We have a specific dress code...

[BlaqueKatt]

Yeah, there's no problem with a dress code. Its changing the dress code on a whim and requiring your minimum wage employees to foot the cost of your whims.

The cube farm I worked in raised ire doing the opposite.

We had a "business casual" code with casual fridays, all well and good.
Memorial day comes around in May(signifies "summer" in the US), and they switch to Casual everyday for the summer(because business casual is warmer, and they didn't want to adjust the AC that much), with the reminder that Labor day(in september) we'll go back to business casual. We knew it was coming, so most of us started saving for new clothing. We buy new clothes in anticipation, Labor day hits, we all come in the next day in our new business casual.

Week later email: since you all did well with the transition back to business casual, we're going back to full casual(barring client visits), as long as everyone stays within the casual guidelines.


DANCE MONKEYS, DANCE!

[TheHuckster]

Look on the bright side, BlaqueKatt, now you have all these nice clothes to go on interviews with.

[mjr]

Dress codes become crap when they get all nitpicky. Like in my example, the tiny hole in the shirt that no one would even notice. Or schools sending girls home because their skirt is a couple of centimeters too short.

I sit on my butt and write software all day. Where I work, we CAN wear t-shirts -- but only "company approved" ones. What does "company approved" mean? It means a t-shirt with the company logo on it.

No, thanks. Especially if it's a t-shirt I have to buy myself.

I've brought this up to co-workers (at lunch) and my wife. I don't see how NOT wearing a t-shirt is going to make me a better developer.

I mean, it's not like a lot of big-wigs are going to be roaming around the IT department. Wearing my "Nerd Life" t-shirt isn't gonna make me write less, or lower quality code that day.

I've got a buddy in a different position at a different company. Where HE works, they demand business casual -- every day -- because of the employer and the type of job he has. Dress slacks, button ups or "polo" style shirts, and dress shoes. EVERY DAY.

To someone's point above, I have actually heard of some shops that want the whole business suit/shirt & tie thing every day. And yeah, those can get expensive!

[Rageaholic]

I mean, it's not like a lot of big-wigs are going to be roaming around the IT department. Wearing my "Nerd Life" t-shirt isn't gonna make me write less, or lower quality code that day.

That's how I feel, especially for a job like that The only reason dressing up matters is because our brains are designed to judge using heuristics. I can't fault people for it because it's an automated response, but it's still frustrating as hell knowing that silly things like what you wear can determine your job.

[Greenday]

It's a little weird at my office. I work in chemistry/physics/engineering labs so usually that can get pretty casual. But there is an office, we have meetings, and we are contractors working for the government so it'd probably be better for the company if we dressed up. Some of the companies who aren't doing as well as mine have employees who show up to work wearing t-shirts, jeans, sneakers, and hoodies. I wear dress pants, dress shoes, and a button down shirt or polo (depending on weather) and that places me as one of the nicest dressed contractors. Most people in my company dress like me or at least not casual.

How you dress does reflect on how people view you. People tend to want to work more with people dressed appropriately.

As far as uniforms go, if there's a mandatory uniform, the company should pay for it. If it's just a dress code that says "shirt and tie", then buy your own shirt and tie. It may suck to have to pay for it, but every adult should own business clothes of some sort. You don't need a huge wardrobe. I wear basically the same 5-6 long sleeve shirts most of the year to work.

[Gravekeeper]

My office's dress code sort of changes depending on the shift/time of day. ( As during the day a client might be touring operations for example ). But its fairly lenient. Casual is fine, slovenly is not. A t-shirt and jeans is fine. 3 inches of underwear and a Tap Out hoodie isn't.

[Andara Bledin]

I've brought this up to co-workers (at lunch) and my wife. I don't see how NOT wearing a t-shirt is going to make me a better developer.

Freakishly enough, if you are like the vast majority of everybody, dressing 'smarter' will make you act smarter.

Wear 'pretty' clothes, and you'll act pretty. Wear 'thug' clothes, and you'll act more thuggish.

People who wear 'professional' attire, act more professional.

[MadMike]

People who wear 'professional' attire, act more professional.

I disagree. I've been at my job for 25 years, and I've worked with some real idiots and assholes. Dressing them up didn't make them better workers. It only made them dressed-up idiots and assholes.

[wolfie]

I disagree. I've been at my job for 25 years, and I've worked with some real idiots and assholes. Dressing them up didn't make them better workers. It only made them dressed-up idiots and assholes.

Sounds like a proof of the old saying "An ape's an ape, a varlet's a varlet, though they be clad in silk or scarlet".

[Nyoibo]

Sounds like a proof of the old saying "An ape's an ape, a varlet's a varlet, though they be clad in silk or scarlet".

You mean "polish a turd, it's still a turd" ?

[Andara Bledin]

I disagree. I've been at my job for 25 years, and I've worked with some real idiots and assholes. Dressing them up didn't make them better workers. It only made them dressed-up idiots and assholes.

You can disagree all you want. Science says otherwise.

Plus, in addition to behavior being modified by how one is dressed, how people react is also modified, meaning life is easier if you dress well.

Wearing a doctor's coat gives people a cognitive boost

Wearing status symbols makes others more willing to be helpful and/or generous

[MadMike]

You can disagree all you want. Science says otherwise.

Well, as someone who's had a job for 25 years where I have to dress up, I'm going to disagree with "science" on this one. I don't feel "professional", I feel uncomfortable. I work a lot better on the days they don't make us dress up -- usually Fridays, and lately they've been letting us dress a little more comfortably during the summer months, and around Christmastime.

But maybe that's just me.

[Rageaholic]

Well, as someone who's had a job for 25 years where I have to dress up, I'm going to disagree with "science" on this one. I don't feel "professional", I feel uncomfortable. I work a lot better on the days they don't make us dress up -- usually Fridays, and lately they've been letting us dress a little more comfortably during the summer months, and around Christmastime.

But maybe that's just me.

Ditto for me. It might make some people more professional, but it only makes me nervous and uncomfortable.

[Hyena Dandy]

Anecdotal evidence doesn't disprove science.

[KabeRinnaul]

Anecdotal evidence doesn't disprove science.

You also can't insist that a study suggesting a general trend is a flawless predictor for all circumstances.