office wear

When I have to go into the City for work I enjoy trying to spot a tie in the wild.

YABU and managers cannot spend time now punishing people for how they dress. That sort of nonsense wouldn't hold any water anymore. I can't imagine a disciplinary process for how someone looked - just seems crazy and backwards.
I'm sure you could find a company out there strict on clothing, but I wouldnt expect progressive policies or want to work there myself (unless customer facing?)
What's the issue with tattoos (unless offensive)

We are a smart casual office but most of us work from home now, PJs and comfies are what most people wear.

However, we recently received an all company email stating belly tops and athletic wear are not acceptable in the office or on teams meetings 🙃

I’m with you Op. The slovenliness nowadays is just shocking.

And a monocle

Find out where they work and apply for a job then, if you find it hard to work in an office where colleagues’ clothes don’t conform to your personal aesthetic. But if what other people are wearing affects your ability to do your job, you are the unprofessional one here.

And brogues I hope?

I only work well in a 3 piece suit and a top hat.

@Flute56 I'd be more concerned at you working in an office, your spelling is awful,

Tattoos are the least of the office worries,

It's 2024

YANBU to want to dress smartly for work yourself.

YABU to police other people. Live and let live.

They’re not breaking the dress code, so why should they dress like you just because you like it?

Also the tattoos thing is completely separate. People can dress smartly with tattoos or casual with tattoos. Unless there are any company rules about displaying them I don’t see any problem other than that you personally don’t like tattoos.

Look for another job.

I work in the city and suits are gradually dying out. The older generations still wear them, but the younger generation are wearing smart casual and the women are ditching the heels.

Why does what others wear upset you so much? It sounds like you like control and want to control what other people wear. Or maybe you feel unfashionable or out of touch and want people to conform to your clothing preferences?

I work for one of the traditional professions and I never see anyone dressed how you describe unless they’re going to court. It mirrors most of our clients too, we’d stick out like sore thumbs if we wore suits and probably lose work - clients like us to mirror their values.

I work in an office and the dress code is business casual. Yesterday one of my colleagues was wearing crocs 😆 it doesn’t bother me at all but I do think that is pushing it.

So look for another job with a dress code then.

I work in an office and have loads of tattoos, including on my hands so they're always visible. Nobody cares. My job is not face to face with the public or clients.

I'm so glad we are getting past this old fashioned stereotype about tattoos because it has no affect on a person's ability to do their job and I do mine very well.

Why on earth should people have to cover tattoos as long as they’re not offensive. One of the best carers I’ve ever worked with had tattoos up and down his arms. He was brilliant at his job. Same with a night senior I worked with. You would have hated him, he had a tattoo on face and neck but fantastic at the job.

Horses for courses. Back in the 90s and 00s I worked in London and everyone was suited and booted. Now it's jeans and T-shirts (as you said op). It's an ever changing world and people now prefer to be casual and comfy. I prefer to wfh in jeans and a T-shirt, doesn't impact my work and it means I don't have to spend £'s on workwear. I now only own 2x smart outfits that I wear when I go onto a customer site.

I understand where you’re coming from but at the same time a flexible dress code is quite nice.

I work in a professional organisation and before Covid we were expected to dress in formal office wear. Now we aren’t. Which is bizarre as the business of what we do hasn’t changed.

I think if you want to dress smart and formally that’s up to you, just as much as someone in jeans with their tattoos on show. We live in a very different world now, we should be judging less but we don’t.

if you wanted to move for a dress code you might find the culture may not be as kind

I'm a lawyer (in the City, fwiw) and the only people I see in suits these days unless they are appearing in court are barristers' clerks. The world has moved on.

@Flute56 there is an interesting question upthread - what is it about casual office dress that worries you? It's the sort of question that can tell you a lot about yourself if you unpick it a bit.

Were you raised very traditionally, and wish that you'd had this level of freedom in your early career? Or do you see senior staff wearing more formal clothes and want to emulate them? Are you quite rigid in your thinking and feel there should be a clear divide between office and home, and clothes are a marker of that?

just change job to some company who shares your ancient views. Why does it even matter if colleagues are inked etc? You sound superficial and judgemental.

You can easily find a job where people are keeping Next polyester in business

We work in schools as an external provider and we have to wear smart/casual - no jeans/trainers/no t shirts

I get a dress code but working in an office. Sat at a desk all day not talking to public, why does that need a suit or strict dress code?