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#97308 - 07/15/03 10:21 PM
Dress Code
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I'm running into a scenario where our dress code is outdated and is needing revamping. This summer it has particularly become a problem with our women employees especially, due to the added popularity of capri slacks and open toed shoes plus the hose issue is always touchy. Do any of you waive the hose requirement in the summer AND what's your stance on capri slacks and open toed shoes?
We also have an issue with branches located in the city versus rural. Do any of you have policies where the dress code is differentiated due to location? Any assistance/resources anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.
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#97309 - 07/15/03 10:47 PM
Re: Dress Code
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100 Club
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 205
Dallas
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Unfortunately, we maintain a very strict dress code. Hose requirements are not waived, and capri slacks (or any slacks, for that matter) are not tolerated (folks in our Operations Center can wear slacks since it is non customer contact). Guys wear coat and tie every day (though some of us leave the coats in the cars sometimes). Occasionally we have a business casual day with very strict requirements...khaki slacks and white bank shirt. Oh to be in the Ops Center...
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My opinions are just that...my opinions.
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#97310 - 07/16/03 12:56 AM
Re: Dress Code
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Power Poster
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
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I sure hope some smart female employee doesn’t chose to argue that “no slacks” rule with you someday. I for one…wouldn’t put up with it. In fact, I didn’t when our regional director attempted (at a very large bank) to require women wear skirts or dresses only. How sexist is it to say a woman can’t be a professional without her legs showing, but a man can? Choosing to require a particular form of dress which is administered differently based on the sex, race or religious preferences of your staff is not a very good move. Within an hour of its attempt to be instituted at our bank, it was revoked.  (Can you tell this is one of those soap box topics for me?) Women should be held to the same standards as the men of the office. Slacks with a jacket or sweater, verses no slacks at all is a fair requirement that no woman would have a right to complain about. No slacks because god gave you different body parts…??  We have a general dress policy here, but open toed shoes are not addressed, nor are hose. In our region of the world, hose are still considered part of a professional woman’s attire. It’s not been an issue. I did notice in Boston that many of the professional women were wearing suits without hose. I suppose that makes it a bit of a regional thing. Open toed shoes? It’s 2003…that’s a pretty antique standard to hold on to. I dress very conservatively, and occasionally my toes show.  Our staff in the rural markets dress to fit their market. If a banker showed up in Bethel in a three piece suit he’d scare his clients away. I believe Dockers are the formal attire for Bethel. Carharts are only for Sundays.  We do not allow jeans in any market, nor do we allow tennis shoes or casual sandals. Casual day is only in branches, with staff wearing bank attire for some unity. Sequins are not allowed at any time  (and whoever thought to include that was obviously drinking too much wine).
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Dawn Coursey VP/CRA Queen
CRA Rating is in...Oh who cares...I'm home with the baby.
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#97312 - 07/16/03 12:36 PM
Re: Dress Code
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10K Club
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 40,766
Turnpike Exit 10
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Quote:
I sure hope some smart female employee doesn’t chose to argue that “no slacks” rule with you someday. I for one…wouldn’t put up with it. In fact, I didn’t when our regional director attempted (at a very large bank) to require women wear skirts or dresses only. How sexist is it to say a woman can’t be a professional without her legs showing, but a man can? Choosing to require a particular form of dress which is administered differently based on the sex, race or religious preferences of your staff is not a very good move. Within an hour of its attempt to be instituted at our bank, it was revoked. (Can you tell this is one of those soap box topics for me?)
Women should be held to the same standards as the men of the office. Slacks with a jacket or sweater, verses no slacks at all is a fair requirement that no woman would have a right to complain about. No slacks because god gave you different body parts…??
Bravo Dawnie, well said!
However, recently our HR has relaxed the casual Friday rules, but they all must wear the bank shirt in order to dress down.
I do feel sadly that most of the young folks don't care enough about themselves to dress professionally (or what a 40 year considers professional). I don't know if it's attributable to apathy or ignorance, because when you comment, you get those "what?" expressions on their faces like you are from Mars or 1950 or something.
