What is work-place appropriate and what isn't? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Xerxys · 02-28-2009, 06:11 PM

I came across these and I was just wondering if I really had it out for you, and wanted to fire you ... would these pathetic attempts at spite give me ammo?

It's just that, when I look at these, I see a sexist remark. Now I find them extremely funny and they fit for a t-shirt but to be honest, They aren't doing anything more than suggesting. They haven't even mentioned anything sexist at all. They are just in nature associated with it.

Cynthetiq · 02-28-2009, 06:15 PM

It really depends on if you have a dress code or not at work. If there is one, then yes, if not, then no.

Seaver · 02-28-2009, 06:27 PM

I say the last 3 aren't bad, but unless I'm running a very alternative business none of the others.

I really like the Mao one to be honest with you.

snowy · 02-28-2009, 06:31 PM

They're not appropriate for my line of work. I've seen students at the school I'm interning at wearing t-shirts such as the ones above (actually had a student in my class wearing the first one). Suffice it to say, I don't think they would take me very seriously as a teacher if I wore something like that. I look young enough that my dress is important in differentiating myself from the students.

telekinetic · 02-28-2009, 06:40 PM

How are the last 4 sexist? I don't get it....

Willravel · 02-28-2009, 06:45 PM

If you work the register at Hot Topic, I'm sure that brand of conventional unconventionality would be welcome. If you are interning at a prestigious law firm, they are a bad idea.

MSD · 02-28-2009, 06:56 PM

Owning a shirt like that is telling someone else's joke over and over again. At least they're warning signs that the person wearing them likely has nothing to say that's worth listening to. I have a job where I have to look professional, so they're certainly not appropriate for me to wear at work.

World's King · 02-28-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSD

Owning a shirt like that is telling someone else's joke over and over again. At least they're warning signs that the person wearing them likely has nothing to say that's worth listening to.

QFT

Xerxys · 02-28-2009, 07:37 PM

I've never actually looked at it like that. Thing is, I've never been able to make assumptions of someones character based on the shirt they're wearing. We have a dress code at work. Business casual Mon-Thurs and Casual Fri-Sun. Can't wear them Mon-Thurs of course but I honestly don't see anything wrong with them on the weekends.

MSD · 02-28-2009, 08:59 PM

It's like spouting catchphrases, but worse. Not only are you devoid of humor, you actually feel a desire to pay someone to be funny for you and put it on a shirt. At least catchphrases foster a sense of unity and create a superficial bond by understanding of a shared experience like an inside joke.

This is where I get politically incorrect and tell you to throw out what you've always been taught is right. Look for people wearing these shirts and judge them. Once you've seen a few dozen (a trip of two to the mall should do it,) ask yourself, "Do I really want to be grouped in with those people?" Spoiler: Answer: No

yournamehere · 03-01-2009, 11:08 AM

Risk vs reward.

What's the best that can happen if a boss or coworker agrees with your views? They will remember it for a few hours.
If they find it it offensive or strongly disagree with you, they'll always remember.

SSJTWIZTA · 03-01-2009, 01:32 PM

you can judge people simply by glancing at their shirt?

shit, i wish i had that superpower.

maybe its just me, but i like giving people chances.

Cynthetiq · 03-01-2009, 01:42 PM

really? you don't have the ability to make first impressions of people when you first see them? Because it's an innate human ability. People do it all the time.

Sue · 03-01-2009, 01:46 PM

I think they're funny, but I personally wouldn't wear them to my job. Not exactly fit for a medical office.

On the other hand, this shirt is perfect:

And if it wasn't 26.99, I'd buy it and wear it on fridays!

Strange Famous · 03-01-2009, 02:22 PM

Depends on the workplace.

I have to wear a shirt and tie to work. If I turned up with a tee shirt I wouldnt get sacked, but if I insisted on doing it all the time I expect I would.

At the end of the day, why wear something that you feel is pushing the boundries? If you want to leave your job just leave, and if you dont, dont wear tee shirts with silly slogans on and make a fuss for no benefit to yourself.

Teufel Hunden · 03-01-2009, 05:36 PM

I think the last 4 are totally ok. I actually think all of them are fine, but you never know with overly sensitive workplace types these days.

Grasshopper Green · 03-02-2009, 05:01 PM

I work in a casual office (jeans and t-shirts every day), and I'd get reprimanded for the first three. I don't know about the Cuba one or the latex goods one. I think most of the people I work with are too stupid to even get the last one.

