Sleeveless top for work - yes or no

[FallenFigs]

i work in an office. SME not corporate.

is it appropriate to wear a sleeveless top or dress, or not?

A colleague was today and I certainly didn’t think it looked inappropriate, but in my head I don’t think I’d be comfortable. And no way would a guy do it. Seems unfair they are generally still in trousers and shirts (albeit short sleeved) whilst the women are in dresses.

would you, or not?

It’s a fine line, isn’t it? I didn’t when I taught in a secondary school but I do now I teach in a college, so it depends where on the formality
line your workplace falls. And hot days are one of the few times women really do have it better in the workplace IMO! Loose linen dress for me today while my male colleague was sweating in trousers.

Yes definitely and I have a professional career. As above a sleeveless linen dress is something I have and would wear to work. Strappy top no, but sleeveless yes.

Sleeveless yes. Strappy no. Wide coverage of shoulder.

Agree with this.

100% no in my opinion

actually one of the guys today did have shorts on - knee length. Totally fine with that.

Agree not strappy. Although the vest I am thinking off for the outfit is a bit racer-back so poss not enough coverage of back of shoulder. And that is a white bit.

This

In very hot weather I think the rules relax a bit, so sleeveless is fine as long as it's not skimpy or showing back or side boob.

We have no air conditioning at work so we would die if we didn't adapt.

I may need to adjust for the showing of back.

Still, it is unfair on the guys. They are far more limited in how they can adapt.

Wow, this is a thing? I have worked in an office for 12 years, seen plenty of shoulders, have never been offended.

Women should be able to wear what they like. Unsure how showing your shoulders off is anything bad whatsoever?

As long as it’s not as strappy dress or vest type of top then yes, it’s fine

It is on the face of it unfair on men (which seems to be what you are trying to get us to comment on).

on the other hand, their extra pay, assumed competence and frequent promotions makes up for it.

I waft around in maxi dresses all summer, including those which reveal my shoulders - senior role, corporate office in a traditional and historically quite stuffy area of financial services. I’ll put on a smart cardigan or jacket for clients or an external meeting, as I know that older men in the industry can be conservative about dress and wouldn’t dream of not wearing a suit jacket and tie whatever the weather; but when I’m just working with colleagues in the office I don’t consider my shoulders offensive.

I’m a teacher and I regularly wear tops like these attached- are these the type you mean OP?

It's fine, sleeveless but not strappy. Don't worry about the men because, you know, men made up the male dress code. They can change it.

I have no problem with sleeveless at any level.
Like the ones Marianos just posted.
I do have a problem with anything strappy or showing cleavage. Not for the office.

I'd agree with this. I was at a meeting this afternoon with lots of representatives from different large corporates and all the women (except me) were wearing sleeveless dresses or shirts. I work in quite a traditional / stuffy environment and nobody would care about sleeveless at all.

I regularly wear ones like those that have been posted.

Exactly the styles that @MarianosOnHisWay has posted

I only realised that not showing shoulders was a thing a few weeks ago in conversation with my boss the other person on our SLT. My whole summer work wardrobe is sleeveless but similar to those above and I had never even considered they might not be appropriate! Apparently they (both female) think they are not professional!

Tbh, considering that until recent years, “looking professional” in many industries demanded that women wear makeup and high heels; and that even more recently than that (and arguably still the case quite widely) things deemed “unprofessional” in the workplace included most of the protective hairstyles used for afro hair, I’m not sure that I’m willing to put much stock in traditional white, middle class, male structures of professional dress.

It’s not whether it’s got sleeves, it’s the overall style. Sleeveless is totally fine in a professional corporate environment, if it is otherwise modest and smart.

Very confused by this

the styles posted by the pp above are more than fine and I work in a very corporate environment

also lots of tailored women’s work dressses are also sleeveless- it’s the non cleavage, side boob or strappy top that’s the issue

eg this is fine isn’t it!?

www.hobbs.com/product/ophelia-aline-dress/0122-5931-9845L01-BLACK-10.html?utm_source=linkshare&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Redbrain&utm_content=15&utm_term=UKNetwork&ranMID=38595&ranSiteID=pfxNKSnglIM-fkCF5yjxso5jRJMQBrv05g&siteID=pfxNKSnglIM-fkCF5yjxso5jRJMQBrv05g&PubName=Redbrain&SID=3354356

The Hobbs dress is lovely and fine for office attired imo.

Interestingly, when I went to commercial college back in the 80s to learn typing and shorthand, the rules were: arms covered, short neat nails with no nail polish and always, always wear hosiery. (The hosiery rules were also applicable to shop girls who worked in Woolworths at that time as my mate worked there!)

Anyway, it's 2022 so go for it!