To think bare legs at work isn’t unprofessional

[Basketofkittens]

I work in a non customer / public facing role in an office. Today as it was hot I wore an nice knee length A-line skirt and a T-shirt. All very respectable. Think White Stuff style. With ballet flats.

One of the more senior managers pulled me up and said that bare legs and a casual skirt weren’t appropriate. She was wearing linen culottes and flip flops.

In my last job I would wear a maxi dress and sandals in the heat but there was no formal dress code. I looked at the dress code for this workplace and it’s smart-casual. Knee length skirts and smart tops are in the acceptable column. Flip flops are not.

Normally I would wear a smartish work dress with tights but it’s just too sticky and the office has poor ventilation.

I had a look around our office over the last couple of days.
All the blokes have had 3/4 shorts, t shirt, trainers, ( usually adidas) and base ball caps.
One woman wore knee length denim shorts and a long line vest top and flat strap sandals, another a floaty dress with nikes, the manager has had a denim skirt and white t shirt.
I had flip flops on today ( but a pair of shoes if in case I got called into a meeting at short notice in my car)
Not a pair of tights in sight.i know some people will be horrified but that's our work culture. If any one dressed up a bit,unless it was to go to court or something serious was happening they would 1 , be teased without mercy and 2, everyone would wonder what they are up to!!🤣🤣
We are classed as professional workers in a LA.

‘“I am sorry, i don't think that bare legs look as good as many of you think that they.look.”

My legs look like ... legs. They’re pale, have some thread veins and you can track the main veins on them because they’re very white. In skin coloured tights, they look just the same but with a delightful fake tan tint (they don’t make them my skin tone) and a cling film sheen. You need to get to 40 denier to cover up anything effectively.

I’m not living in trousers or maxi skirts because, as a woman, my legs aren’t judged as aesthetically pleasing enough to be exposed. I don’t see anyone policing the men wearing shorts as their ‘running errands’ weekend uniform from March to September and they range from 20 something to 50 something.

This!

This kind of ridiculousness takes me back to the 1980s. I was going out with an RAF pilot and the rules insisted that he wore a shirt, tie and suit at all times in the mess when not in uniform. He had a brilliant budgie blue polyester suit with wide lapels plus a range of disgustingly patterned shirts and ties to wear for this purpose; he was within the rules at all times. I think I last wore non- opaque tights in the 1990s.

The idea of professional wear has changed since the 1980s, the era to which nude tights belong.

If it is an NHS job then the manager is just being a bully. If you have only just started the job I would watch out though OP as although she is out of order she could sack you if you complain about her.

I will wear tights in summer once my working environment has air conditioning so I am not left sweaty and uncomfortable. As I teach in a state primary school, this is not going to happen.

I have sky lights which I can’t pull blinds over, a wall made entirely of windows, a door which has to be shut for safeguarding reasons and a desk fan that I bought myself. Also, I have 25 yr5 and 6 children.

Has that person been outside UK to any country with warm weather eg 25°C. Hardly a leg with tights to be seen. US, Australia, Italy, Greece, Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, would think you were mad turning up in tights in the current heat. Flip flops are for the beach.

Get a fake tan and wear the same skirt again next week. Sounds like jealousy.

If I'd had someone wearing flip flops say that to me I'd have laughed.

Dungeondragon15 - yes she could “sack” me if I complain but it’s the NHS with procedures, policies and stages to go through.

And it’s not a job I envisage doing for a long time anyway.

... who wears nude tights

And me. The thermostat on the aircon in the office is set to 1 degree above Baltic so I need them to keep warm. Opaques in this weather look a bit daft.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxhlw5AyKuw&list=RDVxhlw5AyKuw&start_radio=1

I work in the NHS and had a look at what the ward clerks and medical secretaries were wearing today. Most of the women were wearing summery tunics/dresses over thin leggings, with white trainers. One had cropped trousers and a blouse. No bare legs in sight (apart from bare ankles).

I think bare legs with a knee length skirt is impractical if you have to bend over/reach up/sit in meetings/crouch down etc.

Flesh coloured tights and high heels will be on the list of 21st century habits - (alongside making bicycles share the same road as a car!) - that in 100 years time will be on the list of really weird things they used to do in the past - in the same way as we now think of bustles and long dresses.

Long dresses are still pretty common Figment.

Long dresses are brilliant: pretty, comfortable, keeps you cool, hides stubbly legs days

I don't own a single pair of trousers so I do wear tights a lot, including nude tights in what often passes for uk summer. But not in proper high summer heat wave weather! Uncomfortable and thrush inducing.

The only exception to that rule is if I'm going somewhere really formal as they are still expected.

(I've just NCd btw, not a new poster, just a new nn).

Bare legs is casual but nowhere near as casual as flip flops so she’s being an absolute

tights cause thrush? You’re not wearing a skirt & no knickers to air yourself whilst at work surely ???

@AverageMummy- I'm going to be the only person in the entire building today so I could if I wanted to. May be I will! I only really wear cotton knickers because they're more breathable.

tights cause thrush? You’re not wearing a skirt & no knickers to air yourself whilst at work surely ???

My ex-wife did (almost) this after her GP told her tights caused thrush. She wore stockings instead of tights though. No knickers.

No more thrush problems from then on.