Xerxys · 03-02-2009, 06:41 PM

Cyn, not everyone. I might judge someone by how they look along the street, but it would never occur to me to look at his shirt and draw a conclusion toward their intelligence.

Do you walk around the streets of New York, where we must have every siingle type of person in the world, and judge them by how they dress? First impressions don't matter to me unless I'm doing a solid business transaction.

Redlemon · 03-03-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSD

It's like spouting catchphrases, but worse. Not only are you devoid of humor, you actually feel a desire to pay someone to be funny for you and put it on a shirt. At least catchphrases foster a sense of unity and create a superficial bond by understanding of a shared experience like an inside joke.

I remember when I was in junior high school, and all the cool kids had these cool phrases that they would use, and I wondered where they came from. Then I discovered they were just quoting movies and TV shows. I was never cool.

genuinegirly · 03-03-2009, 12:24 PM

I wouldn't wear any of them to work.
Then again, I don't wear t-shirts to work.

Really depends upon the dynamic of your workplace. Without more information in that regard, you won't be receiving very applicable advice.

gardens · 03-03-2009, 01:03 PM

They'd certainly give you ammo but you'd have to find your own gun

It really depends on what kind of workplace environment you have and if you deal with customers a lot

If you do then don't wear them as I guarantee that you will meet some people who will find them not only in bad taste but also offensive

as far as judging people based purely on looks I don't think thats what the other posters are saying rather if you see someone with long unkempt hair ripped jeans and a tie die shirt you might be able to draw some conclusions on who they are much the same way you see coveralls and think mechanic, a suit and think lawyer or gun pointed at you and think police

kutulu · 03-03-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSD

It's like spouting catchphrases, but worse. Not only are you devoid of humor, you actually feel a desire to pay someone to be funny for you and put it on a shirt. At least catchphrases foster a sense of unity and create a superficial bond by understanding of a shared experience like an inside joke.

This is where I get politically incorrect and tell you to throw out what you've always been taught is right. Look for people wearing these shirts and judge them. Once you've seen a few dozen (a trip of two to the mall should do it,) ask yourself, "Do I really want to be grouped in with those people?" Spoiler: Answer: No

I shouldn't be surprised, but it must be so nice to be able to tell that much about someone from the shirt they are wearing. I think this says a lot about your sense of humor.

Is it appropriate for work? I can't be completely certain unless I know the type of business you are in but for almost all settings I say no.

SabrinaFair · 03-03-2009, 03:23 PM

As has been said before, totally depends on the workplace. I'm in the legal profession, which is notoriously conservative. There are actually certain courts that still frown upon women wearing pants. But I do find the t-shirts really funny....perfect for after work!

northstar · 03-05-2009, 05:20 PM

Simply put, no.

Sure, a few people may laugh with the humor but it's not worth pissing off a select few. This is the humor of 16 year olds and immature frat boys. Like someone said above, if you want to be lumped into that category then go for it. You may not judge people on what they wear but I promise you that some people do make initial judgments based on that.

If you know your coworkers extremely well this might be fine, if you work in a professional environment of any kind or don't have great interpersonal relationships with everyone you work with it's a terrible.

genuinegirly · 03-06-2009, 07:05 AM

Here is an article that you might benefit from reading, Xerxys

USATODAY.com - How NOT to dress for work

Quote:

How NOT to dress for work
By Maria Puente, USA TODAY

She was young and ambitious, and she wanted to make an impression on her first day as an administrative staffer at a Los Angeles architecture firm. And she did: She showed up wearing a slinky black cocktail dress. Without a bra.

The guys at the firm noticed.

"It did seem sort of strange," says Anthony Poon, principal architect and founder of Poon Design Group, one of those hip firms where creativity and pizazz are admired.

But not too much pizazz.

"We have a bunch of creative people here, and they're not wearing navy suits and white shirts," Poon says. "But we do have clients we can't alienate. So there's a balance of expressing creative flair and also being professional."

Ah, yes, finding that balance. These days, scores of young workers are seeking answers to the age-old question: What do I wear to work? So many workers and workplaces are in such a muddle over this that a growing band of consultants has appeared to help them clean up.

