To think Tracy Brabin should be able to wear what she wants ?

[Clawdy]

She's been the subject of criticism and vitriol all day about her dress, which she apparently wore to an earlier social event. She's a bright, lively and committed MP, who cares what she wears?

Her tweet pissed me off more tbh. I know you only have so many characters blah blah but 'I'm not a slag, I'm not a tart' implies some women are. I'd rather a tweet 'clapping back' at the language

I said in my earlier post I really like her, I am not a 'fucking idiot' as I think her speech was excellent but her dress was not professional.

Do you make a point of going to social events dressed in a suit on the off chance that you'll be called into work, despite not being scheduled to attend?

I don't know about you, but I do keep an outfit in my office (and several pair of shoes that I can't be arsed to carry around, and a cardigan if I am cold)

Most of my male colleagues have at least a jacket and a couple of ties just in case too.

Bullshit. Just like pretty women can't be smart or that smart women have to be frumpy. It's a stupid outdated stereotype.

it's not. Despite your example, men wouldn't be taken seriously if they rocked in a pair of shorts and flip flop either.

It's being so hypocritical to turn it into a gender issue. If you want to, don't pretend that you honestly believe a male MP would have got away with wearing a similar top... even with a pair of suits trousers.

I'm conflicted because I don't think it was appropriate for the chamber. Not the best choice of outfit in general for day business in my opinion, but her response was brilliant though. Thank god most of us don't get judged for our work wear I'd probably fail most of the time...

I think it was completely inappropriate. Not indecent, just inappropriate. It's not business attire, it's the sort of thing you'd wear to a party. It's tacky and it made her lack gravitas. What on earth was she thinking? Very odd judgement.

I'd no sooner take a female MP seriously in that dress than I would a male MP who turned up to the house of commons in a tracksuit and baseball cap or a shirt unbuttoned the waist and a big gold medallion.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/tracy-brabinukk_5e3afceec5b6b5fb438b7c92/

Never happens.

Brilliant piece @PanicAndRun. Says it all.

Picture the scene. An elected Member of Parliament turns up to work in clothing that seems a little on the casual side. No jacket or tie. Certainly, no fabulous heels.
Are they attacked online? Are they splashed across the front pages of the media? Are they called a “slapper” and a “drunk”?
No, they weren’t. Because that MP was me. And while I wasn’t wearing an off-the-shoulder LBD, despite the fact I could pull one off no problem, I was wearing a pair of Next trackies and a Manchester City top.
In fact, I entered the chamber wearing these trackies and then registered my vote against the Bedroom Tax.

It’s not her detracting from the extremely important point she made. It’s all the fucking idiots who can’t see past what a woman’s wearing

Well perhaps if she didn't wear something that people need to "see past" then we could concentrate on her point?

Displaying a part of the body, which is normally covered up in a business environment, is going to cause comment. Whether that be Tracy Brabin's shoulder, or BoJo's stomach clearly visible due to burst shirt buttons.

BOTH would detract from their message. BOTH would be unprofessional.

Name calling is not on though.

I don't know about you, but I do keep an outfit in my office (and several pair of shoes that I can't be arsed to carry around, and a cardigan if I am cold)

I don't have my own office. My choices would be to try clothes into a tiny stationery drawer, or leave them on the floor under my desk - where they would be thrown away by the cleaning staff.

It's not practical for everyone to have a spare change of clothes - and if you work away, you might not have brought one with you.

It looked dreadful and totally inappropriate

Perhaps this wardrobe malfunction (which is what it seems) draws attention to the awful clothing retailing we have in the UK.

I don’t think you can compare a nice dress with a modern twist to rocking up in shorts and flip flops. I thought she looked great and not at all inappropriate. I would wear this for work and I would never allow myself to be thought of as anything less than professional.

I hate myself for saying this as it absolutely says more about me than anyone else’s sense of propriety, but I may have raised an eyebrow if she wore an above knee length skirt or low cut top. I can’t bring myself to get worked up about a shoulder.

