A guide to dress codes

[Major Nikon]

[LWolf]

1. Just another reason

that I am a Lone Wolf...I don't, never have, and never will, understand, nor value, societal dress norms.

If it fits, is clean, and in decent repair, it works. It's for me, not for people who are looking at me, and if they don't like it, they don't need to look at it. They can see me, or they can see the wrapping.

That said, I have a couple of old standbys in my closet for the last time I had a job interview (11 years ago) or had to attend a wedding (2 years ago.)

[Major Nikon]

2. I understand them, but not the pointless application of them

If you went to a brain surgeon and he came out in bermuda shorts and flip-flops, would you feel comfortable with him operating on your grey matter? Perhaps if you were otherwise convinced of his competency, but many people are simply never going to make a break with that first impression. Many times you just have to deal with the reality of societal norms, even if you don't agree with them.

Years ago I managed a group of cube rats that had exactly zero face-to-face interactions with the customer working in a building that didn't allow customers anywhere near. When asked about dress codes, I told them to wear whatever they thought they could get away with. Eventually khakis and polos evolved into shorts and t-shirts. When I started taking heat about it from other managers, I told them if they wanted a hall monitor that polices personal appearance for no good reason, they got the wrong guy. This was many years before google and other companies changed the societal norms on dress codes.

[malthaussen]

7. Those "would you feel comfortable" questions...

... rarely work with true rogues. I don't care what any prospective brain surgeon looks like. I think it is simply from observing the fact that the worst con men and incompetents are usually the best-packaged, which tends to make me suspicious of slick appearances.

Some years ago, when I was working as a temp for the census, the corporate fool who had been put in charge of the office tried to impose a dress code. This on temp employees, many retired from careers in which they attained some distinction (several PhDs among them), in a temporary job with an office of folding chairs and cardboard desks. It didn't end well for him, but he got his revenge by numbering all the coat hangers. (Type A to the max, the dude was)

-- Mal

[Major Nikon]

8. True, but most people just don't fit that mold

When people go to a mechanic, they expect them to be in a mechanics uniform. When people go to a nice restaurant and meet the chef, they expect him or her to be in a white coat. When people go to Best Buy, they expect the sales associate to be in a blue polo with a yellow tag. On and on it goes. And while it may very well be all smoke and mirrors, that doesn't change popular expectations.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. the joy of retirement:

I have 1 bra, one dress and one pair of good shoes, in the closet, for "public" attire.

Otherwise,, all caftans, all the time. Perfect for hot weather, now I understand why half the world wears some variant of them.

[lunatica]

4. Prince knew how to dress for all occasions

Mostly just do your thing...

[surrealAmerican]

5. Sure, but ...

... what if you're a woman?

[Major Nikon]

6. Then you get to use all of the above with an extra optional set which is far more complicated