"It has gotten so crazy, a major pharmaceutical company called up and said, 'Help! People are wearing spandex to work!' " says Gail Madison, a Philadelphia-area etiquette and protocol consultant who regularly advises students at prestigious colleges that it won't kill them to take out their nose rings before a job interview.

"They say, 'I'm not going to be someone I'm not,' " Madison says. "They're clueless about how the world works. I tell them if you want to play basketball you can't run on court without a uniform or without knowing the rules. It's the only analogy that works with these kids."

It's fair to say it was ever thus: Cranky oldsters have always harrumphed about "those kids" who show up for work dressed like slobs or sluts. Yet these days it really does seem to many — young, old and not all cranky — that a lot of newcomers to the workforce are either completely unaware or outright defiant about what is appropriate attire for the office.

"There's a deep narcissism in this generation," says Kelly Lowe, an English and American Studies professor at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. "They are really, really focused to a fairly unhealthy extent on themselves. They talk on their cell phones in class."

Meanwhile, the economic downturn is driving increased wardrobe conservatism, prompting workplaces to move away from the "business casual" dress codes instituted in the 1990s back to "business formal."

For men, that usually means a tie and at least a sport coat. For women, well, that can get tricky. As a result, businesses find themselves laboring (with their consultants) to write new or more explicit dress codes, spelling out exactly how many ear piercings are allowed and what does "dressy dress" mean, anyway?

Discussing what's appropriate

Then there's the even trickier business of enforcement. How does a middle-aged male manager tell a young, nubile employee that flouncing about with an exposed belly is just not OK — without embarrassment, misunderstandings or really bad legal trouble?

So, yes, there's lots of confusion out there, and not just among the young and inexperienced. Listen to some of the voices from workplaces around the USA:

• "A woman, and not a young one, wore yoga-type pants, a baggy T-shirt and slippers to my office. And not those semi-trendy Chinese beaded slippers, but terrycloth-type scuff slippers," says Dana Marsh, 35, a software company employee outside Washington, D.C.

• "Our receptionist comes to work dressed for a night on the town, in tight pants, low-cut tops, short, short skirts," says Taresa Mikle, 29, a university business manager in Houston. "When I spoke to her, she flat-out said that since she had it, she was going to flaunt it. She said she couldn't help it if the older, 'fatter' co-workers couldn't deal with her body."

• A young woman arrived for her job interview "wearing a short, short sundress, looked completely sunburned and windblown, had on a raggedy backpack and Birkenstock sandals. For an interview. When I interviewed, I wore a suit and tie and I combed my hair," says Chris Massey, 24, who works at an advertising agency in Jacksonville.

• "Oy vey! I know of a recent graduate who showed up for an interview at a doctor's office wearing club clothes," complete with fishnet stockings and stiletto-heel boots, says Jenny Skinner, 36, who works in finance in Akron, Ohio. "The doctor said she wore no bra and no panties, which he was able to determine from her extremely unladylike posture.

"After this girl's interview, the doctor phoned the school to say he would no longer accept interviews from their new graduates."

Making the transition

Yikes. All of this leads to another age-old question: What were these people thinking?

Actually, experts say, the problem may be just that: They weren't thinking. Many have spent the previous four or five years in college happily dressing like slobs. Once they graduate, they don't have professional wardrobes, or the money to assemble one quickly, even if they know what to buy.

"Look at guys in college — they've got pierced ears, gel-spiked hair, goatees, urban, flashy clothes, baggy jeans, big boots, unironed shirts, lint, stains, nothing matches," says Jared Shapiro, co-author of Going Corporate: Moving Up Without Screwing Up, a survival manual for the young and clueless. "In the corporate world, you have to dress like your boss, or the people above your boss."

At Wingate (N.C.) University, a 1,500-student Christian school outside Charlotte, career counselors are discussing hooking up with a local department store to help graduating students make smart investments in their first wardrobes.

"We have a lot of students who don't understand either business casual or business formal," says Stacey Harris, a university orientation official. "Even for a formal event on campus, they'll show up in a skirt but a really, really short skirt. It's ridiculous."

For some young people, it's not ridiculous, it's who they are. For their baby-boomer parents, "being themselves" probably meant wearing their hair long; for this generation, it might be shaved heads and lots of tattoos.

"There is this attitude of, 'This is how I am, take it or leave it,' " says Jennifer Bosk, director of alumni relations at the joint campus of Indiana and Purdue Universities in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"I wish there was a college course on how getting ahead doesn't depend just on how smart or good you are — it's partly playing the game and looking the part. But it doesn't seem to matter to this group."

