In thinking my manager is hugely insensitive for wearing these things into work?

[Mandarinthyme]

Our department head is very young and glamorous and is fairly new to the company. We know her salary range as it was stated alongside the job advert (a six figure salary whilst the rest of the team are lucky to earn a quarter of that). Every day she swans in to the office like she’s dressed for the catwalk, different designer handbags (the very obvious types - think Gucci, LV etc), Rolex watch, Cartier bracelets, designer belts and shoes. Not to mention the perfect nails, hair and everything else that we just cannot afford these days.

Meanwhile our large team is underpaid and overworked. The recent financial climate means many of us are struggling to heat our homes, worrying about mortgage/rental price hikes and generally having to really cut back. We are all office based and this is something we talk about frequently in conversation, so she’s completely aware of this. She’s previously had the cheek to say that we are all feeling the pinch given the financial situation, which is an absolute insult when she rubs her wealth in our faces 5 days a week.

AIBU in feeling completely incensed by this and wondering how on earth she can think it’s appropriate?! The whole team are upset with this and considering raising it with HR.

But it's fine for a man to wear a £5000 suit because you can't tell the brand?

agree

You can inherit money from any family member. You can also inherit money from ANY one person, related to you or not.
Point being, you really don’t know the ins and outs of her financial circumstances.

this Is typical misogyny.

a younger female commands a big salary but should be bashful - should be humble - should apologise for her success and hide it.

men wear expensive suits or if they dress down expensive trainers. No one bats an eye lid. My colleagues all wear expensive suits, drive flash cars and spend thousands on bikes (and sibling holidays). Everyone in work accepts it. But I have noticed female colleagues and myself are seemed frivolous if people notice we have made big purchases.

it’s just built in misogyny - it’s worse if women are younger. Lots of people are still programmed to think it should be a middle aged man earning the big salary not a ‘little girl’

Senior Management dress really well in my office and personally I find it inspiring. I find your attitude weird and mean spirited. If she has chosen to focus on her career and her appearance she is probably making sacrifices in other areas of her life. Everyone has a right to choose their priorities in life. And comparison is the thief of joy.

The whole team are upset with this and considering raising it with HR

And HR will most likely tell you that there isn't an issue to be addressed

cycling holidays not sibling holidays😂

You’re behaving mildly unhinged. What she wears is nothing to do with you. She could have an incredibly rich family, incredibly rich boyfriend, sugar daddy, lottery win…or it could all be fake off DH Gate and AliExpress. What she wears, or how polished she chooses to be is nowt to do with you. What’s to do with you is how she does her job.

Exactly this.

Thanks everyone, some of the comments are getting silly now, so I’m going to dip out.

Everyone in the team has a heart of gold, all genuine hardworking lovely people. We are very close knit team and look out for one another, which is why we don’t like to sit back and watch someone come in and cause unnecessary upset. I would never dream of bullying anyone, nor is it about jealousy, sexism or anything else!!!

Added to which this post is sexist as hell. You wouldn’t be commenting on a male managers hair or nails now would you?

Just because her hair and nails are done lovely doesnt mean she’s flaunting her wealth. As an example my best mate has an aurora band, cost her a tenner but when she’s used it her hair looks like she’s had an incredible expensive blow out. She hasn’t, she’s just got very cooperative hair for that product!

Daily Mail - please publish this thread!

To wear normal clothes like the rest of us. Many of us are struggling mentally due to the financial strains and she really isn’t helping. She has plenty of time during her spare time to wear her fancy things, they shouldn’t be worn in the workplace

And they are her normal clothes. I'm fairly certain she doesn't wear stuff like that in the office and bum around in trackies at home.

Thanks everyone, some of the comments are getting silly now, so I’m going to dip out.

Not as silly as the first post I’ll wager OP.

What about the women who wear diamonds and designer because their husband buys them for them? Or earns the money anyway. Should they not wear them too? Or is that ok because it’s an acceptable way to ‘earn’ these as opposed to your own salary for your own job?
i do get the tensions and stresses but this suggestion is a mere sidestep away from asking hr to tell the thin person they can’t eat cake with their lunch as it upsets the dieters, or the poster who’s senior childless friend wanted to formally ban staff discussing their children.

Yeah, it is.
Sitting around bitching about the new boss, googling the cost of her clothes, wanting her put in her place reeks of all of that.
One of the dumbest threads ever, hard to believe it is real.

Ugh, why do people ask AIBU then blatantly ignore the vast majority of comments saying they are.

OP YABVVU you and your colleagues are gossipy bullies. You are jealous and sexist. Go on and approach HR... and get told nothing wrong is actually happening.

When we see “a woman took to Mumsnet” tomorrow in the Daily Fail we’re going to kick ourselves we didn’t recognise the journo

God sakes, leave the OP alone. It was a genuine question and I think it is a bit much to be dripping in designer gear if everyone else around you is much more dressed down. It's just reading the room.

And folk with hearts of gold don’t chat shit behind someone’s back.

Op you are being utterly ridiculous.
Everyone’s always got something to moan about now. What your manager wears is nothing to do with you.
I think you need a hobby!

OP seems to think they have a legitimate complaint they can take to HR.
What is her boss doing wrong?

So what would happen if one of your colleagues won the lottery and started dressing in a simliar way? Would that be ok?

What's the difference between her doing this and a random stranger, there really isn't.

Something awful could have happened to her in the past, that hasn't happened to you. Not everything is equal in life.

Please can you let us know what HR says regarding your complaint about your managers inappropriate work clothes?

Her only fault is having more taste and money then the OP.