In the 1990s, I worked as a computer scientist at the head office of a large financial institution in Montreal.
In the summer, I arrived at the office in shorts and a t-shirt and changed when I arrived. One day when there was a very heavy heatwave, I chose to wear shorts, a shirt and sandals for my work day.
Everything went well until my boss saw me at the corner of a corridor.
Not a word was exchanged between him and me, but his surprised and clearly disapproving look made me understand bluntly that I had better never show up to work in such attire again.
Yet at the same time, many of the female staff were walking around the office wearing shorts, blouses, and sandals comparable to the ones I was wearing.
My point is not to emphasize the presence of a double standard of clothing at the time, but rather to demonstrate that between the mentalities of today and those of yesterday, the same clothes that were unacceptable in the office in the past are unacceptable. more and more today.
And that’s really good, because when a heatwave hits, having to go to the office in pants, shirt, shoes and sometimes even tie and jacket really becomes an ordeal.
— Martin Paquet
But what does it matter about people, how other people dress, seriously? Let people live. If a client doesn’t want to work with me because I’m wearing shorts or sandals because it’s 40 degrees, f…!
— William Dorion
My friends and I are 33-34 years old and work in finance or insurance (in marketing, so more relaxed already).
One of them told me about the intern in a crop top and a jacket that she found unacceptable.
For my part, I have a colleague who wears denim shorts. I jumped when I saw her. I think that girls can dress for the heat, while respecting decorum. I wear sandals, but not flip-flops or a skirt that goes higher than mid-thigh and no shorts. But men have much fewer options, especially in our workplaces. On the other hand, I don’t think we should relax the codes to this point, we lose so much of the elegance and pleasure of getting dressed.
—Caroline Dussault
There’s beachwear and workwear; If we don’t know the difference, it’s a shame. Workwear doesn’t have to be a suit and tie, but there is a balance. I once met someone at work for a meeting and wondered if she was cleaning out her office to see how she was dressed.
— Lyne Chevalier
There is a big difference between what is tolerated for women and what is tolerated for men. When Ms. Blais-Comeau says: do I want to see my boss’s big toe? Why then would she want to see her boss’s big toe?
— Eric Ladouceur
Of course, it all depends on where you work, but in an office, I believe you have to be logical. I’ve always considered that if you’re comfortable going to the park in your outfit of the day, then you’re not adequately dressed for the office. Spaghetti straps, t-shirts, camisole, Bermuda shorts, flip-flops, sports sandals are a must at the park!
— Diane Duhaime
In fact, you just have to use common sense. If I am in “solo” work mode (closed cubicle) and I have no appointments, meetings, meetings on the agenda and above all, I do not meet new people: I am dressed “fashionably ”, but comfortably.
There is no benefit in the summer, if all these “rules” are followed, to forcing employees to stay “business” in their clothing.
Clothing, in fact, sometimes becomes part of a game of appearing to fit in, as opposed to the new dress codes that allow one to be more real and even human.
The period when HEC students were asked to walk around in a jacket and tie to school, to dress for the game, has become laughable in my eyes. Teleworking has also calmed down the game of having to walk around downtown like a CEO.
— Julien Goulet
