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Original poster

Are leggings acceptable office wear?

43 replies

WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/05/2010 21:19

Going back to work after mat leave tomorrow, have a fab little dress from Gap in a kind of midnight blue, thinking low ish heels, but are leggings ok for office wear or are they a bit teenage?

OP posts:
CybilLiberty · 03/05/2010 21:21

nah, go for it

janeite · 03/05/2010 21:21

I would say no - but I don't work in an office! I deffo wouldn't wear them to work - am a teacher.

pagwatch · 03/05/2010 21:22

No.

CybilLiberty · 03/05/2010 21:23

what kind of office is it?

themildmanneredjanitor · 03/05/2010 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/05/2010 21:23

should also add the office is quite relaxed, but they are making redundancies at the moment and I feel I ought to be smart because

a) it never hurts to look professional in times of crisis

and

b) people there have only ever seen me in maternity clothes

OP posts:
Original poster
WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/05/2010 21:24

it's a public sector office, not meeting public though. I am a manager with four people under me.

OP posts:
hf128219 · 03/05/2010 21:25

What sort of office?

greedygoose · 03/05/2010 21:25

how about skinny trousers instead, tregging type?!

hf128219 · 03/05/2010 21:26

A definite no from me!

blametheparents · 03/05/2010 21:26

I wouldn't, not on my first day back.
Better to check it out and then make a decision.
Enjoy your first day back.

Original poster
WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/05/2010 21:26

what's a tregging? I was up with jegging but now you've lost me

OP posts:
LadyBiscuit · 03/05/2010 21:28

Not first day back I wouldn't - think you need to look extra specially professional (many people will be expecting you to be distracted and leaking breast milk - you want them to think your mind's on the job.

I do wear them some days but only when I don't have any meetings and only with boots

CybilLiberty · 03/05/2010 21:29

blimey I work in a school and wear leggings under dresses A LOT. Dont want the kids seeing my knick knacks

DorotheaPlenticlew · 03/05/2010 21:30

It so depends on the office.

Where I used to work it would have been fine, but we were a "casual" office (small high-minded publishing company) so nobody ever dressed in traditional office gear unless there was some sort of specific professional event or author meeting, etc. Everyone was very hard-working and brainy but mostly schlepped around in Gap jumpers with unintentional ballpoint ink on their hands.

I know what you mean about the last two points in your later post though, and sometimes it's good to aim a little higher (within reason) in order to boost your sense of being properly dressed to face The Unexpected at work

BelleDameSansMerci · 03/05/2010 21:31

Absolutely not... I really don't think leggings are office wear at all.

Disclaimer - a school is not an office (even if you work in the office in the school).

BelleDameSansMerci · 03/05/2010 21:32

Oh, unless your office is arty, of course. I used to wear jodhpurs a lot when I worked at an Ad Agency in the late 80s...

Original poster
WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/05/2010 21:36

Hmmmmm - I do work in a 'creative' (the inverted commas are intentional ) team, but it is a government job, rather than a hip groovy agency.

But I'm sensing it's too risky for first day back. Will have to go find some tights!

OP posts:
Pinkflipflop · 03/05/2010 21:50

Defo!! Leggings and a dress (especially teamed with heels) looks fab!

I am a teacher and wear leggings and dresses or tunics with long cardis all the time!!

Go for it!

Enjoy your first day back

GeneHuntsMistress · 04/05/2010 10:10

absolutely not

a good piece of advice i was given at the start of my working life was to always dress for the job you want, not the one you have. dress smarter than your boss and who knows....

seriously though, it is work not a fashion show. you are there to be paid for a job, you need to look professional and exude a certain level of gravitas if you want to be taken seriously, particularly following mat leave as whether your colleagues will be expecting less of you or not is not the point - YOU will feel more professional and the right frame of mind for work if you are wearing your work "uniform" instead of your mum clothes. (Can you tell my wardrobe is very clearly defined )

good luck hope all goes well, it's exciting going back isn't it

traceybath · 04/05/2010 12:42

I think wearing them how you describe would look fine.

Its not like you were planning on wearing them with a crop top and trainers

Bonsoir is an advocate of leggings under dresses at this tricksy time of year and she is tres chic

wahwah · 04/05/2010 18:45

Not for work.

TeaOneSugar · 04/05/2010 18:48

When I was a student I used to wear leggings and t-shirts to a waitressing job, until the day the boss looked at me. leered and said "They're really just thick tight aren't they" (shudders at the memory).

The moral of this story is probably it's OK to wear them in place of tights, but not in place of trousers, in a work situation.

BelleDameSansMerci · 04/05/2010 19:22

So, WhatFresh, how was your first day back? Hope it was ok?

MayorNaze · 04/05/2010 19:25

i wore leggings in place of tights under a v smart jumper dress to a quite important meeting today. with boots.

i like to think i looked appropriate. and good