Boss Slammed for Telling Woman Her Dress Is Too Short

A man has been slammed online for pulling aside a female colleague and telling her that her dress was too short.

In a post on the London-based discussion site Mumsnet, the woman, user quiettimes, explained how she was pulled into an "informal meeting" with a male manager.

"Apparently my dress is too short, and he will be monitoring my attire going forward," she wrote. "What I'm wearing isn't against the dress code guidance—which is just 'smart casual'—this dress covers my knees and is not a fitted style so it isn't riding up. I have worn it to work many times before and no issues were raised previously."

A 2022 poll of 2,000 people asked workers what fashion faux pas were totally unacceptable in an office setting. While items including gym gear, Crocs and hot pants were all seen as inappropriate, it isn't always clear cut.

Some 57 percent of workers said they have had a debate with themselves about whether an item of clothing was suitable for the office. Four in 10 said they have been spoken to by a manager or colleague about their work attire, and 21 percent had even been sent home due to clothing deemed inappropriate.

Award-winning personal stylist Lisa Talbot told Newsweek: "What you wear in the office has changed dramatically since the pandemic, with the aim of the employer to encourage their employees back into the office. Depending on the industry sector and the person's role within the business, the looks can vary."

"Workwear has become more relaxed in recent years but it still important to ensure that you are dressing appropriately in the workplace," agreed personal stylist Lindsay Edwards.

The Mumsnet user explained that on the day she was pulled aside about her outfit, it was almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and felt even warmer in the office.

"I feel like it's personal and nitpicking to raise this," she said. "Other people not only wear dresses the same length as me, but shorter things."

What Is Appropriate Work Attire?

Talbot explained that the outfit should reflect the personality of the wearer while also reflecting the professionalism of the office. "An outfit should allow the person to show their personality and feel confident," she said. "This could be a dress, trousers, skirt and shirt with blazer or even jeans."

Lindsay Edwards told Newsweek: "Taking a good look around you at others in the workplace, at the same level as you or more senior, will give a good indication of the culture of what's typically expected."

What Is Inappropriate Work Attire?

"We still have to have an air of professionalism," said Talbot, who said there were some clear-cut styles she would advise avoiding: "No open-toe sandals, and no crop tops."

"It's always worth checking your company's workwear policy for clarification, but it is likely to state that clothing deemed as revealing or inappropriate will not be tolerated," added Edwards. "Clothing which is branded with offensive drawings or slogans are certainly best avoided as well as any clothing which reveals the cleavage, stomach, or upper thighs."

In the comments on Mumsnet, users were quick to back the woman and told her that they couldn't understand the issue with her outfit as she described it.

"A man checking out the female member of staff attire sounds a bit odd," said one commenter. While another wrote: "I'd email and document the conversation asking for clarification on what is and isn't suitable."

Another Mumsnet user suggested the poster immediately raise the issue further: "I would go straight to HR and make a formal complaint," they said.

Edwards agreed that any issue with the woman's outfit was likely badly handled by the management. "If an employee is in breach of a workwear policy, it is reasonable for them to be asked to rectify this. However, I do feel that this exchange was poorly handled by the manager on several levels.

"The manager should have emailed everyone a general reminder of the workwear policy and attached a copy of it to the email for their attention," she suggested.

Newsweek could not verify the details of this case.

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