Are all these waistcoats work appropriate?

[Goroshek]

There are hundreds of tailored waistcoats in the shops.
Some are obviously too sexy, strappy, cropped, gaping at the navel. Some are smart looking, crew neck, high arm holes, long line. But somehow bare arms put me off. Nothing to do with arms, I am pretty toned, but I would not want a male colleague rocking up in a muscle vest, and these somehow feel disrespectful. What are your opinions on these? One example - Whistles Molly.

I agree. Though having read much of the linked thread (now at 36 pages!), I realised that women judge other women most of all. And some are really cruel, fat-shaming, horribly bitchily judgmental people. It really depressed me.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/styleandbeauty/5534241-you-can-ban-one-summer-look-which?page=21

So this is the one you referred to, OP? https://www.whistles.com/product/molly-linen-waistcoat-39712.html

I think that's perfectly work-appropriate.

I think a fitted sleeveless top in a woven fabric and sufficiently structured is work appropriate in most if not all workplaces. A sleeveless tshirt is not the same, it's about fabric and structure as much as about the shape.

Michelle Obama famously rocked a sleeveless top in formal situations. And Princess Diana did as well in the 90s.

It was ok in the 90s when they wore them in Friends...

Doesnt suit me as I have MASSIVE boobs, but would look ok on someone less bulbous

Must admit I'm finding all the, "can't possibly expose my armpits in the workplace" posts quite odd! Armpit cleavage?? Ye gads.

Absolutely. I hate this idea of "can't wear" if you're over a certain size.
And Bingo Wings is on my banned phrases list along with Mutton, Frumpy, Mumsy, Dowdy and all the other misogynist language.

In ice cold air conditioning

We all have our odd preferences 😁
I'd happily wear sleeveless myself, but I don't want to see others' armpits. Contrary, but there you go.

I think that’s the point the poster was making. A thin woman with no bum or boobs could wear a tight pencil skirt and low cut top and people probably wouldn’t notice. If you have curves it’s a very different look! It’s not fair, it shouldn’t be a thing, but it can be sometimes.

I’ve never seen someone wear one of those waistcoats to work in an office or similar. I’ve seen them at parties, lunch out etc so I don’t think they’re meant as work wear.

I’ve very rarely seen someone with bare shoulders at work and we’re not allowed to wear sleeveless closed where I work now.

Yep. Unless you are an exhibitionist

That one is because it's just a sleeveless top with buttons. The Uniqlo one no, because it's looser. It's playing to the transgressive idea that waistcoats were designed to be worn over a shirt but it's being worn with nothing underneath.

Male armpits in the work place , absolutely not unless shaven. And even then I wouldn't be keen.

Oh come on, waistcoats without a shirt have been a thing forever. It's no more exhibitionist than any other sleeveless top.

Maybe it depends where you work but I think they can look really smart. I’m at a work conference at a university today and the keynote speaker was wearing a gorgeous cream jumpsuit with a waistcoat cut on top. Completely professional, stylish and lovely IMHO. I was tempted to ask where she had got it from when she said, ‘any questions?’

Why are male armpits worse than female? I mean, I prefer to see none, but I don't discriminate.

This. I am overweight but my arms are toned, it's one of the very few things I am not self conscious about - however I'd rather expose my wobbly knees than my armpits at work (I do neither and my workplace is definitely informal).
Equally I see many men wearing shorts here but none in sleeveless tops and this makes total sense to me!

Certainly mostly we did first time around (late 80s/90s?), though I had some I wore bare-armed (not to work though) 😀

For a government entity in the Middle East. Our dress code states all tops must be below elbow and any dresses/skirts below the knee.

It makes you like half dressed! Never

Yip, thanks for getting it! I must've explained myself badly in my post. Also interesting that several posters inferred from my post that I was fat/overweight based on my arm description. I'm actually a size 8 and hugely into my clothes and fashion in general. I just have ugly arms!

I guess my point was that unless it's conventionally attractive - toned arms, shaved legs, nice skin etc - it's often considered "inappropriate" or "not professional enough" for work.

I'm not saying I agree necessarily but I definitely won't be going to work in anything sleeveless.

I’m showing my age but I really, really miss dress codes. My gm was a stickler for etiquette and taught us the do’s and don’t’s and a lot of these rules come down to consideration for other people rather than prudishness. There’s a time and a place for armpits and it’s not 3pm in a hot office.

Seeing them just reminds me of the Kenickie song 'Sixties Bitch' with the epic lines "You don't want her, she's got a waistcoat... She shops in Mark One, she's not strong enough..."

Lauren is still a sharp dresser as well as a sharp songwriter! And of course great to listen to on 6 Music.

But if you're unwashed/not wearing antiperspirant on a hot day, then you're going to smell even if you're wearing something with long sleeves? Arguably more, if it's tight-fitting polyester...

Judging by some of the comments there would be pearls spilling all over floors if what I have worn to work could be seen on here. No sleeves, bare shoulders, no bra. Probably no knickers at some point.