When it comes to dressing casually for work, should we consider crossing the line of workplace dress codes, or is it going to be too much to handle?
Photo credit: Monstera
A few years ago, there was this image doing rounds on social media of a lady dressed in a fitting knee-length skirt and a button-up blouse. She was very curvy, and so this seemingly average outfit made her look racier than you would expect. As usual, the comments were full of men objectifying her with all sorts of lewd comments about how they would be distracted if they were working in the same office as she was.
Photo credit: Florence's Blog
When it comes to office wear, sometimes it is easy for the lines to get blurred, especially when the dress code hasn’t been specified to you by the organization, and you haven’t done your due diligence. Different industries have their own dress codes, all revolving around the four main ones: business professional, business formal, casual, and business casual. More companies have been embracing casual wear in the office, which has been a breath of fresh air to the working population. But in the spirit of welcoming comfort to the workplace, could we be getting too casual for the office? We know that everyone has their own sense of style and when given the freedom to be more laid-back with your work outfits, you may be excited to let your style shine through. However, we are often advised to err on the side of caution and consider the industry we are working in, and the rules set in place when selecting casual workwear.
We have probably all heard about the “My Dress, My Choice” movement in Kenya, which encourages people, women specifically, to feel free to wear whatever they want as long as they are comfortable. However, you would have to wonder whether casual workplace dress codes violate this principle to some extent. Because as much as you are free to wear whatever you want, the rules suddenly switch up once you are on professional grounds.
Many people look at their style as a way to express themselves and show the world who they are, even if it means showing some skin. So why then is it necessary to cover up when it is not your breasts or your thighs doing the work? The defense for this argument is usually that wearing anything too revealing or tight will distract co-workers or make people not take you seriously. And while this may be the case, shouldn’t your colleagues respect you or take you seriously regardless of what you wear?
From this social experiment, can we be able to look past the clothing and see the value of the person we are interacting with and the work they do from a non-judgmental place of respect? Should we just be left to our own devices wardrobe-wise, as long as we are doing the work and doing it well?