Surely she could've just put a jacket over the top while she was at work & taken it off for the social event. This stuff is not difficult.

I was wearing a pair of Next trackies and a Manchester City top

And therefore not showing any part of the body which it is customary to cover in a setting where business dress is expected. So what's your point?

Panicandrun. Big difference though is that John Leech was simply casting a vote not making a speech as a member of the shadow cabinet so he could well have gone unnoticed....which is obviously what happened because despite his belief that, as a man, he’s allowed to wear what he wants to work, he isn’t.

The HofC has a business dress rule and members are not meant to take their seat if not dressed appropriately. That rule states that male MPs must wear a jacket so....

The whole point about a business attire, is that you dont notice what the person is wearing and concentrate on the speech, or if in an office, the work, the presentation, etc.
Once you start noticing the clothes, the point is lost.
Men have also been accused of getting it wrong; Michael Foot and his Donkey Jacket (which was not), Tony Blair and his purple suit, etc.
So, she should do what other professional people do, have a plain jacket or cardigan in her office, to slip over the top.
Where I work, men do this all the time, and have spare ties, jackets, and sometimes a spare shirt, in case it is required.

I think she was totally inappropriate! There’s a time and place for everything and a silky little off the shoulder number is in no way appropriate for Parliament!
What was the woman thinking? It looked like she’d been out the night before and rocked up to work in the same outfit!
Her attitude about it is making a mockery of everything that women have fought for.
I don’t believe she deserves the abuse, that’s out of order. In fact, I don’t think she deserves any attention for it at all. Shouldn’t have been allowed to speak in Parliament at all...should have been sent to dress appropriately or go home for the day, just like any body else in the workplace.
Male members of Parliament don’t rock up in joggers & t-shirt, or evening chino’s & polo shirts...they wear suits. Business dress. Children don’t go to school in their pjs & onesie’s......they wear a uniform.

I work in an office in the fashion industry & things are pretty lenient there....but nobody turns up in off-the-shoulder silky tops...they wear suitable, professional, smart, respectable and still fashionable clothing. Not what they might wear to a party!
So many important things that she could fight for, for women, if that’s her goal....
Rocking up to work in inappropriate clothing is not something I want/need anyone to fight on behalf of me for.
Male, female whatever. It was an inappropriate act.

And therefore not showing any part of the body which it is customary to cover in a setting where business dress is expected.

Oh this is priceless. Trakkies and a football top are somehow ok for business attire expectations but showing a SHOULDER is unacceptable?

The mental gymnastics is unbelievable.

She can wear what she wants, but equally, she can expect to receive comment and criticism. Boris may appear untidy with hair like a haystack, but he doesn't display any unnecessary flesh!

There was a thread the other day about an ops husband looking a bit scruffy and not wearing a shirt and tie for work. The majority of posters were calling the op unreasonable, saying it's absolutely fine to dress casually and comfortably for work. Lots of "I'm in tech and we certainly don't wear smart clothes, we wear casual stuff such as jeans and trainers. "
Contrast this to what people are saying g about a female.

Her tweet pissed me off more tbh. I know you only have so many characters blah blah but 'I'm not a slag, I'm not a tart' implies some women are. I'd rather a tweet 'clapping back' at the language

@Noeuf with respect you're totally missing the point. She was quoting the list of vile remarks that had been made about her on social media.

Oh this is priceless. Trakkies and a football top are somehow ok for business attire expectations but showing a SHOULDER is unacceptable?

No. If the trackies had had a big hairy gut poking out from underneath, you could get your life it would have made the press and the bloke would be pilloried for it.

If TB had turned up in gymwear, then it would be unacceptable dress but CLEAR that she hadn't expected to be there that day. And no body parts which are usually covered would have been on show.

As it is, what she had on, was appropriate for a nightclub, pub landlady interview, or being a judge on BGT.

One bare shoulder is in no way equivalent to wearing flip flops and shorts