# Normal people reaction to ink on clothes.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 28, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399 "2012-11-28T19:51:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/81 "2012-11-29T13:08:31Z")
If you don’t give a shit about your clothes, how do you have hundreds of dollars worth of clothing in a single laundry load?
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/82 "2012-11-29T13:11:07Z")
> [@wolfman](#):
>
> How many people are in the don’t give a shit camp with me, and how many would abandon hundreds of dollars of work clothes? All of them must go? Only the worst? Anything more than a shade or two off shirt color?
It depends on your work environment.
Since where I work there are various stains, dyes, glues, and chemicals, not to mention copious quantities of dirt, grit, and things most would rather not think about (yesterday I was performing repairs on a garbageman’s workboots. And don’t get me started on the farmers with livestock and their boots…) my work clothes are pretty much always stained to one degree or another so a couple of ink spots would be lost in the general mess. On the other hand, when I worked in corporate America in an office anything stained to any degree was unacceptable to wear on the job.
Ultimately, you know your work environment better than anyone else here. You also know your boss better than anyone else here. From what I know of IT, a few small stains here an there, particularly on dark clothes, probably won’t be an issue. On the other hand, people do make judgements based on appearances. If you have an identity as a slob already it probably won’t make much difference, but have some unstained work clothes for when you know there is a meeting coming up or if you ever need to meet customers/outsiders where your appearance may reflect on your company.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/83 "2012-11-29T14:15:06Z")
> [@Maastricht](#):
>
> Oh dear. I welcome suggestions to improve my written English, though.
No, that was perfectly acceptable colloquial/slang English. Grammar-particular people would wince at the double negative, so the correction was technically correct, but in context it was quite natural to read and understand.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/84 "2012-11-29T14:54:41Z")
The last time I had any kind of dress code at work was back in the late 90s. Ever since then it’s been completely free-form, and like I said, shorts and sandals were common place.
Where I am now shorts and sandals are prohibited for most people, but that’s due to safety concerns. If **Wolf** from the IT department had ink stains on his clothes he’d fit right in.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/85 "2012-11-29T14:59:50Z")
Even if shorts and sandals are acceptable dress at your workplace, I assume that they are expected to be _clean_ clothes. Similarly, I think that, even if the dress code doesn’t specifically ban ink-stained clothes, I wouldn’t wear them to the office, just because it doesn’t look neat.
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### Author:  [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky_the_Wonder_Spirit)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/86 "2012-11-29T15:11:12Z")
Yes, I think there is a pretty wide gulf between casual clothes and _dirty_ clothes.
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### Author:  [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/87 "2012-11-29T15:14:57Z")
> [@AnaMen](#):
>
> Zeriel, your assumption that not caring about stained clothing correlates to not being able to perform IT tasks seems pretty weak, in light of the fact that many on this board acknowledge that IT people dress “like mental patients,” etc. Maybe the nature of IT work attracts people who think in practical terms, like “I am covered, and have conformed to a literal interpretation of the dress code, which fortunately has neglected to forbid wearing ink-stained clothes, therefore I may go to work in these clothes.”
It has been my experience that 100% of people who will make that decision will also make decisions like “I won’t comment my code–_I_ can read it, and it does what it’s supposed to!” or “Who has time to write documentation, I have REAL work to do.”
The nature of IT work attracts a lot of people who think other people’s opinions don’t matter, and who think they can interact 100% of the time with a computer and not give a shit about co-workers. The nature of IT departments I run is that I fire those types, and as a result the other employees at my company have a much higher opinion of IT than is typical among the working population.
I’m sitting here in jeans and a polo shirt, I’m not a GQ model. But you can be damn sure they’re clean and presentable.
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### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/88 "2012-11-29T15:18:17Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Even if shorts and sandals are acceptable dress at your workplace, I assume that they are expected to be _clean_ clothes. Similarly, I think that, even if the dress code doesn’t specifically ban ink-stained clothes, I wouldn’t wear them to the office, just because it doesn’t look neat.
Yeah. I have no dress code at work, I can wear anything I would like, but for God’s sake I still want to look \*clean \*and not like some bum. That this question is even being \*asked \*is mindboggling, though I shouldn’t be surprised considering the make up of this board.
