Dress Code - Stockings/Shoes

djf NJ · December 2002

As a medical group which employs clinical and reception personnel, our present dress code policy requires that employees wear appropriate hosiery and shoes. Some female employees (including supervisors) have been straying from this dress code policy by not wearing stockings and wearing open-toed shoes.

It has been suggested to revise the current policy to allow employees to wear sandals and no stockings during the summer months.

Your suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

Meg · December 2002

We too require employees to wear the appropriate hosiery with open toed shoes.
However, there are several departments who do not enforce this policy very strongly. I will admit that I would love to see this policy change. Open toed shoes with stockings do not make much sense in my opinion and look worse than someone who wears no stockings.
I can say that we have professional business dress most of the time and even when we do have business casual, it is still pretty conservative. The problem I foresee with going to open toed shoes, no hoes, and with sandals, is what to do if someone may not have the most attractive feet - I can say this because I am one of those people (and I even get pedicures). How will you tell someone that they can no longer wear sandals because you find their feet repulsive???
Not an easy thing to tell someone.
I have thought of wearing the toeless stockings to get around the rule, but thought that may be a "career-roadblock."
I too am open to suggestions the rest of you may have. Heels and closed toed shoes are not comfortable and I live for the day when noon cares what your shoes look like!

Terri B · December 2002

I too work at a medical center. We used to have the "hose always" rule but abandonded it. No one enforced it so why have it on the books. With the return of capri pants and the shoes that go with them it was impossible to keep up with. Yes we allow capri pants in our business casual dress code too.

Good Luck!!!

SandiF · January 2003

We are a privately owned out-patient medical practice and we have tried to accommodate our employees' wishes, but one thing we haven't changed is the requirement for hosiery. Although no longer one of the "younger employees" (I'm in my early (very) 40's), I have never gone to any type of job without wearing socks or nylons and I can't imagine doing so. My first real job was as a teacher and you just did not go on an interview not wearing a suit. We have changed our no open-toe shoe policy, allowing our employees to wear open-toe "dress shoes", except in technical areas where it could be a safety issue. Rockie, some women do get it. Not wearing hosiery is just not acceptable attire in a professional place of business. I have high expectations of my children because if I didn't, who would? Our society today is less polite, people are less respectful of others, and many businesses give poorer service - it amazes me how many sales clerks don't say "thank you." I think if we expect less,we get less. And on and on I could go. It is up to the supervisor in each department to monitor the dress code and if an employee does not abide by our policy, it becomes a discipline issue. If someone doesn't want to follow our dress code, they can work somewhere else. Our company has an excellent reputation, which is what we expect.

LisaMN · December 2002

You have no idea how much time this subject absorbed for me this past summer. Did surveys, observations in the cafeteria, meetings w/dept managers; jeez people get a life.

But, having done the research I can tell you that the medical centers here were evenly split between those that required socks/stockings and those that didn't, or left it to the dept manager, or had no policy. As best I can tell its a generational thing, younger women don't wear hose, older women do.

We wound up with a policy that leaves it to the department manager to develop their own dress code if they want something other then the general medical center policy which does not require hose. Except for patient care areas where it is required.

kwelzel · December 2002

I work in the hospitality/hotel industry and stockings/closed toe shoes are required. There is no option on that, even in the summertime. For us, it's all about image...how we "present" to our guests and clients.

Of course, in our corporate office, it's a little different. We don't have guests coming and going, and therefore we have a summer dress code. We can go sockless and open-toed. Even the CFO doesn't wear socks!

Rockie · December 2002

As a person who was "raised" in a professional, conservative environment (law and banking), I was always of the opinion that the image you portrayed was very professional. Women just haven't gotten this yet!

I pride myself on wearing conservative, professional clothing in the workplace This means stockings everyday,along with closed toe shoes. There are attractive low heeled alternatives. You don't have to wear stilts (which may send another message). As far as capri pants, no stockings, jeans, etc. forget it! When I think of women defending their non professional attire in the workplace, I often think of "What would I think of my boss if he came to work in bermuda shorts, no socks and flip flops because it was more "comfortable".

Sorry about the "younger" generation, but as someone who has interviewed and hired/discarded hundreds of applicants, I can tell you that the image a person reflects definitely does make an impression and can make or break an applicant. If there are two applicants who are very similar in qualifications, professionalism always wins out in my book. A person who is well groomed and appropriately attired tells me if they care enough to present themselves in this manner, they will probably take as much pride in their job.