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Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - Mark Twain
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#97313 - 07/16/03 01:07 PM
Re: Dress Code
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100 Club
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 205
Dallas
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Quote:
I sure hope some smart female employee doesn’t chose to argue that “no slacks” rule with you someday. I for one…wouldn’t put up with it. In fact, I didn’t when our regional director attempted (at a very large bank) to require women wear skirts or dresses only. How sexist is it to say a woman can’t be a professional without her legs showing, but a man can? Choosing to require a particular form of dress which is administered differently based on the sex, race or religious preferences of your staff is not a very good move. Within an hour of its attempt to be instituted at our bank, it was revoked. (Can you tell this is one of those soap box topics for me?)
Women should be held to the same standards as the men of the office. Slacks with a jacket or sweater, verses no slacks at all is a fair requirement that no woman would have a right to complain about. No slacks because god gave you different body parts…??
I didn't say I agree with our no slacks policy. In fact, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
I think our dress code borders on the ridiculous. On our business casual days (very few and far between), there have been times that I couldn't even meet the requirements...khaki pants and long-sleeved red, white and blue shirt. It's gotten to the point that we have to ask whether we have to wear red, white, AND blue, or will two colors suffice.
In this area, my opinion is obviously not that of my employer.
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My opinions are just that...my opinions.
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#97315 - 07/16/03 01:27 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,454
metsuretsu
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Our dress code is very (overly) tolerant.
No jeans, except on Saturday and then only if they are of a color other than denim blue.
No T-shirts or sweatshirts, cotton type shirts are allowed as long as they are nice and do not have the typical t-shirt type graphics. Sleeveless or otherwise is not an issue.
Capri pants and walking shorts are allowed as long as they look nice.
Hose are not required.
As long as they aren't tennis shoes or carpet slippers, you can wear them.
I'm praying for uniforms! 
My previous employer was no sleeveless anything, no bare legs, no shorts or jeans, etc. Very different atmosphere.
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I have many opinions; some are good, some are bad, and some don't contradict.
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#97316 - 07/16/03 02:08 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Power Poster
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,608
Near the Land of Enchantment
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We go business casual in the summers - it gets hot down here, and wearing hose in the middle of July borders on cruel and unusual punishment. We call it No Tie July, but in some of our 'warmer' markets, it runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Our Ops center is business casual all the time, and each Friday is business casual.
There are some very professional capri suits out now - those are allowed for professional dress, and more casual ones (but not going to the grocery store on Saturday casual) are allowed on Fridays.
I think a bank's dress code depends on the conservatism of the bank's management, the customer base they serve, the communities/areas where they're located, and the predominant dress of business people in their area. There's probably not one right answer for an appropriate policy!
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Opinions my own.
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#97317 - 07/16/03 02:19 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,677
SmallTown, USA
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Dawnie - I second that emotion! I have a friend who works in another bank in West TN. They too, are REQUIRED to wear skirts or dresses. I'm fortunate to work in the corporate office where dress is rather casual. I do try to spruce up a bit on the days I know I'll be in any of the bank branches or in meetings.
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The opinions expressed are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
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#97318 - 07/16/03 02:27 PM
Re: Dress Code
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10K Club
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 34,318
under the Lone Star
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Our dress code is very strict, hose is required all year round for the ladies. And no capris, pant suits must cover the ankles. We are owned by one individual and he sets the code. We have finally gone to summer casual since we are in the middle of Texas. And we have dress code police that will report violations to HR and the person is sent home to correct the problem.
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Societies that do not find work in and of itself "pleasing to God and requisite to Man," tend to be highly corrupt.
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#97319 - 07/16/03 02:32 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Gold Star
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 279
Texas
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Women have to wear hose here, it is just more professional-looking. We can also wear open-toed shoes, as long as they are not casual sandals. Have you tried to wear hose and open toed shoes? The younger set hasn't figured out how to walk in those fwap-fwap shoes, (you know, the slides that make that horrible sound when you walk) so they usually stick to appropriate shoes. We cannot wear capri pants, even though there are many nice capri suits made now. We can wear slacks, or khakis and a nice blouse, or dresses, or suits if we want. We allow jeans and bank shirts on Fridays, but we cannot wear tennis shoes at any time. Here, it is usually western boots (ropers) just 'cause everybody has a pair.
