Smart casual attire
So I just started work at this place and they stated smart casual attire. I wore culottes and a plain t shirt on the first few days and it was fine, I also saw many other guys wearing graphic tees and jeans. Including guys from my team.
But then my manager (a lady) asked me if I hv any dresses and if I could wear OL dresses. I’m just not comfortable in dresses. It’s not a customer facing role in any way, just normal office work. I do have more formal blouses that I can wear, but somehow my manager wants me to wear dresses.
Is it normal? Tbh I dk why guys can wear so comfy clothes and I’m asked to wear dresses which I dont like and I hv to specially buy for no reason. If everyone, even the guys are wearing formal, I understand.
Netizens’ comments
- Apologize that you’re uncomfortable with dresses, and that you’ll match your dress code to the rest of the office.
Then wear jeans to work - I think this is OP’s first full-time job. Not sure if this is good advice because doing this could be seen as a “smart alec move” by the manager, especially for a fresh grad. OP’s manager probably wants her team to look better in front of her boss – maybe to OP’s manager, everyone dressing well shows she has “good control” over her team.
Not saying this because I agree with OP’s manager but I would suggest to OP to talk to her manager first – let her know you need more time or at least, after first salary credit before you could buy more dresses. Besides, as a new staff, you need more “friends” at work who you could approach/help you navigate around. Having your manager who has something against you is bad bad bad. Especially when you’re on a contract role and she has a say whether it gets extended or not. Unless it isn’t an extendable role. But don’t forget the job market is quite bad now ~ - By right, T shirt is too informal for smart casual. So the guys wearing graphic tees and jeans are under-dressed.
But for some unknown/personal reasons, this lady manager feels like she should pick on you, a woman, rather than the guys. This is annoying, but what you can do is to wear your more formal blouses with culottes, jeans, long pants etc. And see what happens.
If she still picks on your attire, ask her why only dresses are acceptable, and that you’re not comfortable wearing dresses and having to be careful about upskirt exposure. Ask her where in the employee handbook it says that female staff have to wear dresses, is it a company-wide policy or limited to certain roles?