When I left the banking arena and came to health care where I have been the last few years, there was definitely a change in this particular perception of what image is. Personally, as a matter of pride, I dress and conduct myself as I always have and am considered a professional individual who is taken seriously.

Terri B · December 2002

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-03-02 AT 12:54PM (CST)[/font][p]I agree with Rockie totally. But, how do we influence the managers who think it isn't important (piercings, tatoos, etc.)? Our hospital gave in to the folks in the non-patient care areas and now we have the scenario that I put in my first post. Business casual is getting more casual and less business all the time.

kwelzel · December 2002

Please don't group all women together...my boss (male) does come to work with no socks, no jacket in the summer, yet the women in this office who have to go to the hotels always present in a professional manner; hose and closed toe shoes and jackets. He also goes to the hotels for meetings, with no socks on with his suit! How UNPROFESSIONAL is that? Another director in my office (male) doesn't wear socks in the summer, and sits at his desk with his feet up...bare feet!!!

JKK · December 2002

Our dress code is "business appropriate" - I have to admit that many of the ee's ideas of business appropriate is not the same as mine! I have one girl who always wears plunging necklines and leaves nothing to the imagination. Another girl thinks low rise leather pants and bare midriff tops are business appropriate!
The boss puts his foot down when it comes to sneakers and flip flops but is okay about sandals, although when the issue was first raised several years ago there was some contention in the office... one of the male ee's stated that if women were allowed to wear sandals in summer he should be able to also!
(He lost)

Rockie · December 2002

The male probably did have a point about the sandals. I once worked for a hospital that stated in their dress code policy "Male employees are not allowed to wear earrings." This was challenged legally (to make a point, I am sure) and the hospital was advised they could not discriminate against male employees in this way. They could prohibit earrings on all employees, but not just males.

I wonder where all this madness will end!

HR in PA · December 2002

While I agree that it is difficult to find the perfect "business casual" dress code, I think that it is well worth it when found and implemented. I came from an environment where suits, stockings and closed toed shoes were a must for all female employees. On the flip side, the current financial services environment that I work in has a much more casual policy. We allow sandals and capri pants and even sleeveless to the shoulder tops in the summer. I feel that our employees are well aware of what is appropriate and what is not. Whether it takes a business casual fashion show, payroll stuffers on dressing for success in the casual workplace, do it! We have found that our members/customers relate to us. They feel more comfortable in our business casual environment. It also does wonders for employee morale as well as our wallets since we have a wider array of options to choose from in our closets. At present, I work with a lot of professionals, and I, myself, do not feel any less professional today than I did two years ago in my suit, hose and heels. I'm just a lot more comfortable! Find out what works best for your employees and customers and go for it. It has certainly worked for us.

Rockie · December 2002

I just have to give you guys a couple of examples of what has been worn in our practice the last couple of months.

A computer operator wore a low cut leotard with a sarong type garment tied around her middle. At least 6 people came by my office prior to 9 AM exclaiming over what she was wearing. She was sent home without pay to change. Her reply was "I didn't know a scoop neck garment would cause such an uproar". (It looked like she was going to attend a modern dance class).

Our recently departed Executive (I use that term loosely) Assistant wore a negligee looking transparent black garment over her slacks and top, along with what looked like Swiss Army boots. I asked her what the heck she thought she was wearing and she just looked at me blankly. ( I don't know what kind of fashion statement this was supposed to be!)

These were not Friday Casual Day garments, but your run of the mill garments.

LisaMN · December 2002

I have to say after my adventures with this issue I just don't understand the uproar. I never saw "fashion police" addressed as a topic in any HR class. If you are in charge of a section, department, area etc. and someone shows up inappropriately dressed then send them home.

Theoretically, appropriate dress would be discussed during the 1st few days of employment. I can't imagine it would take more than a couple trips home to change; for the majority of the department to meet whatever standard exists.

Renie · December 2002

I am part of the "younger generation" and I think of hose as something you wear in the winter with closed toe shoes. Hose makes your legs look smooth and creates the illusion that they are all one color (sometimes a darker color). For those of us who become ghostly and dry in the winter hose is a must. Hose to me is like high heels - Women hate them and complain about how they feel, but we still insist on keeping them in style because of how they make us look.

Isn't it a fashion no-no to wear hose with sandles? I think if you've got great legs, you don't need hose in the summer. In the winter, you kind of need the extra warmth.

