What’s the appropriate dress code for work and an appropriate way to address it? Susan Scafidi, founder and director of Fordham Law’s Fashion Law Institute, shares practical advice in the latest edition of The New York Times’ “Work Friend” column.
A woman who works for me dresses in a provocative fashion. We work in a formal professional setting. She wore a black lace dress with cleavage on a Monday, and I blurted out, “Boy, you’re dressed up for a Monday!” Her response was that she had a date that night.
I get complaints from co-workers that her flesh-baring outfits are distracting and unprofessional. I contacted H.R., and their response was for me to handle it. I know you’re not meant to comment on appearances, and this is a sensitive topic. Help!
— Anonymous
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I also consulted with Susan Scafidi, the founder of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School. She told me that the important thing when speaking to an employee about an unprofessional appearance at work is to avoid addressing any immutable characteristics, like hair or body type. “You can say, ‘You are absolutely entitled to have your own style, but for this office, we prefer to be a little more covered up, and that’s true for all of our colleagues,’” says Scafidi. “And that’s about the best you can do.” Scafidi also wonders whether there’s a workplace standard, or dress code, in place at your office; if so, she suggests that you review it and share it with your employee.
Read “Lean on the Dress Code”, a part of “Do Dogs Belong at Work?” in The New York Times.