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#97320 - 07/16/03 02:52 PM
Re: Dress Code
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10K Club
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 83,396
Galveston, TX
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In all the companies I have worked the keeper of the "dress code" had a very thankless job. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't position. There are no right answers. Your dress code has to be a mix of management desires and customer expectations, i.e., we wouldn't be caught dead in a suit in a bank in rural Idaho, suits were for funerals. Good luck.
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The opinions expressed here should not be construed to be those of my employer: PPDocs.com
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#97321 - 07/16/03 03:03 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Platinum Poster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 875
Big Sky Country
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Quote:
I think a bank's dress code depends on the conservatism of the bank's management, the customer base they serve, the communities/areas where they're located, and the predominant dress of business people in their area. There's probably not one right answer for an appropriate policy!
I completely agree. Here in Montana, we have a more lenient slant then many of you, for good reason. When ranchers saunter in with bull poop on their boots, they feel more comfortable if we aren't dressed too high-falutin. 
However, that wasn't always the case. A few years ago I was stopped by the fashion police for wearing a skirt that showed my bare ankles and sandles that revealed (gasp!) toe cleavage!
Thankfully, we no longer have to wear hose, nice capri's are OK, and Fridays are business casual. The first Friday of each month is also "Blue-Jean Friday", a community fundraiser in which we pay $2 for the priviledge to wear jeans. The money goes to a local non-profit, which changes each month. (This month it was the Human Society, but common beneficiaries are United Way, Big Brother/Big Sisters, etc.) Again, it is a community-wide event, and a popular one at that. If you don't have it in your area - you may want to consider starting it.  Heck, try getting CRA credit for heading it up!!
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Me, Type A? Maybe - I'm not done analyzing it yet.
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#97322 - 07/16/03 04:12 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Platinum Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 525
wish it was the Smoky Mountain...
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Dawnie, go girl!! I am in total agreement. I don't know how legally you can require skirts/dresses, and since you said it beautifully, I won't crowd your soapbox! I think we have a middle of the road approach. We have different codes for different positions…branch (customer contact folks) and operations..and then, the proof dept has their own..public contact folks-for women- No pants above the ankles, no open toed shoes, nothing revealing, nothing more than 1”above the knee (although this gets broken all the time), ,.Men don’t have to wear suits, but they do have to wear dress shirts, dress shoes. For all- no jeans or denim of any kind (skirts, etc), no tennis shoes, no tattoos in view, no piercings besides ears in view. Operations folds are a “business casual” but most of us dress up anyway because all the big shots are here & they’re always dressed up. Biz casual is khakis, polo -type shirts, no stretch pants, no jeans, no tennis shoes, etc. proof folks can wear jeans & tennis due to nature of their job. This is the cliff note version..
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#97323 - 07/16/03 04:17 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,677
SmallTown, USA
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There used to be a bank president (so I heard) that imposed 2 different dress codes for women. One for those size 6 and one for those size 16 !
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The opinions expressed are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
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#97324 - 07/16/03 04:21 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Power Poster
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,616
SC
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Nylons - not required in the summer
Capri Pants - only on Fridays (our casual day)
Jeans (except denim) - only on Fridays
Ops Center - business casual all of the time
Branches - pretty much the same (I really disagree with this though. I'm still of the old school where customer contact employees should dress professionally)
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#97325 - 07/16/03 04:25 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Platinum Poster
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 598
Flushing, NY
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We are a one location shop. About 25 people - 80% female. We have casual Fridays but truthfully, the women are usually dressed casually all the time. During July and August casual Fridays means no stockings. This year, just started, the guys don't have to wear ties during July & August but they do anyway (except for Fridays, I guess they're creatures of habit). For the longest time, due to the fact that someone caught their heel on the stairs and fell, I didn't allow shoes without backs but everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) complained. Although I never buy shoes without backs (even my sandles have a strap for the heel) People claimed they couldn't find any "affordable" shoes with backs. After 2 years of almost every day whining I gave in. Completely forbidden -- denim anything, and leggings. The maintenance man is the only exception to the rule (oh, and the President) I just hope he doesn't decide to go the leggings route
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It really doesn't matter, no one listens to me anyway.
