Letters to the Editor
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I hate pantyhose!
I like wearing pants, why because of ease. I hate the restricting feeling of pantyhose, I hate the extra money that they cost, between 3 and 15 dollars depending on the brand. The constant runs that happen just for snagging on your nails because you have to pull them up and down when using the bathroom. I hate having to shave everyday and I think bare legs are just rather unprofessional in the work place and not all of us have nice tan skin.
Wearing a skirt means you spend more money. Razors, shaving cream, pantyhose, or at least lotion everyday if you are a bare leg woman.
So I hate wearing skirts to work, I much prefer pants. They are warmer too. Plus I never catch men trying to look up my pants. I don't have to worry about how my legs are crossed, I don't have the back of my thighs sticking to furniture.
I realize that other places don't feel this way as once when I was temping at a medical conference, I came in a pantsuit, the woman and the company were headquartered in the South. She told me that to keep the temp job I had to wear a skirt the rest of the week as most of the customers were male and a skirt is just more professional. Needing the money I couldn't tell her where to shove it.
So of course that man thought a woman who wore skirts to interviews were better employees. It means they are more likely to subjigate comfort, time and expense to the male gaze, their own vanity or religious nonsense.
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Just Desk Work?
I work in a more "hands on" industry, so pants just seem more practical to me. In the past week, I've had to climb up a stepladder to reach a high shelf, maneuver under my desk to change an ethernet cable, and kneel under a table to read the serial number off a piece of equipment. None of these tasks were technically "my job", but I would hate to have to say "sorry, I can't do that, I'm wearing a skirt". (I probably could have done these things in a skirt, but it definitely would have been awkward, and possibly "revealing" to anyone who was watching.)
Maybe higher level execs never have to do these things, whether they're male or female, but somehow I think they'd look down on a woman who hesitated to "pitch in" because of what she was wearing - even though they might say a skirt was more "appropriate".
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I enjoy being a a girl!
Remember that song from the 50's? Well, I'm a feminist and I'm also feminine. All other factors being equal, I'll take the dress/skirt over the pants/shorts any time. Unlike a previous poster I like the "feel" of skirt/hose/lingerie (nothing kinky here, just aesthetics) unless the weather's really unbearable. I also have a "strange" figure as far as pants are concerned; if they fit in one place they won't in another, so getting properly tailored "suit" pants is a real hassle.
As for "power colors" - I worked once for a lady who wore yellow and turquoise suits with white blouses - and nobody dared question her authority. (The little-black-dress is often the cop-out uniform of the wallflower.)
I can't be the only one who thinks Hillary Clinton exuded a more "powerful" image in her 1990's skirted suits than in her current drab pant suits, now can I?
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It's January
True story: Here in Anchorage a few years ago some hot-shot executive type was recuited from Washington, D.C. to run a local office. In one of his first actions, he imposed a dress code: Dresses and/or skirts for women, plus heels (!); fancy-schmancy wingtips or some such impractical shoes mandated for men, among other things.
With the ice, the snow and the general conditions here, the dress code didn't last too long. And neither did D.C. Wonder Boy.
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Oh gosh, I thought this quandary was addressed in the '70s
I'm a life-long feminist, employed in a Fortune 30 corporation for 30 years and have had several management and senior technical assignments.
I thought that whole office attire thing was settled well before 1980. As my female peers figured it - it just depended. When I was a teaching assistant at university, I wore jeans and earth shoes.
When I was working in company labs, I wore pants.
When I was representing my company to top customer brass, I wore a power suit (some of you will remember - with the shell top with pearls or a collared blouse with a silk bow).
When I was consulting with major banks and insurance companies I wore something with a skirt even through the '90s. Except that when I traveled I wore pants.
Now I'm in a comfy work-at-home environment which allows that whole t-shirt and bunny slippers thing. When I actually must go to the work site, I wear jeans and a decent top (hey, I'm in Austin TX).
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Men in Kilts
I think men look pretty sexy in a kilt. If only I could talk the husbandman into that.
In some ways wearing a skirt or dress is pretty comfortable as I personally don't feel as restricted in a dress as I am in my skinny jeans. No waist band, zipper, buttons. And it's a major plus in the hot summer you really get a better breeze.
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If you want to handle peoples money wear something conservative
Being a creature of the 70s I feel most comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. At work however I am rarely seen without a tie. In fact I joke to my clients that I will give them $50 if they catch me without one.
Because I am self employed I have only one master to serve which is my clients. I learned something long ago that a suite makes a better impression no matter what anyone tells you. That is also the reason I keep my hair short and do not grow a beard.
Most of the fashion faux pas seem to come from corporate middle manager types or worker bee types that resent dressing for anyone other than themselves. When in doubt, dress conservative. If you want to be a rebel start your own business.