing about what is worn when is fairly anal and harks back to a time when "etiquette" was used as a subversive means of control rather than a pact mutual respect. The clothes do not make the man and image should not have the importance it does. I wish people didn't buy into the conformist stuff so easily


 



			
				Kildrought said:
			
		

> Don't care what anyone wears as long as a) they get their work done and deliver results and b) aren't smelly


 

Completely agree with both points of views!


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## mell61 (20 Jul 2006)

so no-one has any major issue with visible underwear, be it bra straps, thongs or jocks?
or age inappropriate clothing, as I've heard it called recently 1664, looks 16 from the back and 64 from the front...


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## MissRibena (20 Jul 2006)

Well I don't have any issue with it. If someone wants to dress "16" at 64, that's fine by me. I don't buy the whole idea of there being "age appropriate" clothes in the first place. 

Usually I'm too busy to notice what people are wearing at work but I'm no fashionista at the best of times. If someone wants to wear a suit and tie, that's equally ok.

Live and let live I say. Work gets enough of me by having my 7 or 8 hours a day during the prime of my life; they don't get to control any more than the bear minimum as far as I'm concerned (and I don't mean my undies before DrM gets to that comment!! haha).

Rebecca


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## Oilean Beag (20 Jul 2006)

I said visible thongs were a no no


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## Betsy Og (20 Jul 2006)

whats the great bother with visible underwear? Never quite understood why VPL is the worst thing ever


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## mell61 (20 Jul 2006)

VPL isn't the worst of it, how about that guy in the corner who on casual friday things he's Puff Daddy and insists on wearing jeans with a crotch around his ankles and his 'designer' CK's on display.    
A nice delicate summery top with spaghetti straps but a big bustenhalter under it (spaghetti straps = 1 CM wide, bra strap = 5CM wide), even better when top is pale colour and bra is black (i'll throw in here that I'm talking about female colleagues, but I'm open to guys getting in touch with their feminine side)...
Someone wearing popsocks and a skirt thats shorter than said popsocks...  some may say popsocks on their own deserve a place on the list!
The thong one almost a given at this point...


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## Betsy Og (20 Jul 2006)

popsocks... explain

re other stuff you mention, either its ignored/unseen even (not a looker) or attention catching (looker - in which case can do no wrong)


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## Oilean Beag (20 Jul 2006)

VPL I would not notice, the problem is thongs which go it alone with no clothing covering them.


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## wavelength (20 Jul 2006)

Don’t see what the problem with most of the things mentioned. Realistically none of these items cause any hazards-it’s not likely that a flip flop will fly across the office and break a Pc. The only way in which they may cause a problem is by not being atheistically pleasing to some and if the person wearing them is happy with how they look then there should be no problem
If a person is a nice person and good at there job, what they are wearing is irrelevant, well actually if they are not a nice person and do nothing at work-their clothes are still irrelevant.


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## Carpenter (21 Jul 2006)

How about bare feet- some of de laydeez are known to walk around the office in their bare feet in this weather?


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## howareya (21 Jul 2006)

Women with so much fake tan on, theres a smell of it in the room its disgusting


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## Sarah (21 Jul 2006)

Actually wearing flip flops can be considered a hazzard for health and safety...same goes for open toe shoes...depending on what dept you work in, if anything fell on your toes you would be better protected against breaks and cuts with closed toe shoes. 
My peeve is the usual summer dellemia for the fellas....shorts and socks with sandles...and for the women, Very low cut tops...some of those strappy tops are extremely baring and not everyone likes or wants to see THAT much cleavage!!!


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## wavelength (21 Jul 2006)

Sarah said:
			
		

> Actually wearing flip flops can be considered a hazzard for health and safety...same goes for open toe shoes...depending on what dept you work in, if anything fell on your toes you would be better protected against breaks and cuts with closed toe shoes.


 
I picked a bad example with the flip-flops. If for some reason in your job wearing a certain item would cause a hazard it is understandable that you may be required not to wear them but otherwise it should be irrelevant what you wear.


