boobs and offices - am I disgrace to the sisterhood by thinking that perhaps they don't mix?

[hatwoman]

got a new colleague. in her 40s. boobs jiggling around in ludicrously low cut tops. clothes generally that involve too much effort and scream LOOK AT ME. bright red dyed hair. am i hideous for finding it difficult to take her seriously? am I sexist for thinking about (and quite possibly looking at...) her boobs when she's talking to me about work?

[hatwoman]

caligula - you remind me of the time I conducted a whole phone conversation with my boss whilst sitting potty-training dd on the potty in the middle of the sitting room, wiping her bum (it was a POO, how was I menat to know) and generally dealing with it. he never suspected a thing.

[chipmonkey]

Just in case there's any confusion, I was talking about expressing breast milk in work, (which I've had to do many times!) not expressing personality or style or those things
I agree with custardo. You have to look past the outward appearance and see the person. Not everyone is blessed with an impeccable sense of style and it's all a matter of opinion anyway.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Cali - did you get my mail? am at home now...different email addy - the CAT one...

[motherinferior]

Hatwoman, is she me ?

[WhizzBangCaligula]

No I work at home. Sometimes if the phone has rung and I've been in the shower, I'll race up the stairs to answer it and I'll be having a chat with a client or someone in the nuddy. Hatwoman's colleague is a model of appropriateness compared to me.

[BorisesBurningBush]

You dont work with hatwoman, do you Caligula?

[WhizzBangCaligula]

If someone has really bad BO, it is truly awful to sit in the same office as them. Really, it's intolerable.

Also, sometimes you wear something that looks just about OK at 9AM but has er.. slipped a bit by lunchtime.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

But its not about an error of judgement though, not really. This women feels she is dressing just fine. In all honesty - who's to say she is 'wrong'? If she is sat at her desk, working away or whatever and you are getting on with your work - whats the big deal?

However, BO and Halitosis - not about judgement as such, but it has an effect on colleagues around the person. You can't just not smell it. It can permeate a whole office if it is really bad. Having to talk to someone with really bad breath truly is an ordeal. If that person happens to be your boss or somebody senior to you - how can you NOT talk to them??? You cant avoid it, can you?

[Pushkin]

VenividivickiQV: agree that theres an interesting comparison to be made between BO/halitosis versus tits hanging out. Which is worse? Hm, let's see. The BO is really difficult to live with, as it's unavoidable unlike the sight of the tits. BUT, with the BO the person might either not be able to do anything about it, or not be aware, or both, so there's more of a presumption of innocence. Whereas with the tits, they have to have made a conscious decision in the morning when dressing that 'yes, today I WANT to show off the top part of my tits to within 1 cm of the nipple'. which is why, in mt opinion at least (all respect and credit to those who say its self expression and should be respected as such) it shows even more of an error of judgement (given office work context) than with people who suffer BO/halitosis.

[WhizzBangCaligula]

Breaking in a bra sounds really painful!

[Tortington]

yes must agree tit tops only work with good quality bra.

am breaking new one in at the mo - jeeez its killing me

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

i mean smelled, not heating metal to a liquid form......

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

My ex-boss sneakily sprayed Neutradol over an office divider at a colleague once because he was too cowardly to tell her she smelt of 'wet dog'.

[WhizzBangCaligula]

I had a colleague with BO once.

Twice our MD had to speak to him.

And on the second occasion, he argued with him. "No I don't smell".

"Yes you do"

"No I don't"

etc.

Ah the joys of senior management.

[JoolsToo]

watch out for hotpants next summer

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Well, if you are there to work, you'll just get your head down and not look, wont you?

I'd be more upset if a colleague had severe halitosis or B.O. - now THAT is truly offensive.

[WhizzBangCaligula]

Does she have a good quality bra?

I bet Trinny and Susannah would just love to get hold of her and her norks

[WhizzBangCaligula]

LOL at bustiness. If you've got great big norks, it doesn't matter what you wear, you'll exude a busty aura wherever you go.



You can't be sacked for it you know...

[WhizzBangCaligula]

[jennifersofia]

Yes, agree. It is distracting to have lots of bustiness everywhere. We are all there for work, not to be sexy. Looking nice is one thing, being dressed to attract is another.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Calig, what do you mean by "tit tops should be worn sparingly"?

Am a little worried

[WhizzBangCaligula]

LOL at this thread.
Overkill is a bad thing. Tit tops should only be worn sparingly, as an occasional thing...

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Me too crypt

BTW, you arent allowed to use the word "old" in an office environment any more. Its discriminatory.......

She thinks she looks good. Thats all that matters really. IMO.

[Pushkin]

totally agree with hatwoman. It's an issue of judgement. I'd love to have the nerve to have tits on display more often, but NOT in the office. Waht is the office for? to show off your tits, or do some work and be respected for what you do? It's a similar judgement call to the issue of whether to look clean or dirty, be smelly or fragrant, and whether to be dresse dwith appropriate levels of smartness depending on the kind of job you do. Nothing wrong with expressing yoursself by looking a little sexy, but not tumblingly distractingly so. And I say this however beautiful or wrinkly the tits in question.