STOP LOOKING AT MY LEGS!!

blw · December 2002

What a hot issue. We revised our dress code two years ago. It was a compromise of what different directors felt was appropriate. We are a non-profit and have a fairly casual environment. We are also in south Texas with incredibly high humidity. On the stocking issue, what we came up with was if the hemline is above the knee, stockings/socks required. If below the knee, not required. Capri's and sandals can be worn, and on Friday's jeans and bermuda length shorts can be worn. BUT, nothing sleeveless. (That is my personal regret.)

I shake my head to think that I am seen as less professional and out of dress code in a nice sleeveless dress with hose and heels, than someone in capris and sandals or shorts and tennis shoes.

Go Figure!!!
Barbara

Don D · December 2002

I don't know the sexual persuasion of all the conversationalists on this particular post; but, I do want to be sure males are represented somewhere in here. I can't imagine a business attire including males with 'no socks' or males in sandals and a suit. I wouldn't have done either straight out of college. For God's sakes, Chicago pimps don't even dress like that. As for bare feet up on a desk, what can I say? The guy's unprofessionalism is exceeded only by his ego. Now, as to the post that came from the lady who exclaims that she is from the younger generation (so am I. I will never, ever be a day older than 30!). Let me see if I have this right....I'm the hiring manager or HR manager and I've got an orientation group sitting before me on their first day of work. My task is to brief them on policies, expectations and benefits and such. Now, it comes time to touch on the dress code. Here's my speech on that: "For the females among you new hires; the Company believes that hose "make your legs look smoother." "The Company also believes that if your legs look ghostly and dry in the winter, you should certainly wear hose." "The company also feels it's a matter of 'how they make you look'". "And lastly, our Company's feeling is that you might not want to wear hose 'if you have great legs'". BEAM ME SIDEWAYS, SCOTTY!

LisaMN · December 2002

Please let me know, Don, when you're going to have that Orientation. It's been a stressful couple weeks and I really need some comic relief....

Renie · December 2002

It's what we all think, but don't say!

You may as well be honest about why we have certain dress codes in place. It's all about apearance. You will never convince me that wearing hose is a safety issue like wearing closed toe shoes is.

jtbanker · December 2002

I currently work in a small town bank but came from a large city bank where professionalism was a must. However, the dress code here, 5 years ago, was so outdated (your dress must touch the floor when you kneel down, no open toe or sling back shoes, etc.) Our bank also provides a clothing allowance that pays each employee up to $120.00 every six months to help buy professional clothing. With this benefit the majority of the employees feel better about some of the dress code requirements. I have changed the dress code however, to help accommodate the younger employees, which now allows for dresses or skirts to be 3-4" above the knee, open toe shoes are allowed as long as they look professional (meaning no flip flops, etc.,) and Skorts are allowed as long as they meet the height requirements and are full-skirted (looks closer to a dress than shorts) but everyone MUST wear nylons, socks, or stocking on their feet. Not only do I feel that it looks more professional but to me it also has to do with the look of cleanliness. That may sound dumb but every time I see someone, in a professional manner, which is wearing open toe shoes without nylons, I get an unclean feeling about them and their business. I have had a few complaints from some of the younger employees but overall customers and staff agree, nylons or something covering your feet give a more professional, cleaner feeling about the work place while still allowing some flexibility.

Diane in FL · January 2003

Unless you can come up with a reason that would show how open-toed shoes, with or without stockings, would put the employees or patients at risk for injury or some health issue, I'd recommend revising the policy.

Medical "clogs" are available, and I know are worn here at St. Luke's/Mayo Clinic. I also see medical personnel wearing the open-toed medical "clogs". In the hospital setting, I could see requiring some sort of sock or stocking (and unless you're going to specify that men wear boxers rather than briefs, I wouldn't specify that women have to wear pantyhose rather than other types of underwear). In the office setting, away from falling needles and dirtied linens, there really is no good reason to require close-toed shoes with or without stockings. Generally, the "requirement" reflects a top manager's idea of what constitues "professional"-wear.

Here in Florida, and even when I worked in Chicago, when the weather gets unbearably hot and sticky, wearing hose feels like being wrapped in
Saran-wrap; regardless of whether or not the person is wearing slacks or a skirt.

>As a medical group which employs clinical and reception personnel, our
>present dress code policy requires that employees wear appropriate
>hosiery and shoes. Some female employees (including supervisors) have
>been straying from this dress code policy by not wearing stockings and
>wearing open-toed shoes.
>
>It has been suggested to revise the current policy to allow employees
>to wear sandals and no stockings during the summer months.
>
>Your suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

Dress Code - Stockings/Shoes

Comments