That attitude won't do in the current take-no-prisoners economy. "Today's world is very competitive. Getting and keeping a job is tough," says Kim Johnson Gross, co-author of several Dress Smart books. "It's not about you and your rights, it's about you representing a company and the brand culture of that company. It's about your clothes getting in the way of your message."

So cosmetics makers are responding with products such as heavy spray-on makeup to temporarily cover tattoos during the workday. And at Indiana-Purdue, the career counseling and alumni departments recently organized a sold-out dinner at a local restaurant to introduce graduating students to the niceties of business dress and dining.

"They see that this fork is for that, don't drink from the finger bowl, how to eat French onion soup," Bosk says. "We'll be throwing them a lot of curves so they can learn how to handle a real job interview if it's done over dinner."

Advice can come from a variety of sources. When the Washington law firm Haynes and Boone dropped its business casual dress code, it hired the men's apparel company Paul Fredrick to come in and do a tutorial for young lawyers. "They had some young associates who don't own any of this stuff, and there were even partners who had not been required to wear suits for a few years," says Allen Abbott, a vice president for Paul Fredrick.

When Tierney Communications, a downtown Philadelphia firm, became concerned that some young employees were wearing skimpy outfits during hot summer months, the Banana Republic across the street offered to organize a fashion show to demonstrate how to look chic, appropriate and comfortable. It was a big success for both Banana Republic (new customers) and Tierney (better-dressed employees).

Deciding what's offensive

At nearby Wharton, the University of Pennsylvania's business school, Tiffany & Co. vice president Sandra Alton has talked to students about how job interviewers may care more about their cuff links and wristwatches than their test scores.

"They've spent years in an academic environment where success is predicated on how well they test, but now they're going to be judged on how they present themselves," Alton says.

Of course, no one wants to return to the silly old days when women could be chastised — or even banned from the U.S. Senate floor — for wearing a pantsuit. But many people say the pendulum has swung too far.

Mary Lou Andre, an image consultant and author (Ready to Wear: An Expert's Guide to Choosing and Using Your Wardrobe), helps her corporate clients understand the effect of wardrobes on their communications and their bottom line. "I always say: more skin, less power."

Once, she saw a young woman in a Boston office lobby wearing an Ann Taylor suit, hot-pink blouse — and hot-pink flip-flops. "People can't help connecting dots. Why would anyone trust (that woman) with their investments or their project if she doesn't have enough common sense to understand that's not OK?"

Even businesses that prize a cool look, such as Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a chain of 38 boutique hotels and eateries, agonize over these questions. Kimpton hired Andre to help them spell out to employees what is and is not appropriate.

"Twenty years ago, I used to get upset because the uniformed employee was wearing black pants and shoes with white socks, or the shoes weren't shined enough, and did they shave today," says Niki Leondakis, Kimpton chief operating officer. "Today, he might show up with a tongue piercing and exposed tattoos.

"At what point is that just part of the culture and people are used to seeing it, and at what point is that offensive to the consumer?"

Young people who treasure their Goth look are just going to have to suck it up and go unGoth — or work in a record store, because the rest of the American working world is, as the current saying goes, "just not that into you" anymore.

"Please. What's the big deal about putting on a tie? Or having only one piercing in each ear?" Gail Madison demands. "You can't go to London or Paris for business with orange hair."

snowy · 03-06-2009, 08:02 AM

That was a great read, genuinegirly. Thanks for sharing it.

Xerxys · 03-06-2009, 09:04 AM

That was informative GG, Thanks.

Daniel_ · 03-06-2009, 10:25 AM

We'd have hired the girl in the club clothes.

kutulu · 03-06-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Once, she saw a young woman in a Boston office lobby wearing an Ann Taylor suit, hot-pink blouse — and hot-pink flip-flops. "People can't help connecting dots. Why would anyone trust (that woman) with their investments or their project if she doesn't have enough common sense to understand that's not OK?"

This attitude annoys the hell out of me. You can polish a turd but it's still a turd. You'd think that we're enlightened enough to recognize the fact that image does not equal ability.

I get setting some standards for what is appropriate attire but people have the tendency to take it over the top.