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### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/89 "2012-11-29T15:19:33Z")
> [@msmith537](#):
>
> Really I never understood this slovenly “I don’t give a shit” attitude from people who work in IT. It’s like every jerk who learned how to maintain back office email and database servers at their community college thinks they are Mark Zuckerburg.
Some of them just lack social skills. Some of them genuinely don’t care. Some of them are showing off - ‘look what I can get away with’. Some of them are good enough to get away with it. Not all.
Regards,
Shodan
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/90 "2012-11-29T15:20:01Z")
> [@wolfman](#):
>
> hmm, I truly asked for opinions because I wanted them, but the opinions expressed have … surprised me. Can the mods exempt me from the cross posting prohibition if I start a Pit thread against this ,without moving this one, as the posts are enlightening here more so then they would be in the pit?
Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but if you’re annoyed by people saying the clothes are ruined, why not just start a separate Pit thread?
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/91 "2012-11-29T15:24:11Z")
[He did](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=673842).
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### Author:  [@taskmgr.exe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taskmgr.exe)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/92 "2012-11-29T15:46:58Z")
> [@Princhester](#):
>
> No it doesn’t. Not in colloquial English. You probably just aren’t too skilled in the language. You think I’m wrong? How come everyone here was entirely familiar with Maastricht’s expression and what it meant except you?
>
> You should ask her for English lessons. I know it’s embarrassing for a native speaker like you to have to ask a non-native like her, but sometimes when you lack a skill you just have to suck it up and ask for help.
Dear Princhester,
I am not a native speaker. If you read my previous posts in this thread, you’ll see I already mentioned I was a non-native English speaker. And, I learnt my lesson. I didn’t know it was not an expression. And, I also said I was of no bad intentions to correct her. Next time, I’ll try to be extremely polite in tone. Perhaps, by doing that, I will not encounter any hostility, like the hostility you’ve just demonstrated to me. Perhaps, even will I PM the person for correction. I am not an enemy of you.
Regards
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### Author:  [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/93 "2012-11-29T15:54:45Z")
We have customers and suppliers in our facility on a daily basis and I’d prefer if everyone looked and acted like a professional. I call out my coworkers when they look like slobs. There is one individual in particular (why, yes he is in IT as a matter of fact) whom I routinely remind to fix his bedhead, tuck in his shirt and toss out the pants that his cat has nearly destroyed.
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### Author:  [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/94 "2012-11-29T15:56:35Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#):
>
> Arguments like this lead to why some people eventually complain about their overbearing HR department and why they spend so much time issuing memos… because someone’s gotta play rules-lawyer with everything. ☹ Sort of like if you allow a certain amount of “acceptable lateness” in clocking in before there’s an actual tardiness penalty, you’re going to end up with someone who waits by the time clock exactly that long to clock in every single day, just because “it doesn’t **say** that I can’t do this!”
Some people aren’t so hungry for rules that they just fill in for the absent ones themselves. The idea that you are supposed to make up new rules for yourself and follow them too seems wildly impractical. If that worked, why would there need to be any actual written rules? Let people just deduce for themselves that they need to wear ties, not be late, etc.
IT works with hard and fast rules that are not subject to human interpretation. It is little wonder that someone may be very good at IT precisely because they are a literal thinker. If there is no obvious rational reason to dress a certain way and the apparel chosen meets the written requirement, why should they take it upon themselves to create a stricter dress code for themselves?
I would not wear ink-stained clothing or attempt to follow only the “letter of the law” in a corporate environment, but my goals would be to get raises, promotions, etc., not just to avoid getting fired, so I would do my best to exceed requirements, not just barely meet them. Since I find it hard to function while wearing uncomfortable clothing, the corporate world is not really for me.
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### Author:  [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/95 "2012-11-29T16:22:28Z")
Meh, do what you want, but large ink spots in funny places would be hard not to notice and bitchy comments might ensue or bitches might take note and disinvite you from the next golf outing. 😉
Small scatterdot of ink spots, less noticeable but still your shirt is stained. Wear it on greasy fridays, or when mucking about in the warehouse or what have you.
Really I don’t understand the angst over a few flaws in ones attire. they hired you for your brain not your fashion sense right?
