To have just two dresses for work?

[Grasshopper90]

I am 27 weeks pregnant and work part-time around looking after our toddler DD. When I was no longer able able to fit into my normal work clothes, I bought two dresses to wear instead. They’re not the same, but very similar, and I alternate between them. My job is client facing, but we are not expected to be glamorous or polished, just neat, respectable, appropriate. I think these dresses fit the bill.

I now have a new line manager (who is a temp at the moment) and she asked me one day if I was wearing a uniform because I was always wearing the same dress. I said I just had the two dresses as I didn’t want to spend too much money on something I’d only wear a few months. She sort of sniggered and said “Really? Oh gosh”, then went back to her work.

Today I went in for a training day wearing a casual dress I keep for outside of work and trainers. She saw me and the first thing she said was “Woowww! A different dress!” I just smiled and shrugged.

AIBU to think this is a really weird thing to fixate and comment on? Or am I the weird one, only wearing two dresses to work?

How many days a week are you working? Two doesn’t sound very much at all. She is rude to comment though. Tbh, she’s probably not the only one to think it.

Yes a complete bitch , awful thing to say to someone op . If a man wore the same 2 shirts alternating would anyone notice or care ? .

trousers ? leggings with tunic top ? and a smart scarf/cravat maybe.
shalwar kameez ?
there are lots of options. doesn't have to be expensive.

They’re all more expensive than not bothering to buy and waste your money at all.
A cravat?!?!

She's weird. As long as you're hygienic who cares. X

@User135792468

How many days a week are you working? Two doesn’t sound very much at all. She is rude to comment though. Tbh, she’s probably not the only one to think it.

what do you mean, that's not very much. what's the problem.

She’s mean and it strikes me as bullying too.

the point i was trying to make is that you can vary your clothing looks without having to buy extra, just by combining differently from what you already have.
but no need at all to do so, two frocks for work sounds fine to me.
she is not behaving as a manager should. ignore. avoid. rise above.
if she says anything not strictly related to actual work tasks,
just smile serenely and say, that's right.

She sounds rude. And young - I assume she’s never been pregnant herself. Ignore!

I'd go to HR for that plus the other comments you mentioned. As she's new it's a good time for her to be reminded she's at work not school.

2 dresses are fine for part time and if it works for you it shouldn't bother her anyway.

Your not weird. Even less so if you are pregnant.
I keep my favourite clothes for time off and loathe to wear them in work.
Just ignore.

I think she’s in her 40s, quite a bit older than me. Not sure if she’s had kids or not.

She was rude, no denying that. But I am otherwise going to go against the grain and suggest you do need more than two changes of outfits for work.

www.becomingminimalist.com/capsule-wardrobe/
it reminds me of this article!

When you are pregnant not weird at all. When I was pregnant I had 4 outfits that were rotated each week.

Even when I wasn't pregnant I only had a small amount of work clothes and actually joked it was a 'uniform' as I didn't wear them at the weekend

@Aprilx

She was rude, no denying that. But I am otherwise going to go against the grain and suggest you do need more than two changes of outfits for work.

Why?

@edwinbear

She doesn't sound like management material to me.

This. Personal comments are not ok from a manager.

I have 4 copies of exactly the same dress for work. I Look the same in the office every time I go in.

She’s an idiot.

www.businessinsider.com/woman-wears-same-work-outfit-matilda-kahl-2015-4?r=US&IR=T

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-mark-zuckerberg-wear-the-same-outfit-2015-4%3famp

She's a bitch! I wore the same style and colour skirt almost every day in my 10 month temp job - it was my work uniform skirt from my previous job (I have 3 of them) - and no-one commented. That's because they are nice people - unfortunately your line manager is not. It's actually quite common for people to have a "uniform" of their choice which they wear to work, so they can save their other clothes for non work wearing. Ignore her.

Completely horrible of her. Why is she even bothered what people are wearing as long as it's not inappropriate?

My husband is neither pregnant nor budgeting short term clothing use but he has a "uniform" when he's in the office! that is basically the same 2 pairs of trousers and 3 shirts on rotation.

His job isn't in fashion. As long as he's clean and tidy it's fine. Double standards though because as a man people accept this. As women there's some sort of weird expectation from some that we'll have a vast wardrobe and the same outfit is rarely seen.

Stick with your 2 dresses and start criticising her for the environmental impact of being a prolific clothes buyer!

@Harriethen

No, she’s an utter cunt. Clearly a mean girl type that never grew up.

Yep this! Eugh why are some women like this. She’s a twat.

I only used to have a couple of maternity outfits for work too, I was client facing but only for a couple of hours a day so would wear the same outfit a few days in a row! Although no one would know as it was always different clients!

I just smiled and shrugged.

I think this is the perfect way to deal with her OP!

She’s an idiot. I work full time and have 2 skirts and various smart T shirts that I wear for work. Clean top every day, but sometimes it’s the same colour/style. My colleagues may chuckle about it to themselves, but never to my face and I certainly couldn’t give a monkeys.