# I am about to become the most unpopular man in the office **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 12, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077 "2011-04-12T12:49:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/21 "2011-04-12T15:13:00Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Just be careful how you phrase it. “I’m your boss, and you need to get out of those clothes right now!” is less than optimal. Anything about having “a position for her on your staff” should probably be avoided as well. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/22 "2011-04-12T15:16:14Z")
**Gyrate** , I think **Skald** will _definitely_ make it into her in-your-face book, And **Skald** , know that whatever length skirt she returns in, to spite your dress code she will be sans underwear. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/23 "2011-04-12T15:21:36Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > There was a charming young woman who was doing the same job as I was for another sales rep who was highly offended that someone should need to tell her what to wear. In order to prove they hadn’t won she went out of her way to live by the word and violate the spirit of the dress code. Thanks to her efforts within 6 months the dress code was a hefty document about 3/4" thick. I’ve got to ask. How badly did she violate the spirit of “business casual, no jeans” that the dress code had to be almost as lengthy as the sexual harassment policy? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/24 "2011-04-12T15:25:06Z")
I remember one Hallowe’en season, when employees were encouraged to wear costumes to work. A gorgeous woman from accounting came in in her belly dancing outfit and nearly created a riot as she walked about the building on her day’s business. The department head finally asked if she would please go home and change, as the number of vistors to his department was impeding work. That was ten years ago, and her image is still burned into my brain. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/25 "2011-04-12T15:50:11Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Pics or it didn’t happen. So you want me to call a young hot female employee into my office, with the HR representative there, tell her she is dressed inappropriately and must either go home and change or be written up, and then ask the employee to pose for a picture and post it on the internet? Yeah, there’s no possible way that could backfire. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/26 "2011-04-12T15:54:38Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Just be careful how you phrase it. “I’m your boss, and you need to get out of those clothes right now!” is less than optimal. True enough. Actually I am going to follow the verbal warning (yeah, I know it should be oral warning, bite me) script word for word. > [@Scuba\_Ben](#): > > I’ve got to ask. How badly did she violate the spirit of “business casual, no jeans” that the dress code had to be almost as lengthy as the sexual harassment policy? That’s easy. She could have worn micro-minis, like my colleague currently exiled to the break room; when warned about that, she could have worn business slacks a size too small and riding low enough to bare her ass crack; when warned about that she could wear an ordinary blouse but buttoned too far down; and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/27 "2011-04-12T16:08:59Z")
Other options: Wear flip-flops, get told those are too casual. Wear leather flip-flops, and when called on it, claim that they’re sandals. When told that sandals must have more “structure” to them than that, wear something just barely not-flip-flops. Alternately, wear gladiator sandals (major strapping running up the ankle) - if in a big stacked heel and/or a metallic, even better. Wear a shirt that obviously shows a lack of bra. Get called on it. Wear a white shirt and black lacy bra. Get called on that. Wear not-black Wonderbra with plunging neckline shirt. And so on. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/28 "2011-04-12T16:25:09Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > So you want me to call a young hot female employee into my office, with the HR representative there, tell her she is dressed inappropriately and must either go home and change or be written up, and then ask the employee to pose for a picture and post it on the internet? > > Yeah, there’s no possible way that could backfire. :rolleyes: I think the underlying question is whether you want to do something nice for the HR person or all your compatriots here at SDMB. And there should be multiple pictures, please, not an individual one. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/29 "2011-04-12T16:39:21Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > **Gyrate** , I think **Skald** will _definitely_ make it into her in-your-face book, > > And **Skald** , know that whatever length skirt she returns in, to spite your dress code she will be sans underwear. That’ll show him. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/30 "2011-04-12T16:41:46Z")
“Become?” 😃 More on topic, I call people like the woman who created the need for an inch thick dress code “ruiners” - as in, they ruin it for everyone else. I don’t like ruiners. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/31 "2011-04-12T16:46:37Z")
> [@Scuba\_Ben](#): > > I’ve got to ask. How badly did she violate the spirit of “business casual, no jeans” that the dress code had to be almost as lengthy as the sexual harassment policy? Reminds me of a Catholic schoolgirl I knew who constantly fought with her mother. Comes down to breakfast wearing the approved school uniform, but no bra. Mother: Go upstairs and put on a bra right now. Comes back downstairs wearing a bra, but having hiked her skirt up to micro-mini length. Mother: Go upstairs and fix your skirt. Comes back downstairs with skirt at the prescribed length, but wearing a purple bra under her white blouse. Lather, rinse, repeat. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/32 "2011-04-12T16:54:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > So you want me to call a young hot female employee into my office, with the HR representative there, tell her she is dressed inappropriately and must either go home and change or be written up, and then ask the employee to pose for a picture and post it on the internet? > > Yeah, there’s no possible way that could backfire. :rolleyes: to document why she was asked to go home and change in worjk files so that it can be seen why the need for her to change, and also as an exemplar for the next office clothing document as to what not to wear. Posting it so we can see is just a side benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/33 "2011-04-12T16:59:15Z")
