To think that spaghetti strap dresses/tops are not appropriaye/professional office wear no matter how hot it is?

[SerenDippitty]

Except perhaps on a dress down Friday and perhaps not even then.

I think when it's extremely warm then an exception is no big deal. Why would you be staring st what others are wearing when you should be working.

Are you the boss?

Why does it bother you so much?

It isn’t exactly professional, no, but there are worse things one can wear to the office.

Are people in your office actually showing their SHOULDERS!!! The horror!

I agree, they aren't. Is there a company dress code?

I agree with you OP, but I think we're in the minority

I suppose it depends what they're job is and who they're meeting. Unless it's particularly formal (i.e. the Queen is stopping by for a nosey), I don't think there's any harm in some spaghetti straps.

If someone’s role isn’t outward facing it doesn’t matter what they wear, for goodness’ sake.

Why should what someone is wearing have any relevance to anyone other than that person? Unless you need a specific uniform to do a job, what you wear has absolutely zero impact on your ability to perform in your role, and even less impact on anybody else.

Surely it depends on the office?

There are offices that lean ‘casual’ where it’d be completely fine, and offices that lean far more conservative where bright nail polish or lipstick, bare legs, sandals are all frowned upon.

There’s no universal standard here. Why does it bother you?

One of my colleagues was in a beautiful, office appropriate silk top with spaghetti straps today. It was loose and tucked into a smart skirt. Context of an overall outfit is what matters - and agree with others that life is too short to fret about such things.

I absolutely agree. It would be against my company dress code (which I agreed to when I took the job)
No issues with showing shoulders but straps should be wider

I think you're confusing office wear and professional attire, they're completely different things. Simply working in an office means pretty much anything can be appropriate, it depends entirely on the business and what everyone there agrees, there are no safety concerns requiring closed boots or lack of flowing clothes. Anything is appropriate.

Professional attire is different, and there are jobs where specific uniforms are appropriate, however for most of those again where simply "looking smart" is the uniform, there is nothing wrong with showing shoulders in hot weather.

It’s 30 degrees here and I’m 7 months pregnant, sorry if the straps offend you but I’m not going to make myself ill and uncomfortable to appease you

But some offices are bloody boiling at the minute. A few days of spaghetti straps isn’t going to ruin a business.

Tend to agree but very much depends on the office. If it's a formal office (men in shirts and ties) then yes, it's too much skin IMO, there's plenty of nice summer tops covering shoulders.
In a more jeans/chinos office then I think it would be fine, but always comes with a caveat of how low cut the top is!

It's not an issue where I work - I'm in IT though so a shirt with a collar is already dressed up :-)

We did however have one woman that wore those handkerchief tops - the ones that tie at the neck and waist leaving the whole back bare. That struck me as a step too far but nobody ever said anything.

Pick your battles op. Life really is too short to think about what someone else is wearing.

It really depends if the job is client facing. If not then who cares if they dress casually when it's very hot? If they're meeting with client's or other business associates not in the same company then I guess it's not very professional.

And see a BRA STRAP??? Heavens no, the poor men wouldn't be able to concentrate on their difficult work.

I don’t have an opinion on this either way, but could someone please tell me why there is a difference between a spaghetti strap and a wider strap? Surely shoulders are still shoulders if that is the problem?

People aren't going to run out buy 'cool' office wear in this weather- we don't have it enough to warrant it. If you can afford it, fine go ahead, not everyone can.

What's important is that staff are comfortable surely?

Totally depends where you work. I run a media agency and it would be fine. Our dress code is very casual (as are our clients). Only no no is shorts flip flops and sports wear.

If that's not the case where you work then fair enough. But your statement's a bit sweeping.

The question really is why does it bother you so much?

Your mention of a 'dress down Friday' implies that you work in a formal corporate type environment, in which case I'd agree that vest tops are out. If casual dress is the norm, it's a different story obviously.

I always got very annoyed and felt sorry for the men in the office during heat waves - they had to wear a suit regardless. No rolling sleeves up and wearing a tie. Meanwhile the women were wearing flip flops and spaghetti tops etc, and the bosses didn’t ever want to say anything for fear of being accused of harassment or anything ekse. Everyone should be held to the same professional standard if that’s the office environment.

I think anything is appropriate attire if your fucking underwear is not showing. I hate bra straps more than anything ever.