But then my closet would be viewed in utter disgust by most office fashionistas anyway…
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### Author:  [@destineal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/destineal)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/96 "2012-11-29T16:53:14Z")
I’ll second the thrift-store option. I’m a custom AV guy, which means I have to be able to have meetings with multi-millionaire clients one minute and hop down into their crawlspace the next to pull some wire. My solution-2 pairs of dark colored Dickies work pants (basically look business-casual but are indestructible-$20 each) and 5 dress shirts from the Salvation Army ($5 each). I don’t care if I ruin the shirts, as they cost next to nothing, and it would take a lot to ruin the pants. Total investment: $65.
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### Author:  [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/97 "2012-11-29T17:05:44Z")
> [@gracer](#):
>
> I’d buy a box of navy Dylon and dye everything navy. Chinos would be fine in navy.
>
> Everything I own has crazy patterns, precisely so you can’t see any stains, ever. Because secretly I don’t care if my clothes are stained, but women are judged differently than men.
I’ve had something similar happen before: years ago, I washed **Acid Lamp** ’s work clothes and mine together after not checking all of the pockets for loose items. To my chagrin, a sharpie marker made it through the washer and the dryer, leaving permanent ink spots on a significant portion of my clothes. I took the pants and dyed them with black dye, which ended up a really dark gray after a couple of washings. The patterned shirt had to be tossed, as random black spots on a medium green shirt with small white dots is not something that could be dyed over easily. I no longer wash our stuff together, and I’m more thorough about checking pockets, as I’m tired of picking loose washers, screws, pens, etc. out of the washer and/or dryer after a load of laundry.
Just dye everything a dark color if you think the fabric will take the dye, or have a pro do it for you. There’s no point in throwing out that much clothing.
> [@msmith537](#):
>
> Really I never understood this slovenly “I don’t give a shit” attitude from people who work in IT. It’s like every jerk who learned how to maintain back office email and database servers at their community college thinks they are Mark Zuckerburg. People in the marketing or accounting department have “mad skilz” too, but they don’t dress like mental patients.
I can understand the tendency for IT folks to dress in business casual, especially in workplaces where more formal business attire is the norm. Any IT person I’ve ever worked with has been seen on a regular basis hauling equipment, getting stuck in odd positions and generally doing things that would not be a good idea in a suit. Mind you, I do find it odd that there are the occasional “I wear t-shirts and flip flops to work” IT folks outside of “business casual” environments, but I don’t really care if someone working in IT wears what I like to think of as the IT Guy Uniform: khakis/chinos and polo shirts or basic oxford shirts with no tie.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/98 "2012-11-29T17:26:59Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#):
>
> Shhh. Don’t. He’s crying. Ink stained _and_ tear stained.
>
> Poor little bugger.
If only he cried 95% denatured ethanol – problem solved!
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### Author:  [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/99 "2012-11-29T18:27:32Z")
> [@AnaMen](#):
>
> Since I find it hard to function while wearing \*\*uncomfortable \*\ ***clothing** , the corporate world is not really for me.
Uncomfortable and dirty are two very different things. I’m much more sympathetic to people who are in opposition to things like “Wear an IBM suit at all times, even when you are servicing installation printers all day”.
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/normal-people-reaction-to-ink-on-clothes/642399/100 "2012-11-29T18:28:45Z")
> [@AnaMen](#):
>
> Some people aren’t so hungry for rules that they just fill in for the absent ones themselves. The idea that you are supposed to make up new rules for yourself and follow them too seems wildly impractical. If that worked, why would there need to be any actual written rules? Let people just deduce for themselves that they need to wear ties, not be late, etc.
> IT works with hard and fast rules that are not subject to human interpretation. It is little wonder that someone may be very good at IT precisely because they are a literal thinker. If there is no obvious rational reason to dress a certain way and the apparel chosen meets the written requirement, why should they take it upon themselves to create a stricter dress code for themselves?
That’s bullshit. IT people “work with hard and fast rules” when it suits them. Why is it they can follow programming rules but not rules set by corporate policy or the business requirements of the company? It’s more likely because many programmers and IT people have delusions fostered by decades of stories about hackers, Silicon Valley startup billionaires and tech mavericks turning industries on their head with disruptive technologies. It has nothing to do with “comfort” or “being a literal thinker”. It’s about thumbing their nose at the “establishment”.
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