MSD · 03-06-2009, 12:38 PM

The article mentions dressing like slobs in college. Simply noticing the difference in female attention now the I've graduated and work here, having to dress better, I wish I had started earlier. It's not like it's any harder to swap khakis for jeans, wear a button-up shirt instead of a t, and put a sport coat over it all. It feels weird to go out in jeans and a t shirt now, a polo and jeans with a coat is minimum except for parties where I know I'm going to have drinks spilled on me, and I'll probably stick with linen and cotton pants and shirts when it gets warm.

For what it's worth, the Cuba and LMAO shirts were pretty funny the first time I read the thread, but are suffering from diminishing returns after scrolling past them repeatedly over a few days.

Xerxys · 03-06-2009, 01:13 PM

I think I sort of get it, Image = ability ..... sometimes.

Cynthetiq · 03-06-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxys

Cyn, not everyone. I might judge someone by how they look along the street, but it would never occur to me to look at his shirt and draw a conclusion toward their intelligence.

Do you walk around the streets of New York, where we must have every siingle type of person in the world, and judge them by how they dress? First impressions don't matter to me unless I'm doing a solid business transaction.

really so if a guy dressed like a blood, crip, or hoodlum you'd not judge him instantly by his attire? I call bullshit.

Xerxys · 03-06-2009, 03:03 PM

You misunderstand me, intelligence, I do not presume someone is not worth much conversation simply by how s/he's dressed. There are extreme cases such as a homeless person and even then I dont think they're stupid.

I do, however, agree with the article, there's a time and place for everything.

Nimetic · 03-06-2009, 04:42 PM

I'd not wear any of them, at work.

Unless it was a "very casual" workplace with no clients onsite.

william · 03-06-2009, 07:02 PM

As a professional, do you wear a t-shirt to work? In today's work environment?

Iliftrocks · 03-10-2009, 11:56 AM

LMAO, damn that's funny. I can't stop laffin

Slavakion · 03-10-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by william

As a professional, do you wear a t-shirt to work? In today's work environment?

In some work environments, yes. My friend worked in the clinical lab of a local hospital for a few years, and he could wear t-shirts and shorts.

snowy · 03-10-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by william

As a professional, do you wear a t-shirt to work? In today's work environment?

I get to wear t-shirts on Fridays for one of my jobs. I would look weird compared to the rest of the staff if I showed up dressed in something really nice on Friday--most of the teachers at this particular school wear t-shirts and jeans, especially t-shirts supporting the middle school itself, the high school the middle school feeds into, or the local university. I dress professionally the rest of the week. I usually put on my super-nice Mountain Hardware fleece over the t-shirt, or a cardigan sweater, so I don't look like a student.

My other job requires that I dress casually, as I work with small children. Blouses do not last long around children under 5. Any top with prominent buttons will be destroyed by anyone under 2. Wearing jewelry is also not a good idea; I've had kids try and pull earrings out of my ears. It is best to save the nice clothing for other times. Since it's a church, dressing more nicely is appropriate on Sundays, but not required. Everyone understands how messy childcare can be!

abaya · 03-10-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by william

As a professional, do you wear a t-shirt to work? In today's work environment?

Not those kinds of t-shirts, but yes, my husband has worn a t-shirt to work almost every day of his working life. He's a software engineer/programmer, and he can wear pretty much whatever he wants. He wouldn't be caught dead wearing any of those t-shirts to work, though. We saw far worse ones in Thailand--and while sure, I thought tons of them were hilarious, I certainly noticed a pattern in the types of men (almost always men) who wore them.

Psycho Dad · 03-11-2009, 02:42 PM

Aren't some things in life just understood anymore? If you question that something may not be appropriate for the workplace, chances are it isn't.

I didn't need my boss to tell me to wear pants to work every day. Sure HR had to point out that I need to keep them on. But I knew on my own to wear them in.

02-28-2009, 06:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	What is work-place appropriate and what isn't? I came across these and I was just wondering if I really had it out for you, and wanted to fire you ... would these pathetic attempts at spite give me ammo? It's just that, when I look at these, I see a sexist remark. Now I find them extremely funny and they fit for a t-shirt but to be honest, They aren't doing anything more than suggesting. They haven't even mentioned anything sexist at all. They are just in nature associated with it.

