Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Leopard print in the office?

89 replies

alexa1789 · 08/03/2017 11:20

Advice please...

I'm wearing a leopard print top at work today. The top has thin straps but is not low-cut or sheer. I'm wearing it with a long black pleated skirt and black tights. My make-up is very neutral.

I just bumped into a senior manager at work and he joked that I look like I'm "off to Ibiza" today - I guessed this was a comment about the top. We work closely together and he's a nice guy and would never have meant to offend. I laughed with him but now I'm worried my appearance is unprofessional today and I'm planning to spend the rest of the day wrapped up in my massive shawl.

I hardly think I look like I'm off on a night out but maybe leopard print in the office is a no-go? What do people think?

OP posts:
Elendon · 08/03/2017 12:08

Not just a vest top obviously (though if it was combined with shorts I'd probably have to scream in the toilets).

CarrieMyBag · 08/03/2017 12:08

Agree with the comment it's the combination of straps and leopard print.

I also find that many men don't get leopard print.

AnotherTimeMaybe · 08/03/2017 12:09

Elendon I wouldn't mind at all if the males came in with a vest!!!

Elendon · 08/03/2017 12:12

I'm not on a beach Worra. I don't mind it in a social setting at the weekends. But in work, I think the dress should be conservative (with people wearing proper shoes too, I'm not liking your smelly bunion feet). I think it makes for more equality in the work place as well.

Elendon · 08/03/2017 12:13

Just cover yourself up. 50% of the workplace have to do it, so should women as well.

GirlElephant · 08/03/2017 12:14

It it was a strappy top I would wear it with a suit jacket and keep the jacket on all day. When I worked somewhere with casual Fridays strappy tops were against the dress code as it was expected not to show shoulders any day.

I think animal print is okay as long as the rest of the outfit is smart. So I've worn animal print tops with smart trousers/skirt & dark tights

Bluntness100 · 08/03/2017 12:18

Ah, I see - come to think of it, it is most likely the straps rather than the print!

AnotherTimeMaybe · 08/03/2017 12:18

Elendon what does that 50% comment about? Do you assume that male:female is 50:50? In what industry?
Women should wear what they feel like wearing as long as it doesn't break any obvious codes... She's not wearing skinny shorts is she? An animal print is hardly code breaking! What are you wearing at work today?

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/03/2017 12:18

Elendon I'm glad I don't work with you! I don't wear strappy tops to work but I would wear a sleeveless top and shock! horror! I wear sandals in the summer!

SapphireStrange · 08/03/2017 12:20

Yeah, I'd say it was the strappiness that was the issue. Maybe combined with the print it looks even more 'Ibiza', but I think a leopard print on, say, a cardigan or a long-sleeved top would be fine.

Generally I think bare shoulders/thin straps are to be avoided in the office. Under a cardigan, jacket or shawl, fine.

FrenchLavender · 08/03/2017 12:22

Thin straps....? HmmConfused

No. No bare shoulders, armpits on display and spaghetti straps in a professional environment please. I think the leopard print has probably just added insult to injury but in itself I don't think it's necessarily a no-no.

Bluntness100 · 08/03/2017 12:23

Sleeveless tops are fine, but there is a big difference between a shell top and a camisole...

HandsomeDevil · 08/03/2017 12:24

Yes to leopard print, no to strappy tops.
I work in a rather conservative environment and would be expected to cover my shoulders (sleeveless ok if shoulders covered IYSWIM). Several of us wear animal print tops, though, but always keeping the rest of the outfit pretty sober.

Elendon · 08/03/2017 12:29

Would people be happy if their food was checked out by a person wearing a strap vest? Men don't tend to shave under their arms. This is a working environment too. I don't want to see people's bare feet.

I work in an educational environment, but I'm not in work today. Certainly the students have to have a dress code.

AlpacaPicnic · 08/03/2017 12:29

Someone in my old place of work was sent home once for turning up to work in a pair of hotpants, high heels and a strappy vest. Her job was delivering to local nursing homes.
The manager told her off (we had a dress code that everyone had to follow) and sent her home because 'she could give some poor resident a heart attack turning up looking like that!'

TeethDrama · 08/03/2017 12:30

I'm with elendon, I don't want to see loads of bare legs and shoulders and back and chest unless it really is a very casual office and most or all people in it do so (or it is "their" norm).

In a bob standard office, where most people wear suits or smart tailored type clothing, leopard print or strappy tops (not sleeveless, but strappy) are going to be distracting. Not sexually so, but more in that it's too reminiscent of nights out/holiday/weekends so is jarring to the eye for that reason. also it's like one person is going against the accepted norm.

It depends on intention though. We had an office admisytator who wore things like leggings you could see her knickers through with, strappy tops and mismatched stuff inappropriate for our professional office environment. She genuinely had no clue about appropriateness.

thethoughtfox · 08/03/2017 12:32

Strappy tops are not appropriate for work IMO. Add the leopard print and its sexy/ brash connotations and it becomes noticeably inappropriate. If it was a leopard print high necked blouse or jumper / cardigan, it might not be a problem.

PickledCauliflower · 08/03/2017 12:35

I think leopard print looks really smart when it's not over done.
It may be more about the thin straps as others have said.

TeethDrama · 08/03/2017 12:35

(In addition to previous post): the administrator was not trying to raise a reaction by her inappropriate dress and everyone knew that. She was not trying to be foxy or actually advertise the colour of her knickers to all and sundry, she was just very bad at choosing clothes and was rather unkempt generally and you could see that. So people more felt sorry for her than annoyed.

Strange how "intention" or "desired effect" of clothing choices can cause different reactions!

gillybeanz · 08/03/2017 12:40

I think it's the straps tbh.
I work in a call centre where you dress down, so t shirt and jeans.
The only uniform rule is no strappy tops, you have to have capped or short sleeves.

specialsubject · 08/03/2017 13:03

Leopard looks a bit daft to me, but it does sound like the issue is too much skin for the day job. Bloke in a vest would be equally inappropriate.

Only a passing comment though.

BalloonSlayer · 08/03/2017 13:04

I am a woman and I don't "get" leopard print either.

To me it is a statement "I am making an effort to look sexy." Which I am guessing is what the men who don't get it think too.

I think it's me age. To me Leopard print = Bet Lynch/Kat Slater

RhiWrites · 08/03/2017 13:19

It's international women's day. Don't huddle in a shawl because of a man's casual comment about your top. Wear leopard print with pride.

MrsTwix · 08/03/2017 17:18

I wear sleeveless tops to work because if I didn't I would boil to death. They even tested me for premature menopause. It seems I just run hot.

bluetongue · 09/03/2017 07:31

I wear sleeveless tops in the office all the time. Thin straps are probably a bit much though.

Surely exposed upper arms / shoulders are less inappropriate than excessive cleavage or overly plunging necklines?