The One Thing I Won’t Wear to Work

A Mediterranean Woman’s Opinion

I have no problem with ripped jeans in the workplace. En fait, I wear them myself, and I actually celebrate alternative office attire.

Every day is like a fashion show that starts as soon as I step outside my front door. The streets, metro, canteen, and office are full of people displaying their carefully curated styles.

From different colors of hair, piercings, tattoos, showing midriff, and genderfluid outfits, it’s refreshing to see people expressing themselves and feeling free to be uniquely who they are.

I tend to notice and appreciate the effort put into these looks. The different cuts and lengths of material alone can be so flattering. I also love striking color or pattern combinations I hadn’t considered before.

I often find myself taking mental notes of some ways I’d like to experiment with those elements of my own personal style.

I appreciate details like carefully painted nails, clean shoes, or artfully placed shiny metal studs. There often seems to be a lot of thought put into an ensemble, and even the ones which may have been quickly thrown together can also produce beautiful results.

But there is one thing I would personally never wear to work, and it’s something I secretly judge others for.

I would never dress up like I am going to exercise at work, unless I was actually training or some kind of model of athletic wear.

It must be a cultural thing, because I think I’ve only seen foreigners doing this. I would not say anything to that person and make them feel uncomfortable, but for some reason it really does affect me.

There is a difference between wearing sweats or other workout clothes in a fashionable way and looking like you are about to go for a run or just woke up.

Perhaps this is something I need to analyze about myself. I do not want to judge others, and certainly not for the clothing they wear. Even at work, people should feel comfortable, and we are all human.

Why does it upset me so much?

I think, at least for me, it’s because it shows a lack of effort at work.

In general, I want to feel a sense of self respect in the way I present myself to the world. In the workplace, I feel a social duty to dress in a courteous way, as if to outwardly show I know you have put in the additional effort to look nice today, and I have also done this, in solidarity.

It is already difficult to wake up in the morning and get to work on time. There is a lot that goes into also looking presentable. It doesn’t need to take much, but it is appreciated if one tries even a little.

It’s like a small gesture of courtesy towards your colleagues.

However, I know in other cultures it can be completely normal to wear worn-out sweats with messy hair to work, for example. This is what I remind myself on the very rare occasion that I see it at work, to help me be more compassionate.

I respect others’ right to dress how they want, and their personal preference of office attire does not affect me or hurt me, so it should be none of my business. It is only a perceived injury to my ego.

And that’s the beauty of freedom of choice. I also get to wear what I want without fear of judgement. Maybe that’s the most important courtesy I should be concerned with.

Thank you for reading my biased opinion, no matter how you dress at work. ❤️

If you would like to share your opinion in the comments below, I would love to read it! I welcome everyone, so I hope you will consider following me. I write about life from a Mediterranean perspective.

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