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## muffin1973 (21 Jul 2006)

agree with Mell61 on the pop socks - horrendous looking things (especially if the tops can be seen - ick), although sometimes a necessary evil


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## Betsy Og (21 Jul 2006)

muffin1973 said:
			
		

> agree with Mell61 on the pop socks - horrendous looking things (especially if the tops can be seen - ick), although sometimes a necessary evil


 
I'm still waiting for an explanation of what "pop socks" are.


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## Sarah (21 Jul 2006)

Popsocks = tights that only go up to your knees and without the crotch bit!....horrible looking things to be wearing with a skirt!


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## fobs (21 Jul 2006)

My pet hate is seeing ladies wearing tops with their bellies and love handles on show and also jeans or trousers a foot too long and all threadbare and torn or with a foot of muck on them from trailing on the ground. I think people should wear what they want within reasn but some stuff just isn't office appropriate! 
What is worse though is people wearing the same clothes more than one day in this weather as B.O. is a big problem in a confined office space


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## Purple (21 Jul 2006)

fobs said:
			
		

> My pet hate is seeing ladies wearing tops with their bellies and love handles on show


Poeple with bellies should not wear belly tops.


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## mell61 (21 Jul 2006)

re the overhang on jeans, of love handles and tummys, recently heard them referred to as 'muffin tops' (picture your morning muffin, and that spot just above the paper case....).

I'm all for personal expression, but in a professional business environment I question some of the clothing that people think appropriate. Even if you don't meet the public, if customers / supplier ever visit your work place you should be appropriately dressed, casual friday shouldn't mean any old thing, it should mean smart but slightly more casual clothes (a co-worker defines casual smart as any Ralph Lauren ad).


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## TarfHead (21 Jul 2006)

In this place, there is a published dress code including what is and is not acceptable as casual wear.

It is not enforced. It is evident that what is just plain scruffy to me is casual to others.

In one place where my wife used to work, on casual day she thought a colleague was dressed inappropriately (letting down the sisters  ) and made a comment along the lines of 'this is work, not a nightclub'. The reply was along the lines of 'I wouldn't wear THIS for going out' - implying that she'd be far less dressed for social wear.


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## JohnnyBoy (21 Jul 2006)

hmm.....I like popsocks!


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## RainyDay (21 Jul 2006)

mell61 said:
			
		

> you bring a goat to work?


Stop kidding around.


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## Noor77 (22 Jul 2006)

I always think its funny when guys wear sandals to work! Not that many do where I am, but it still gives me a giggle )

I think women can't win with summer work attire. It seems you are either too skimpily dressed or a total frump. Roll on autumn!!!!


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## angie (25 Jul 2006)

Ah but do you know why pop socks are called pop socks ??? i think its because they used to come in white in the 70's and have pictures of the bay city rollers on them.  Oh for nostalgic times !!!!!


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## Glenbhoy (25 Jul 2006)

> My pet hate is seeing ladies wearing tops with their bellies and love handles on show and also jeans or trousers a foot too long and all threadbare and torn or with a foot of muck on them from trailing on the ground. I think people should wear what they want within reasn but some stuff just isn't office appropriate!
> What is worse though is people wearing the same clothes more than one day in this weather as B.O. is a big problem in a confined office space


Am in 100% agreement with this.
Now, why do people who may be referred to as 'muffins' wear such attire??  Can they not see what they look like before leaving the house?


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## slave1 (1 Aug 2006)

I couldnt care less as long as its not worn for more than one day and there's no BO, have been there with a colleague with bad BO and life was unbearable


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## ClubMan (1 Aug 2006)

Sarah said:
			
		

> tights ... without the crotch bit!


Grand when matched with a peephole bra - but I supposed it depends on the workplace. Have to go now - _Mr. Hefner _needs me.


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## Lorz (2 Aug 2006)

Mell61 - I'm loving your descriptions....

'muffin tops' (picture your morning muffin, and that spot just above the paper case....).

1664, looks 16 from the back and 64 from the front...

Brilliant!


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## mell61 (2 Aug 2006)

i'd love to claim copyright on both expressions, but found them reading magazines, and yes the're pretty descriptive!


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