Do You Agree With These “Definitive Rules of Office Fashion”?
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When we spotted The Washington Post‘s recent article “The 39 Definitive Rules of Office Fashion” [gift link], we knew it'd make for a great and lively discussion here. The title simply invites debate, after all, and the story has collected 400+ reader comments. So today let's talk about workwear guidelines!
Do you have your own definite “rules of fashion” for your office's dress code and side-eye colleagues who flout them? And an unavoidable question, sorry to Gen Z readers: Have you observed younger coworkers breaking the rules, either on purpose or unknowingly? (For example, I just heard of “office siren” style, which also had a mention in this article. Oh, my.)
{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}
The Definitive Rules of Office Fashion
Let's start things off with some very basic rules listed in the story, which focuses on business casual — ones most of us can agree on. No crop tops (though cropped tops are OK), no flip flops, no visible bra straps, no hats at meetings, elastic waists are fine — and always show up fresh and clean, with non-wrinkled clothes. (I feel like people are ironing a lot less today, though, no?)
{related: professional frump: what to avoid}
And now, though most of the 39 rules are pretty reasonable and wise, here are some (shortened) debate-worthy statements from the dozens featured, plus things I couldn't resist chiming in on:
1. For pants: “If your calves (or anything else) are bulging out, your pants are too tight.” [The focus on calves is odd, right?]
2. For schlepping stuff to work: “You can carry a work bag and a gym or tote bag. Any more bags would be too many bags.” [I feel like they should have included an exception for breast pump totes and insulated bags for breast milk. Ugh, I don't miss those pumping days.]
3. Regarding the vest trend: “A waistcoat requires a shirt underneath.” [Doesn't it depend on coverage, such as with this rag & bone vest?]
{related: are there any rules around going sleeveless at the office in 2025?}
4. Pertaining to “flowy” dresses: “A sack of a dress that covers you from collarbone to toe is comfortable, modest and easily accessorized. … But any shape of dress that makes you feel confident is probably fine. You can probably even wear a cocktail dress to work if you wear it with masculine, flat shoes.” [Sack? Cocktail dress?]
5. About the rules themselves: “Break these rules. But only one at a time.” [But does this apply to ALL the rules?]
One more thing: Interestingly, the writers don't talk specifically about sleeveless tops (but they do talk about exposed toes)…
{related: Gen Z’s rules for appropriate office wear}
Readers, do tell: What do you think about the WaPo's selected “rules”? Would they fly at your business casual office? What are your personal hard-and-fast rules for your workplace's dress code? Did you recently wear anything that BROKE any of your previous rules at work? How'd it go?
Stock photo via Deposit Photos / maxxyustas.
A lunch bag should not be carried inside a work bag. Gross.
What’s gross about that? That the exterior of a clean lunch bag touches… the inside of a tote? I promise having a lunch bag banging around a train or subway is less sanitary…
I work in a casual west coast city and so many of these “rules” and the “never ever do this” rules discussed here are just…completely foreign to me. So much of what is featured here is significantly dressier than even what big law firm partners wear, and my statewide government law office is jeans-acceptable. I would look substantially out of place in many of these outfits. I wore an Eddie Bauer UPF blocking blazer yesterday. I have it in two colors. I don’t tuck in my shirts unless I’m wearing a skirt that lends itself to that and neither do my team members.