Coworker snapped at the dress I'm wearing

[user1471867483]

I’m wearing a three-quarter length thin white crepe fabric sleeved dress with black ric rac at the bottom. It’s quite sheer, but it’s lined and I’m fine wearing it. It’s boho and vintage. I have thick black tights on with it and black ankle boots. My coworker, who works next door, came in and said, “Aren’t you cold in that”? I said, “No, I’m fine”. She said, “No you’re not”.
Well, I am! I wouldn’t have worn it if I wasn’t OK in it.
The dress is a bit like this:
https://froufroufrocksboutique.com/products/ent-ecru-plus-ric-rac-midi-dress
What I’m really asking is why has what I’m wearing got anything to do with anyone?

How do you know? Surely it depends on the dress code. Where I worked it was smart casual so I used to wear jeans, t shirt and trainers. No doubt some people would have thought that wasn't appropriate

I think a lot of the posters on here are upright and miserable and see anyone who has a different style to the norm as attention seeking and annoying.
In fact they're exactly the type of people who make comments about what others wear to work 🙄🙄
I have friends who dress their own way, who wear bright colours and funky prints. I have a friend who dresses almost exclusively in 50s clothing a d they're a damn sight nicer and much more interesting than those who would have something to say about the way they dress.

Seriously, what is wrong with someone dressing in a way that makes them happy?? There's bigger things to be pressed about than clothing for crying out loud. It just goes to show how so many here on MN are nothing more than bullies. Judging someone by how they look/what they wear.

If your workplace leadership doesn't have an issue with your clothing, screw what anyone else thinks!!

Is it a three quarter length dress, finishing between knee and ankle? Or, like the picture, a three quarter length top? I don't think it's your co-worker's place to comment unless they are your manager.

I think your outfit sounds lovely, OP.

She thinks you're dressed inappropriately for work. But unless she's your manager, it's inappropriate for her to comment on it.

Patchouli by any chance?!!

Wow so many bitchy comments,just ignore and wear what you like.

One persons vintage is another persons bag lady.

Perhaps she thinks your style is more jumble sale than chic?

For people saying the OP is getting unfair criticism - she's just criticised her colleagues for either being old-fashioned or wearing nightclub attire. To be fair to her, she can clearly take it and give it out.

It looks ridiculous for office work. No wonder your colleague commented.

It's not 3/4 lengths though, is it? It's a holiday or beach type dress in my opinion. Not her place to comment though.

I think it looks a bit too summery dress but wouldn't be out of place in my office when hot. Not sure how it would look with tights and boots. I work in clerical NHS and have a colleague who wears platform sparkly converse and Disney jumpers. She's mid 50's, a bit 'zany'. Not something I'd personally wear myself but no one bats an eye. Office wear is much more relaxed now in a lot of places. We only draw the line at denim.

Be careful describing yourself as Boho/artsy on MN. As you can see it sparks a wonderfully sneery reaction.

She was rude for sure.

But the outfit doesn't seem office appropriate if I'm honest unless you're very casual, and in my very personal opinion, beachy dresses with tights and boots is just weird.

No, it was CD Dune, funnily enough. I think she used to bathe in it.

She was a nice person, and no one would have commented directly to her and been rude. Just a lot of piss taking behind her back. Not good. It was 1980s though.

I’m in this camp tbh

I love Hobbits! 😍

This.
With knobs.

Why is the model in the picture holding a cheerleaders pom pom? Maybe this gives us a clue as to the suitability of the frock?

I’ve worn something similar in a cotton floral pattern for office wear. But it was hot weather and I wore it over a pair of capri pants. However I did get a couple of looks from colleagues and decided it was a bit too casual for the office.

I think it being white makes it look far too much like a baby-doll nightie, when those were a thing.

You’re describing most of your colleagues as old-fashioned? I’d suggest they are wearing appropriate clothing for the workplace and save their personal style for outside work.

i wear the same clothes all year - in summer with sandals and no tights, in winter with thick tights, a cardigan and boots. What is it to ANYONE else?

The irony of you criticising your colleagues' attire.

Looks entirely inappropriate for an office job and the fact that you call the rest of them old fashioned and one skimpy tells us all we need to know. You’re just not like other women are you dear?

I don’t think people are being deliberately unkind, anyone who describes themselves in such a ‘hey I’m really unique’ way is just asking for it - I don’t think it’s only on MN that people would find that incredibly annoying.

Office wear is much different these days to the Apprentice type outfits that used to be worn but pretentious people are always a massive pain in the arse and I suspect that’s what the colleague meant.

Exactly.

My personal attire is "mom" jeans, generally some sort of merch top and trainers. I would never dream of wearing anything like that to work!