This thread was inspired by this one. It seems there is a lot of confusion amongst men and women about what constitutes appropriate or proper casual business attire lately. Perhaps I'm a prude but I think half of y'all are either crazy, stupid, or both.
The attached article is geared towards women, but there are a few key ideas which men should be able to use as well. I have taken the liberty of bolding these points.
Ladies: Unless you are a life guard, or your job involves pole dancing or being paid for sexual acts by the hour you MUST wear a bra that fits properly to your job every day. That's it. There is no room for discussion on this topic. Plunging necklines and nipples poking through are NEVER appropriate in a professional business or office setting.
I hate padded bras, but I wear them because otherwise my naturally large nipples will show. I don't just mean with t-shirts. If I wear an unlined, unpadded bra with a sweatshirt or shetland wool sweater you can see my nipples poking through even if I'm not cold. :redface: Therefore, I always wear a padded bra. It's the right thing to do.
Men: Y'all know I love a big dick; but work is not the place to be showing it off unless you are a lifeguard, gigolo, exotic dancer, or prostitute. Having been a lifeguard at a YMCA I can tell you most guys opted for the loose fit swim trunk or board short and never a Speedo. Then again that was the mid-90's and I was in NJ.
Men, if you work in an office, school, university, or any other professional setting and you are well endowed it is NOT in your best interest to dress in a manner that lets everyone know you have a large penis. Going commando, in white linen pants, on casual Friday is a no-no!
:duh: Perhaps you are average in size but are a shower, the same rules apply. It behooves you to wear snugger fitting underwear and pants which are a looser fit. I know many of you don't like having the boys up close to you; but we are talking about work. If it were supposed to be fun, they'd call it the circus. 
How to Master Business Casual:
Do’s and don’ts for dressing down professionally
Getting to dress down for work is supposed to be a perk, but sometimes figuring out what safely falls within the guidelines of “business casual” feels more like a chore. Always ask for your company’s specific policy: Some garments (like cotton chinos and linen skirts) are universally acceptable under the dress code, while others (like jeans and open-toe shoes) are hit-and-miss. If your firm gives jeans the nod, fashion stylist Joseph Williamson says, “they should fit well and not be too low-cut or have holes in them. And they should be dressed up with a nice shirt or even a jacket.”
The prevailing rule of thumb for business casual is dressed-down professional wear, not a wardrobe free-for-all. “Do a gut check with yourself before you leave the house. Would you be comfortable wearing this in front of a client, or does it feel like it’s for friends? Save the extremes for the weekend,” advises Peri Hansen, a senior client partner at Korn/Ferry International, an executive-search firm in Los Angeles. (That includes flip-flops, spaghetti straps, message tees, and anything tight, short, or revealing. On the A-OK list: casual blazers, knit blouses, tailored Bermuda shorts, trousers, jumper-style dresses, and denim skirts, if not short or frayed.
“You never want to try to ‘get away’ with anything,” says Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute. When in doubt, says Kim Mains, manager of legal recruiting for Cozen O’Connor, a law firm in Philadelphia, “take cues from what your female colleagues are wearing — especially those women whom you admire. And remember that it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.” The big payoff for all this strategic censorship? When done right, business-casual attire can score you points with colleagues and higher-ups. Says Paul Howalt, the owner of Tactix Creative, a branding firm in Mesa, Arizona: “Just as long as it’s not sloppy, we encourage well-executed individuality.”
Written by Ingela Ratledge
September 2008
The attached article is geared towards women, but there are a few key ideas which men should be able to use as well. I have taken the liberty of bolding these points.
Ladies: Unless you are a life guard, or your job involves pole dancing or being paid for sexual acts by the hour you MUST wear a bra that fits properly to your job every day. That's it. There is no room for discussion on this topic. Plunging necklines and nipples poking through are NEVER appropriate in a professional business or office setting.
I hate padded bras, but I wear them because otherwise my naturally large nipples will show. I don't just mean with t-shirts. If I wear an unlined, unpadded bra with a sweatshirt or shetland wool sweater you can see my nipples poking through even if I'm not cold. :redface: Therefore, I always wear a padded bra. It's the right thing to do.
Men: Y'all know I love a big dick; but work is not the place to be showing it off unless you are a lifeguard, gigolo, exotic dancer, or prostitute. Having been a lifeguard at a YMCA I can tell you most guys opted for the loose fit swim trunk or board short and never a Speedo. Then again that was the mid-90's and I was in NJ.
Men, if you work in an office, school, university, or any other professional setting and you are well endowed it is NOT in your best interest to dress in a manner that lets everyone know you have a large penis. Going commando, in white linen pants, on casual Friday is a no-no!
How to Master Business Casual:
Do’s and don’ts for dressing down professionally
Getting to dress down for work is supposed to be a perk, but sometimes figuring out what safely falls within the guidelines of “business casual” feels more like a chore. Always ask for your company’s specific policy: Some garments (like cotton chinos and linen skirts) are universally acceptable under the dress code, while others (like jeans and open-toe shoes) are hit-and-miss. If your firm gives jeans the nod, fashion stylist Joseph Williamson says, “they should fit well and not be too low-cut or have holes in them. And they should be dressed up with a nice shirt or even a jacket.”
The prevailing rule of thumb for business casual is dressed-down professional wear, not a wardrobe free-for-all. “Do a gut check with yourself before you leave the house. Would you be comfortable wearing this in front of a client, or does it feel like it’s for friends? Save the extremes for the weekend,” advises Peri Hansen, a senior client partner at Korn/Ferry International, an executive-search firm in Los Angeles. (That includes flip-flops, spaghetti straps, message tees, and anything tight, short, or revealing. On the A-OK list: casual blazers, knit blouses, tailored Bermuda shorts, trousers, jumper-style dresses, and denim skirts, if not short or frayed.
“You never want to try to ‘get away’ with anything,” says Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute. When in doubt, says Kim Mains, manager of legal recruiting for Cozen O’Connor, a law firm in Philadelphia, “take cues from what your female colleagues are wearing — especially those women whom you admire. And remember that it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.” The big payoff for all this strategic censorship? When done right, business-casual attire can score you points with colleagues and higher-ups. Says Paul Howalt, the owner of Tactix Creative, a branding firm in Mesa, Arizona: “Just as long as it’s not sloppy, we encourage well-executed individuality.”
Written by Ingela Ratledge
September 2008
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