ettm: tank top/ sleeveless tops at the office

[Deleted]

I get that seattle is casual. I get that 98% of the companies here are a jeans and t shirt type place. (My company included.) What I don't get are the people who wear tank tops, especially spaghetti tanks or even tube tops, to the office.

Imo shoulders just aren't appropriate for an office, no matter how casual said office is.

Ettm. Thoughts?

[jennlin]

I think sleeveless and tank tops are different. Sleeveless should be acceptable, anything thinner than that should not be.

[Deleted]

but what makes sleeveless ok?

And aren't most officet thermostats set to "arctic" during the summer? I just don't get it. It might be 90 outside, but my space heater is still going and I'm wearing a sweater bc its so cold inside.

[mkate710]

I'm with UW on this one. Sleeveless anything would get major side eye in my dept and probably in most of the company. I just don't think it looks professional. Nor do full on flip flops. Nor do bermuda shorts. Or faded jeans. Look like you give a sht about your job. /End MK's ranty list of office dress pet peeves.

And yes, I would freeze to death in sleeveless in my office, the a/c is cranked and it's frigid in here. Maybe they crank the a/c to prevent sleeveless shirts?

[jennlin]

Sleeveless/acceptable : www.anntaylor.com/ann/catalog/productDetails.jsp?prodId=280666&skuId=11527527&cid=CS001&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=33-72520621-2

Tanktop/notacceptable : 1.bp.blogspot.com/_PD_f00h9l5A/TRofEjjde5I/AAAAAAAAA9M/uRqm4nsNayo/s1600/LC+Lauren+Conrad+Floral+Ruffle+Tank.png

My office is still usually super hot. Sometimes it's stuffy and you can't breathe. Conference rooms are worse-low circulation and projectors going.

[sarack]

tank tops are gross at the office. and tube tops? barf. i don't think they ever look good, to be honest.

pip what you're talking about!

[Deleted]

Jenn, your acceptable link looks like it has cap sleeves. I'm fine with cap sleeves. There's just something about exposed shoulders in the office that really weirds me out.

And I think mk put it best, look like you give a shit about your job.

For instance, yesterday we had a consultant come in to the office to give a presentation. She wore a too tight tank dress during this meeting. All I could think was, you just billed us 5k for this project, can't you afford something a little looser and that covers a little more? It was so distracting and hard to take a sausage stuffed into a floral print dress seriously.

The dress was a lot like this one, but cotton m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3287968?origin=keywordsearch

She didn't come in with a cardi, she just came into the office wearing that.

[sarack]

omg, how distracting. a tank dress? i need a lip or pip of that.

[jennlin]

How about this?
lowcountryplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/michelle-obama-arms.jpg

[dawnyp]

If I wear a sleeveless top/dress I always wear a cardigan over it. The a/c vents are right over my desk and I'm always freezing. I definitely have some clothes that I would not wear to work as they expose too much. Others say I'm crazy and the items are fine.

[picksthemusic]

If you're wearing one of those, you better be wearing a cardigan over it, IMO. But I deal with the public daily, and I think it looks inappropriate to be that casual.

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 9:52:02 GMT -5 jennlin said:

How about this?
lowcountryplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/michelle-obama-arms.jpg

LOL. You know my weakness!

I don't think she wears sleeveless stuff for actual "work" events though, right?

[jennlin]

Or this: 1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-Vu3qRDGc8/UBXJXIFT9aI/AAAAAAAAF1w/9qYHqJQ1Ceg/s400/072912_nyc_bow_tie_blouse.png

[jennlin]

Aug 14, 2012 9:58:40 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Aug 14, 2012 9:52:02 GMT -5 jennlin said:

How about this?
lowcountryplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/michelle-obama-arms.jpg

LOL. You know my weakness!

I don't think she wears sleeveless stuff for actual "work" events though, right?

Haha I typed in "sleeveless office wear" or something like that and she came up several times, so I typed in "sleeveless michelle obama". There are toooonnnnnsss of pictures of what I would think as appropriate, but they didn't show the whole outfit, so I didn't link those. There was one where she was doing a TV interview or something, so that's "work" event, right? Or giving speeches, but a bright pink sleeveless dress I wouldn't consider work attire

[catbus]

I agree with you that bare arms aren't OK in the office. Neither are flip-flops, even if they're "nice" ones. One of my coworkers has been wearing silver flip-flops a lot lately, and besides looking too casual, that trademark sound they make just doesn't work in an office.

(Also, she knows they're too casual: she commented last week that she didn't want to go to another department to drop something off, because it meant she would have to walk by our V.P. of H.R.'s office, and she didn't have other shoes to change into...)

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 9:52:02 GMT -5 jennlin said:

How about this?
lowcountryplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/michelle-obama-arms.jpg

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but I would never wear that to work without a jacket or cardigan. Would you?