02-28-2009, 06:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	It really depends on if you have a dress code or not at work. If there is one, then yes, if not, then no. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

02-28-2009, 06:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Seaver Junkie Location: Fort Worth, TX	I say the last 3 aren't bad, but unless I'm running a very alternative business none of the others. I really like the Mao one to be honest with you. __________________ "Smite the rocks with the rod of knowledge, and fountains of unstinted wealth will gush forth." - Ashbel Smith as he laid the first cornerstone of the University of Texas

02-28-2009, 06:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	They're not appropriate for my line of work. I've seen students at the school I'm interning at wearing t-shirts such as the ones above (actually had a student in my class wearing the first one). Suffice it to say, I don't think they would take me very seriously as a teacher if I wore something like that. I look young enough that my dress is important in differentiating myself from the students. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

02-28-2009, 06:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	How are the last 4 sexist? I don't get it.... __________________ twisted no more

02-28-2009, 06:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	If you work the register at Hot Topic, I'm sure that brand of conventional unconventionality would be welcome. If you are interning at a prestigious law firm, they are a bad idea.

02-28-2009, 06:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Owning a shirt like that is telling someone else's joke over and over again. At least they're warning signs that the person wearing them likely has nothing to say that's worth listening to. I have a job where I have to look professional, so they're certainly not appropriate for me to wear at work.

02-28-2009, 07:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	I've never actually looked at it like that. Thing is, I've never been able to make assumptions of someones character based on the shirt they're wearing. We have a dress code at work. Business casual Mon-Thurs and Casual Fri-Sun. Can't wear them Mon-Thurs of course but I honestly don't see anything wrong with them on the weekends.

02-28-2009, 08:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	It's like spouting catchphrases, but worse. Not only are you devoid of humor, you actually feel a desire to pay someone to be funny for you and put it on a shirt. At least catchphrases foster a sense of unity and create a superficial bond by understanding of a shared experience like an inside joke. This is where I get politically incorrect and tell you to throw out what you've always been taught is right. Look for people wearing these shirts and judge them. Once you've seen a few dozen (a trip of two to the mall should do it,) ask yourself, "Do I really want to be grouped in with those people?" Spoiler: Answer: No

03-01-2009, 11:08 AM	#11 (permalink)
yournamehere Invisible Location: tentative, at best	Risk vs reward. What's the best that can happen if a boss or coworker agrees with your views? They will remember it for a few hours. If they find it it offensive or strongly disagree with you, they'll always remember. __________________ If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.

03-01-2009, 01:32 PM	#12 (permalink)
SSJTWIZTA Master Thief. Master Criminal. Masturbator. Location: Windiwana	you can judge people simply by glancing at their shirt? shit, i wish i had that superpower. maybe its just me, but i like giving people chances. __________________ First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for me And there was no one left to speak out for me. -Pastor Martin Niemoller

03-01-2009, 01:42 PM	#13 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	really? you don't have the ability to make first impressions of people when you first see them? Because it's an innate human ability. People do it all the time. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-01-2009, 01:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
Sue Teufel Hunden's Freundin Location: Westminster, CO	I think they're funny, but I personally wouldn't wear them to my job. Not exactly fit for a medical office. On the other hand, this shirt is perfect: And if it wasn't 26.99, I'd buy it and wear it on fridays! __________________ Teg yw edrych tuag adref.

03-01-2009, 02:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
Strange Famous follower of the child's crusade?	Depends on the workplace. I have to wear a shirt and tie to work. If I turned up with a tee shirt I wouldnt get sacked, but if I insisted on doing it all the time I expect I would. At the end of the day, why wear something that you feel is pushing the boundries? If you want to leave your job just leave, and if you dont, dont wear tee shirts with silly slogans on and make a fuss for no benefit to yourself. __________________ "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered." The Gospel of Thomas

03-01-2009, 05:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
Teufel Hunden Upright Location: Lafayette, CO	I think the last 4 are totally ok. I actually think all of them are fine, but you never know with overly sensitive workplace types these days.

03-02-2009, 05:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
Grasshopper Green ...is a comical chap Location: Where morons reign supreme	I work in a casual office (jeans and t-shirts every day), and I'd get reprimanded for the first three. I don't know about the Cuba one or the latex goods one. I think most of the people I work with are too stupid to even get the last one. __________________ "They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king" Formerly Medusa

03-02-2009, 06:41 PM	#18 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	Cyn, not everyone. I might judge someone by how they look along the street, but it would never occur to me to look at his shirt and draw a conclusion toward their intelligence. Do you walk around the streets of New York, where we must have every siingle type of person in the world, and judge them by how they dress? First impressions don't matter to me unless I'm doing a solid business transaction.

