Friday, July 07, 2006

Flipped Out

It's not personal, it's business. Business casual is the dress code at both work places. The office, oddly enough is a bit more laid back, likely due to being less corporate, strictly mail order and the rarity of client visits. The PTG is much more corporate, with clients and potential clients visiting often. Business casual is, or at least, reportedly, stridently enforced.

In case any of the staff are confused about what constitutes business casual it is spelled out in the employee manual and oft repeated in the weekly newsletters. To wit; slacks, modest skirts/dresses, shirts/blouses with collars and closed, non-athletic style shoes. The more specific no-no list includes but is not limited to, tee shirts, especially those with messages or images, athletic clothing and shoes, tank and halter tops, jeans, shorts, sandals and flip flops.

Much of the staff, apparently, not only need clarification but to be beaten about the head with the message; gym, club and beach clothes not acceptable office attire.

I work nights and weekends and as such, expect the atmosphere to be a bit less rigid than regular business hours, thus, I am not surprised to see a tee shirt or two, sweatpants, athletic shoes and such. I was not and will not ever be prepared for flip flops.

There is no place for flip flops in the workplace, unless the workplace is a beach or some similar venue. The exposure of one's bare feet in the office is just wrong. Besides being a displeasing sight, the sound of that slap of rubber against the sole of the foot when people are flip flopping their way to and fro is annoying and distracting.

Plus, most flip flops are ugly as are many of the feet they pretend to house. And dangerous. Yes, dangerous. Ask YL how many times I've stepped on her when the flop didn't flip when her foot did. That fraction of a second that the *shoe* is on the ground while the heel of the foot is aloft, is all a reforming klutz like me needs to send both parties stumbling.

I don't have anything against flip flops or feet. It's not personal, it's business casual and it's the code.

13 comments:

  1. We are officially business casual, but it was not spelled out or defined in anyway beyond that. Sandals are permitted, at least in the salon, but one must have a pretty pedicure.

    Woo.

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  2. NOBODY should wear sandals without making sure their toes look nice. My poor GF has attrocious toes, she just will NOT keep them up. I've given up as she should take SOME responsibility for them.

    The flip flop sound can be annoying, but any sandal/shoe that flops along aint great!

    I am however, ALL for casual dressing, tee shirts etc, even in church for the summer esp.

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  3. I work for a software company.
    we are CASUAL.
    shorts, t-shirts, sandals, flipflops, sneakers... whatever - it all goes here.

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  4. I work for casual employers also. Which is good because my sense of style in the clothing department is woefully lacking. But casual I can do. And do do.

    I feel it important to note that with the current trends in female footware, there are many choices of flip-floppy type shoes that are anything but casual.

    I also agree strongly with KMae: Toes should be beautiful before they are publicly displayed.

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  5. Were it up to me I would be casual too, as it is my *style* minus the open shoes. I just don't do open shoes, of course I don't do heels either.

    I agree some flip floppy type shoes can be quite dressy-odd that some who choose to wear flip flops in a business office, don't choose the dressier types...

    Open shoes? Beautiful toes (and heels while we're at it) Absolutely a MUST!

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  6. A couple of years ago, my agency had to modify it's defined restriction of "shoes with a strap between the toes" as a concession to contemporary shoe styles. Our business-casual environment permits sandals (with heels or not,) but some staff choose to interpret that as inclusive of flip-flops.

    I do wish to God my supervisor would cover her hag-like toes all summer long!

    And don't let Suzanne fool you. She has a quite refined sense of style.

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  7. Sorry about the hag-like toes-I know exactly what you mean.

    About Suzanne's style, I don't doubt you for a minute.

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  8. OH my GOSH,
    Deborah!

    The leader at Weight Watchers actually wore pink flip flops & they ACTUALLY had little heels.

    Flip Flops with little inch high skinny heels.

    Wierd.

    But they did look cute, I can't believe I'm admitting this. However, I AIN'T gettin' any.

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  9. Anonymous6:54 PM

    Excuse my ADVANCED AGE, but I remember when open toed shoes of any sort were scandalous.

    Gah. Shoot me.

    I wear flip flops all day long, every where. Except at work. Never at work. But lots of sandals trick my feet into barely noticing the difference. ;-)

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  10. Do you think your bosses would mind if I wore a kilt to the office?

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  11. oh... and I NEVER wear flip-flops... except while showering at the gym where I work.

    Regarding toes... if you are going to wear open shoes... you should take care of your feet... geeeeesh!

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  12. gunfighter, I think the kilt would be *acceptable* so long as it's long enough. :)

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  13. Define long enough Ha!

    To my knees, dear... the middle of my knees.

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