I'm mortified - boss reprimanded me for dress too short

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly any female boss that says that has decided to target you. Let me guess, you are above-average in looks and definitely more attractive than your boss?

Or has had the attire pointed out to her by one of her superiors and was told to address the problem or got a call from HR that there had been complaints or was asked to do so by a man who did not feel comfortable talking to the young lady about it...

I work in a conservative-dress environment and people of all stripes care about things like a too-short skirt because it could reflect poorly to clients. I was also asked once to counsel a young man about ensuring the back of his shirt was consistently tucked in. Very few people like criticizing the way someone looks or is dressed. It's awkward for everyone but is, in some cases, unavoidable.

Yep--my senior boss once told me to tell an employee that her clothing was inappropriate, especially since clients were in the office that day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Report her to HR. What she did is unethical.

No it is not. You should look up unethical some time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Frankly any female boss that says that has decided to target you. Let me guess, you are above-average in looks and definitely more attractive than your boss?

Or, she needed want her coworker to show her undies and more to everybody? Hence did her a favor?

[Anonymous]

Your boss is NOT targeting you. If she wanted to target you , she would have made a big deal and complained about you to someone.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused on how this even happened. Isn't the rule that the skirt has to be lower than your hands when you hang down your arms?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like your boss handled it very well!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wear a lot of V neck and wrap dresses and tops. I've started making modesty shields out of old hand towels that were my grandmas. I just cut them in half, iron them with starch, and pin them to my bra straps so they form a snug shield across the chest area. So pretty and much cooler than camisoles. I don't wear tight or short skirts. They are uncomfortable and tend to send a message I don't want to send.

Uh, what? Old hand towels pinned to your bra straps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused on how this even happened. Isn't the rule that the skirt has to be lower than your hands when you hang down your arms?

This isn't saint mary Margaret's catholic school for girls circa 1963.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am male, and ran into this issue with a young female employee. I did not want to bring it up (her bending over made me aware of her preferences in undergarments).

I could not tell her; instead, I asked a female colleague to talk to her. Turns out the young woman had no idea what was appropriate. She was trying to dress nice. Problem averted.

My law firm had this problem when they got summer interns working in the mail room. There were three late teen girls prancing around in skimpy sundresses and skirts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wear a lot of V neck and wrap dresses and tops. I've started making modesty shields out of old hand towels that were my grandmas. I just cut them in half, iron them with starch, and pin them to my bra straps so they form a snug shield across the chest area. So pretty and much cooler than camisoles. I don't wear tight or short skirts. They are uncomfortable and tend to send a message I don't want to send.

You clearly are unaware how ridiculous you look. We can tell you're using an old towel, you are the only one who thinks it's pretty. Trust me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My former office had a code for this. A blank post it left on your chair meant wardrobe alert. No need for awkward conversation. Even bosses with offices got flagged occasionally.

Wow. This is awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am male, and ran into this issue with a young female employee. I did not want to bring it up (her bending over made me aware of her preferences in undergarments).

I could not tell her; instead, I asked a female colleague to talk to her. Turns out the young woman had no idea what was appropriate. She was trying to dress nice. Problem averted.

I was going to say that it is not uncommon for a male boss to ask a woman to talk to the employee with the inappropriate clothing. Most men are afraid that the conversation will be misinterpreted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly any female boss that says that has decided to target you. Let me guess, you are above-average in looks and definitely more attractive than your boss?

Wow, you pout way too much stock in looks. Newsflash: not everyone cares how pretty someone is.

It's all in context, there is such thing as "mean girls" at work and female bosses are definitely guilty of it.

There is also such thing as "professionalism", and being pretty doesn't make you exempt. You missed the point by a mile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Report her to HR. What she did is unethical.

Maybe you should retake your ethics training.

[Anonymous]

Can you send your boss to my office?

Someone needs to tell literally all the female staff under 30 that the cute silk shirt dresses they wear are inappropriate for the office since they hit the upper mid-thigh.

Why don't young women realize they should wear dresses and skirts that hit at or immediately above the knee?