03-03-2009, 12:24 PM	#20 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	I wouldn't wear any of them to work. Then again, I don't wear t-shirts to work. Really depends upon the dynamic of your workplace. Without more information in that regard, you won't be receiving very applicable advice. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-03-2009, 01:03 PM	#21 (permalink)
gardens Tilted Location: Kolob	They'd certainly give you ammo but you'd have to find your own gun It really depends on what kind of workplace environment you have and if you deal with customers a lot If you do then don't wear them as I guarantee that you will meet some people who will find them not only in bad taste but also offensive as far as judging people based purely on looks I don't think thats what the other posters are saying rather if you see someone with long unkempt hair ripped jeans and a tie die shirt you might be able to draw some conclusions on who they are much the same way you see coveralls and think mechanic, a suit and think lawyer or gun pointed at you and think police

03-03-2009, 03:23 PM	#23 (permalink)
SabrinaFair Junkie Location: Louisville, KY	As has been said before, totally depends on the workplace. I'm in the legal profession, which is notoriously conservative. There are actually certain courts that still frown upon women wearing pants. But I do find the t-shirts really funny....perfect for after work! __________________ "With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy." -Desiderata

03-05-2009, 05:20 PM	#24 (permalink)
northstar Upright	Simply put, no. Sure, a few people may laugh with the humor but it's not worth pissing off a select few. This is the humor of 16 year olds and immature frat boys. Like someone said above, if you want to be lumped into that category then go for it. You may not judge people on what they wear but I promise you that some people do make initial judgments based on that. If you know your coworkers extremely well this might be fine, if you work in a professional environment of any kind or don't have great interpersonal relationships with everyone you work with it's a terrible.

03-06-2009, 08:02 AM	#26 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	That was a great read, genuinegirly. Thanks for sharing it. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

03-06-2009, 09:04 AM	#27 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	That was informative GG, Thanks.

03-06-2009, 10:25 AM	#28 (permalink)
Daniel_ Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It! Location: Southern England	We'd have hired the girl in the club clothes. __________________ ╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗ Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

03-06-2009, 12:38 PM	#30 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	The article mentions dressing like slobs in college. Simply noticing the difference in female attention now the I've graduated and work here, having to dress better, I wish I had started earlier. It's not like it's any harder to swap khakis for jeans, wear a button-up shirt instead of a t, and put a sport coat over it all. It feels weird to go out in jeans and a t shirt now, a polo and jeans with a coat is minimum except for parties where I know I'm going to have drinks spilled on me, and I'll probably stick with linen and cotton pants and shirts when it gets warm. For what it's worth, the Cuba and LMAO shirts were pretty funny the first time I read the thread, but are suffering from diminishing returns after scrolling past them repeatedly over a few days.

03-06-2009, 01:13 PM	#31 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	I think I sort of get it, Image = ability ..... sometimes.

03-06-2009, 03:03 PM	#33 (permalink)
Xerxys Junkie Location: My head.	You misunderstand me, intelligence, I do not presume someone is not worth much conversation simply by how s/he's dressed. There are extreme cases such as a homeless person and even then I dont think they're stupid. I do, however, agree with the article, there's a time and place for everything.

03-06-2009, 04:42 PM	#34 (permalink)
Nimetic Junkie Location: Melbourne, Australia	I'd not wear any of them, at work. Unless it was a "very casual" workplace with no clients onsite.

03-06-2009, 07:02 PM	#35 (permalink)
william Psycho	As a professional, do you wear a t-shirt to work? In today's work environment?

03-10-2009, 11:56 AM	#36 (permalink)
Iliftrocks Junkie Location: Near Raleigh, NC	LMAO, damn that's funny. I can't stop laffin __________________ bill hicks - "I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out."

03-11-2009, 02:42 PM	#40 (permalink)
Psycho Dad Mulletproof Location: Some nucking fut house.	Aren't some things in life just understood anymore? If you question that something may not be appropriate for the workplace, chances are it isn't. I didn't need my boss to tell me to wear pants to work every day. Sure HR had to point out that I need to keep them on. But I knew on my own to wear them in. __________________ Don't always trust the opinions of experts.