[jennlin]

Aug 14, 2012 10:07:10 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Aug 14, 2012 9:52:02 GMT -5 jennlin said:

How about this?
lowcountryplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/michelle-obama-arms.jpg

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but I would never wear that to work without a jacket or cardigan. Would you?

Meh. Not this bc it's nms (linebacker shoulders), but the other link I posted, with the red, yes I would. Agree to disagree?

[jennlin]

Oh and if somebody wore the green, I would think it's fine..

[dawnyp]

I wore this yesterday with a cardigan over it.

shop.nordstrom.com/S/trina-turk-princess-ponte-knit-dress/3302934?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=1044

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 10:31:42 GMT -5 @dawnyp said:

I wore this yesterday with a cardigan over it.

shop.nordstrom.com/S/trina-turk-princess-ponte-knit-dress/3302934?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=1044

Cute dress!

[madDawg228]

Aug 14, 2012 10:31:02 GMT -5 @jennuinne said:

I think the stuff jennlin is posting is fine for most offices. I wear things like that, I would def put on a cardigan or jacket for court, but might take it off in the office (prob not b/c our office is freezing). I think it depends a lot on the specific sleeveless item, the person, the office and whether you will have contact w/ the public. I think I've worked in some very unprofessional places, clothes-wise.

And I think Michelle Obama wears sleeveless to all kinds of events.

I agree with jennlin and jennuinne, but I also work in a less formal-type of office. The only people who really dress up are upper management who go off site to meet with clients.

[Deleted]

I'm on Jenn's side actually. Very little air gets back to my cubicle and it gets VERY hot. I think sleeveless at a casual styled office is just fine, as long as it is wide across the shoulder (like most of those PIP/LIP). I don't really interact with the public AT ALL.

[amandasw]

Aug 14, 2012 10:05:37 GMT -5 catbus said:

I agree with you that bare arms aren't OK in the office. Neither are flip-flops, even if they're "nice" ones. One of my coworkers has been wearing silver flip-flops a lot lately, and besides looking too casual, that trademark sound they make just doesn't work in an office.

(Also, she knows they're too casual: she commented last week that she didn't want to go to another department to drop something off, because it meant she would have to walk by our V.P. of H.R.'s office, and she didn't have other shoes to change into...)

yeah, flip flops in an office just seems wrong.

I've never worked in an office, but I agree with everyone else that bare shoulders seem less than professional. PLUS if you're going to give a presentation, why not wear something more professional for that 30min of the day?

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 10:18:32 GMT -5 jennlin said:

Meh. Not this bc it's nms (linebacker shoulders), but the other link I posted, with the red, yes I would. Agree to disagree?

Sure, but can we agree that strapless, spaghetti strap and tube tops are not ok, unless your profession involves taking off your clothes for money?

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 10:52:15 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Aug 14, 2012 10:18:32 GMT -5 jennlin said:

Meh. Not this bc it's nms (linebacker shoulders), but the other link I posted, with the red, yes I would. Agree to disagree?

Sure, but can we agree that strapless, spaghetti strap and tube tops are not ok, unless your profession involves taking off your clothes for money?

I know this was directed at Jennlin, but most definitely agree!! But I would expand to include jobs where you function as eye candy to bring in customers but you don't have to remove any clothing.

[llh0211]

My office in AZ, the AC was less than stellar at times. I would always come to work, wearing a cardigan over my sleeveless shirt or tank top. There were times that it got rather hot, and I would take it off while at my desk. But I definitely put it back on if/when I had to leave my desk and go to another part of the building.

I agree that sleeveless is less of an offense than tank/spaghetti straps.

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2012 10:52:15 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Aug 14, 2012 10:18:32 GMT -5 jennlin said:

Meh. Not this bc it's nms (linebacker shoulders), but the other link I posted, with the red, yes I would. Agree to disagree?

Sure, but can we agree that strapless, spaghetti strap and tube tops are not ok, unless your profession involves taking off your clothes for money?

Yes. I agree with jennlin and jennuinne.

[FrozenSunshine]

I was only halfway through the post when our CFO walked in, she's wearing a cross back, little black cotton dress and wedges.

I then realized I'm not dressed appropriate either, I have a sleeveless/tank top on and black dress pants.

[InBetweenDays]

I work in a very casual office (environmental consulting), and funny enough two women are in tank dresses. But we also have people who work in the field so our office attire runs the gammut from suit coats to steel toed boots. In fact for most of the staff if someone is wearing a button down shirt we ask why they are so dressed up.

I agree there are plenty of offices where sleeveless shirts may be inappropriate but I certainly wouldn't say sleeveless attire is limited to someone who strips for a living.

[emyinpink]

apparently I'm the odd one out here. while I do usually wear t-shirts vs. tank tops, I definitely wear tank tops (not spaghetti straps), especially when I take my blazer off in my office when it gets hot. tons of these dresses are so much more professional than what everyone at my work wears on a daily basis shop.nordstrom.com/c/womens-dresses-shop.