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#97328 - 07/16/03 05:09 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,722
Oklahoma
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Quote:
Our dress code is very strict, .... And we have dress code police that will report violations to HR and the person is sent home to correct the problem.
See, I think that only perpetuates poor employee moral. There are too many "police" in every organization. The fashion police, the attendance police, etc... I believe that financial institutions should employ reasonable policies and then address offenders on a case by case basis.
I have seen where overweight people would wear the same type of outfit as the size 4 employee and yet the overweight person would be criticized for sloppiness simply because she was unable or uncomfortable tucking her shirt in.
I too agree that common sense practices should dictate what your customers want and expect to see when they enter your branch. I have been in banks before where everyone was dressed to the hilt, but you know what? The customer service was awful. The flip side is I have walked into rural banks where the dress code was very relaxed and the atmosphere and the service was excellent. Go figure.
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#97329 - 07/16/03 08:13 PM
Re: Dress Code
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100 Club
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 162
Iowa
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We've gone the gammit on dress code. We had where women had to wear dresses and men ties. Then we went to a uniform company where the women's clothes were partially provided (we paid a small rental fee). Then our bonding company passed on a memo talking about a discriminatory lawsuit brought by a women who was required to wear dresses so we decided once again to revamp our dress code.
We are very careful to be non-sexist - dress slacks or suits are allowed - no more women must wear dresses. We even took it a step farther because we were sick of all the internal complaints. The bank now provides us with 5 different bank shirts that are to be worn with dress pants (no jeans). We all wear the same color each day (Monday is blue, Tuesday is yellow...you get the picture.) If you chose not to wear your bank shirt you can wear a suit.
We've done this now for about 3 years and our employees love it and we've gotten very positive comments from our customers on how nice it looks to see everybody wearing the same color.
I guess I've rambled long enough. It seems the "uniform issue" is a common time consumer for many.
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#97330 - 07/16/03 08:28 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Power Poster
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,094
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We just started wearing a bank logo shirt on Fridays w/slacks. Other days of the week we must wear hose and have a list of "don'ts". No capris or ankle pants are allowed. If you wear open-toe shoes, you must still wear hose. (I'd personally kill myself if I wore hose with open toe shoes - with all that foot sliding and everything!)
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Opinions are my own and not of my employer.
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#97331 - 07/16/03 11:59 PM
Re: Dress Code
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Power Poster
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
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I'm fully supportive of providing employees with shirts to wear on casual day. Being somewhat old fashioned (and yet opinionated as hell!) I think it gives the branch a more unified look, and allows the clients to know they're working with a professional, not someone who just got out of their childs daycare sand box. (I've seen some CASUAL that went far to far!) Personally, being a five foot tall redhead, I have enough trouble getting some old logger to take me seriously in a business suit. Waiting on them in jeans and a summer blouse just wouldn't cut it. Quote:
However, that wasn't always the case. A few years ago I was stopped by the fashion police for wearing a skirt that showed my bare ankles and sandles that revealed (gasp!) toe cleavage!
Fashion police crack me up! I once had a gal from personnel tell me that "women in our bank do not display their breasts obviously". As I was sitting there looking down at my turtle neck, I wondered where she was going with this. She continued to explain that in our bank, women and men are all professional. A client should not be able to distinguish via the chest who they were dealing with. (She was actually meeting that rule). I asked if she felt my top was cut too low, or if I had ever worn something with too much cleavege that she wanted to discuss. She said no, she just wanted to let me know.
Now...I'm a curvy kind of girl, and all I could think was...What the hell! Turns out she wanted me to wear a jacket at all times so you couldn't distinguish if I had a curve or not. LOL I suggested we go to a uniform similar to a monk and maybe, just maybe her dream of unisex employees would be met
She was gone in a couple of weeks. Guess her unisex idea didn't pan out with another officer who complained to the brass. 
I wonder where she's working now...
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Dawn Coursey VP/CRA Queen
CRA Rating is in...Oh who cares...I'm home with the baby.
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