Workplace Dress Codes: What’s Good And What’s Bad

Hey, who's that slob sitting next to you at work? Doesn't  he have to put on a decent pair of pants and a tie?

Maybe not.

I had a friend years ago that worked in sales. Not standing in a retail store, but a sales job that brought him to a variety of businesses and a variety of people. Everything from law offices to small farms, hospital administration offices to construction sites. And something he said stuck with me all these many years later.

'I try dress only about 10% better than the person I'm seeing on business.'

And that brought me back to a memory I had as a kid growing up on a small farm. If someone drove on our yard in a brand new shiny car wearing a sparkling suit and tie, the first thought in my Dad's head was 'Uh oh, this guy wants some of my money', and generally it didn't go well. But if that same guy pulled up in a nice clean vehicle, and had on nice clothes (and no tie, ties meant he wanted money) he would probably get a cup of coffee and conversation. Money from my Dad? Well, maybe, maybe not.

Dressing for the workplace. It's always been important, and of course many businesses have a dress code. So can they tell you what to wear and what not to wear?

Well, according to an article at Business News Daily, it's kind of 'yes and no'.

Businesses are concerned of course about their image and identity. What's appropriate dress for one position may not be for another. As far as legalities, according to the article:

It is legal for businesses to have rules regarding clothing, hair, tattoos, makeup and piercings, so long as the policies do not discriminate based on gender, ability, race or religious beliefs.

Like most things in life, it seems to me it comes down to one thing: common sense. But of course it can't just be that simple in this complicated world we've created. You can read the story and find all the yays and nays for the workplace here.