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 have had my winter wrap on today as the air con is cranked up to max and comes out of the damn floor! It is freezing in mt office.
We do have a dress code even though it is casual dress and strappy shoes and tops are out. And football tops but they are allowed at the moment!

As others have said it all depends on the office. What do people wear the rest of the time?

Many offices are not professional dress wearing offices, regardless of the time of year. In many, women are wearing t-shirt type tops, casual skirts or trousers or even leggings or jeans, plus they might be revealing cleavage or a lot of leg in some offices. If this is the office norm, then a spaghetti strap and bra strap on display would seem fairly normal, along with sandals or even flip flops. Office definitely doesn't equal smart. Many blue collar jobs will have smarter employees, often in a uniform.

If however, your office has men in shirt and tie and women in tailored dresses, tailored skirts or trousers, then to suddenly don a spaghetti strap would be a bit odd - rather like the men suddenly appearing in shorts. Most offices might become a little more informal in the hot weather - so dresses might be sleeveless - but still tailored and with wide shoulders, and the workers probably cover their shoulders for clients. Short sleeve tops would be pretty normal. In lots of offices, bare legs wouldn't be the thing and women continue with tights through the summer and sandals certainly wouldn't be considered workwear.

There is a huge variety.

However, I tend to think that anything which reveals loads of flesh is best kept for weekends and holidays rather than the workplace.

I rarely venture into the office as I tend to WFH.

But, for our office professionals and admin staff, there is a dress code and spaghetti straps are not ok. Good thing imo

The dress code where I work is very formal. Men in suits, women in tailored trousers/skirt/dress/suits. You would never see a short sleeved shirt on a man, and chinos are banned. A top with spaghetti straps would be a huge no no. I’ve been wearing linen t shirts with tailored trousers and heels and feeling like a rebel.

The air con is baltic though so you wouldn’t want spaghetti straps anyway.

Depends on the office.

Unless you have 'pigfucker' tattooed across your shoulders. It's inappropriate then.

If it’s a formal office environment I don’t think strappy tops, flip flops etc... are great. Of course wear them if you want, but I don’t think it’s professional and I don’t think it reflects well

Who on earth cares.
Find something serious to be concerned about.
Bloody spaghetti straps at work, how horrific!

A quick answer, YES your are being stupidly unreasonable! Mind your own business and get on with your own work, in your own "chosen" long sleeved blouse.

I don’t want to see someone else’s cleavage or bum but nothing wrong with spaghetti straps and bare shoulders.

I work in a highly professional company with clients coming in and out modern offices and quite a smart casual approach to dress but this week there's been one girl wondering Round in arse out hot pants my desk overlooks the reception area she walks up 2 flights of stairs next to me believe arse is very much hanging out can't believe she's thought that ok and her manager hasn't told her it's not on

Don't get the OP at all? Why on earth would you want your colleagues not to dress weather-appropriately? Do you object to them wearing jumpers on a cold day? Are the sight of women's shoulders going to cause you some sort of issue?

I don't even understand what the OP is on about? A strappy top is perfectly decent!

This is a heatwave and coming from a colder part of the country my work clothes can’t cope! I would have no objection to my staff wearing spaghetti straps in such conditions. For myself I would wear them when at my desk and put a jacket over the top for meetings. I would prefer staff to be comfortable and working than not

Why is this such a thing? a mate of mine worked at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in the nineties. He was very scene and used to roll into work in tiny, tight little vest tops, much beloved by skinny gay men at the time. His boss and CEO, Andrew Dillon, told him quite robustly one day, "Edward darling, I don't want to see your armpits while we're pondering projections, so cover up duckie. Comme des Garcons are doing some lovely shirts at the moment, just your thing." No offence taken, office equilibrium restored. No-one wants to see armpits, feet bared by flip-flops or very skimpy sandals, too much thigh, knickers (skirts too short, ride up with wear, pants flashed when legs crossed) because it's a workplace, not the beach, it's just obvious, innit?

I don't suppose the op was staring, she just noticed.
It's possible to wear a cool top or dress without it being a sun-type strappy outfit, most people do.

You don't wear your holiday clothes to the office.

It helps if there a company dress code.

@Figgygal in such a 'highly professional company' where you clearly deal with clients so regularly I'd hope your boss is pulling you up on your terrible grammar as much as worrying about what someone is wearing. I'd say that's more important in forming a professional opinion of someone.

P.S. it's 'wandering'.

I often wonder why there are dress codes in offices.
Fair enough if you are front of house and dealing with customers face to face, but on a phone and computer where no bugger except your colleagues to see you, what's the point?
Your work isn't unprofessional due to your clothing, it's more about how good you are at your job.

I’ve just been for a look round a potential new job. Dress code is trousers, hair off the collar, short sleeves, covered feet. Other stuff I can’t remember. Has put me right off!

Off on a tangent here but I’m getting bored with the statement “what a bizarre comment”.

NotARegularPenguin
Would that just be for the men?🤔

I’m kind of with you but also agree it’s not worth getting het up over. I tend to wear smart dresses and trousers with smart tops at work yet my colleagues wears baggy trousers, vest tops and sliders. If she wants to look like that it’s her problem.

I agree. That with men wearing shorts to the office (it’s become the norm in mine) and flip flops.

ilovemypantry. Everyone, skirts and dresses not allowed by the looks of it.

As long as you don't mind men also wearing spaghetti straps then no it's not a problem.
Especially as, according to some on this thread, what you wear is completely irrelevant to how you perform your job. And therefore bikinis and Speedos should be fine ...

So as long as the straps are thick it’s ok... I just don’t understand are shoulders seen as sexual or actually I don’t get it...so a blouse that is buttoned only to cleavage ok? I’ve looked twice at office workers wearing low cut tops more than those with shoulders exposed

I never understood the ban on spaghetti straps tbh. I could understand boob tubes or strapless tops or dresses (I consider those evening wear for parties or having a cocktail with friends) but surely any straps would be ok? It isn't like baring a midriff!

Mind you, in the 19th century ankles were considered as needing to be covered up for decency's sake