Let me get out my soapbox!

Here's a question for you - let's say there's a person "A" that works with me. "A" wants to come in to work some Monday morning wearing an outfit consisting of a collared polo shirt, khaki pants and a pair of loafers. Would you consider this outfit "casual attire"? Or more specifically, once "A" steps foot into the office, will this employee be reprimanded for dressing too casually for the workplace?

The answer to this question is one of my biggest pet peeves in the world - it depends. If "A" is a female, the outfit is considered business formal and perfectly acceptable for the workplace. But if "A" is a man, it's considered casual, and this employee will promptly be sent home to change into something more "business appropriate". The SAME EXACT OUTFIT!! What a load of crap!!

Our company handbook requires that male employees must wear a shirt and tie at all times (except casual Fridays), whereas women are just required to wear... well, whatever they want, i guess. Every day, I see women at our office wearing a beautiful assortment of "professional" clothing, such as a gray hooded sweatshirt with black sweat pants, or a Race for the Cure T-shirt, black denim jeans and a pair of flip-flops. But heaven forbid if I want to wear a golf shirt - no way, Jose!

And this week is even a bigger joke! Each year, our company works in conjunction with a local charity, to help raise some dollars and awareness for said charity. One way they try to get employees invloved is their "Casual for Cash" program - employees can donate $5 and they will be allowed to wear business casual clothing all week! What? Are you kidding me? Let's think about this for a minute... they're offering a "Casual for Cash" program at an office where maybe 65 to 75% of the employees are female, and they can wear whatever they want all the time anyway!! Hello?!!! I'm not a brain surgeon, but I bet there's not many ladies here paying that 5 bucks.

And I'm not either - screw that! I work for a company who tells me that a collared shirt is not "business appropriate", but if I want to pay for the privilege to wear one, well then that's OK. No, I don't think it is!! It's either "business appropriate" or it's not. If it is, then I should be able to wear it every day. If it's not, then I shouldn't ever be allowed to wear it at the office, as it's not "appropriate" attire to be worn at a business. There's no gray area here!!

So what do you think? You know what I think? I think I should step down from the soapbox for today, I'm getting all riled up (this topic will do it to me every time!)