> [@Scuba\_Ben](#): > > I’ve got to ask. How badly did she violate the spirit of “business casual, no jeans” that the dress code had to be almost as lengthy as the sexual harassment policy? > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > That’s easy. She could have worn micro-minis, like my colleague currently exiled to the break room; when warned about that, she could have worn business slacks a size too small and riding low enough to bare her ass crack; when warned about that she could wear an ordinary blouse but buttoned too far down; and so forth. > [@kunilou](#): > > Reminds me of a Catholic schoolgirl I knew who constantly fought with her mother. > > Comes down to breakfast wearing the approved school uniform, but no bra. > > Mother: Go upstairs and put on a bra right now. > > Comes back downstairs wearing a bra, but having hiked her skirt up to micro-mini length. > > Mother: Go upstairs and fix your skirt. > > Comes back downstairs with skirt at the prescribed length, but wearing a purple bra under her white blouse. > > Lather, rinse, repeat. These are both excellent examples of how it progressed. Her first shot was black jeans, because the policy specifically forbid blue jeans. Then she moved to a jean dress. Once they got specific enough on fabric she started in on the low cut/high cut options. She would also specifically try and ruin things for others. She would pick out something that one of the other women was wearing and wear something similiar and yet completely inappropriate. The jean dress for example. One of the women had a lovely, soft denim dress that was tailored in a fairly business like style. She wore it with a suit jacket and it looked very professional. SWMNBN wore a tight denim dress with a double zipper that she zipped down for cleavage and up for a slit up the front of an already too short skirt. The powers that be, not being very creative, banned denim dresses. Lets just say that by the end of the process there were business suits you couldn’t wear to work to meet the business casual requirements. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/34 "2011-04-12T18:07:24Z")
How did she take it **Skald**? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/35 "2011-04-12T18:13:07Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > How did she take it **Skald**? Hurrr hurrr hurrr ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/36 "2011-04-12T18:18:13Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > These are both excellent examples of how it progressed. Her first shot was black jeans, because the policy specifically forbid blue jeans. Then she moved to a jean dress. Once they got specific enough on fabric she started in on the low cut/high cut options. She would also specifically try and ruin things for others. She would pick out something that one of the other women was wearing and wear something similiar and yet completely inappropriate. The jean dress for example. One of the women had a lovely, soft denim dress that was tailored in a fairly business like style. She wore it with a suit jacket and it looked very professional. SWMNBN wore a tight denim dress with a double zipper that she zipped down for cleavage and up for a slit up the front of an already too short skirt. The powers that be, not being very creative, banned denim dresses. > > Lets just say that by the end of the process there were business suits you couldn’t wear to work to meet the business casual requirements. Some people just shouldn’t be allowed to remain in society. She probably goes out and throws trash out of her car windows in national parks on the weekends. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/37 "2011-04-12T18:22:53Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > How did she take it **Skald**? She quit! Not in a huff, though. Evidently she was going to give notice Firday, so she’d decided to say _Fuck the police_ this week. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/38 "2011-04-12T18:25:07Z")
Well, alrighty then. Off to rocket science school, is she? ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/39 "2011-04-12T18:38:13Z")
I work at a dental school. Last year the administration had to send out an email to the students reminding them of appropriate dress for when they are seeing patients. It included such details like you must wear appropriate undergarments, but they must not be visible. I thought it was a bit funny, but you do see some of our students running around in 6 inch heels and micro-minis. I have been told that the hottest girls on campus are at the Dental School ([The next Bachelorette, for example](http://img.poptower.com/pic-38387/ashley-hebert-bachelor.jpg?d=600)), so I’m not sure who complained about the skin. Some of the students I have spoken to had no clue their fellow classmates attire was not professional, others know full well that there were some inappropriate dressers in their classes. (FTR, Ashley was never one of those students who dressed unprofessionally.) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077/40 "2011-04-12T18:41:12Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Well, alrighty then. Off to rocket science school, is she? Meh. It’s not substantially different from what I did when I quit my last retail management job. A lot of customers got free delivery on appliances that week, as the criteria had changed from _necessary to save the sale_ and _not going to cause a loss_ to _has not pissed me off during this conversation_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-about-to-become-the-most-unpopular-man-in-the-office/578077.md?page=3)