"Appropriate Office Attire"

[Jock Scot]

I'm one of those who thinks that an employer has a right to set a reasonable dress code and expect their employees to conform to it. By agreeing to take the job you signed up for that.

Much as I would like kilts to be accepted as day to day wear I am realistic enough to know that they are not and can understand why an employer may be uncomfortable with you wearing one.

Yes indeed, I very much agree. If you don't like the rules/code then don't join and if you do join, then don't grizzle. I really do think that there is a time and a place to wear the kilt and when all said and done, it is your employer's time, your employer's place and frankly, it is your employer's cash.

[ForresterModern]

On a normal day I wear a polo/golf shirt and nice pants and shoes to work, comfort clothes as I am moving around a bit but still working with my patients, children and their parents.

When I kilt up it is usually on administrative only (no patient contact) days, for various reasons, but then I wear a dress shirt, tie, and jacket and/or waistcoat, with proper hose and footwear. Here is me on a typical kilted day at work (except I usualy skip the ghillie brogues):



My suggestion for you, if you do decide to try it kilted at work, would be to actually step it up a notch from your usual daily wear and try a shirt, tie, and vest (or maybe even a sportcoat/tweed jacket) above your kilt, with nice kilt hose and matching flashes and dress shoes below. Better to be seen as too dressy if you are pushing the dress code envelope than too casual. And just in case they threaten to send you home because you are kilted, take a change of clothes which would put you back into your "normal" work dress.

Leave the sgian dhub at home---work is no place for an ornamental item that could be misconstued as a serious weapon. that is the kind of thing you want to try to avoid---anything that might be seen as controversial beside the kilt itself.

Good luck if you decide to give it a go.

jeff

[Good Egg]

Forester - I hope you don't take the underarm accessory to work. They can result in respiratory arrest. I've seen it written of the side of bags. 'To avoid suffocation keep away from babies'. It's good advice: You would not want a customer to arrest on you because you didn't keep them away from babies.

Nice jacket, 2 button Argyle!

[McNulty]

With or with out a tie you'll look grand at work. Be confident! Today I'll be wearing a solid green kilt(13oz wool) lovat green hose with bottle green garter ties, a black belt, and a polo shirt in school colors. Think out what you are going to wear for the first time, put it all together the night before and then have fun the next day. Some shots of me below at work in a kilt.

[ForresterModern]

Courtmount

That thing tucked in my arm does not go to work with me as that is my personal home floor-monkey (a year ago at least---now a yard monkey mostly). Although I have a hundred more similar to him at work that I deal with most days, just usually not kilted.

I love your play on words, and personally find that rereading a lot of things we see on a daily basis can lead to some humorous and unexpected connotations. My grandfather taught me my first when I was about 8 years old and, driving up my street, he notices a "Slow ..Children Playing" street sign, and immediately inquired of me, "Don't you have any fast kids in this neighborhood?"

Sorry for the threadjack----back to your regularly scheduled programming.

jeff

[Riverkilt]

Has the World fogotten the silliness of women not being allowed to wear pants to the office FIFTY years ago. Same thing in reverse...just power and control. Women now wear pants to the office without anyone thinking twice about it. Hope it doesn't take men 50 years to have kilts so accepted.







[IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff147/riverkilt/USA%20Kilts%20C%
20MacLean%20Hunting/USAKiltsMacLeanHuntingatwork.jpg[/IMG]

[Sir William]

I'm kilted at work today (sorry, no cameras allowed in the building). I often get asked to wear a kilt, so I'm starting to do so several times a month. My directorate chief (two levels above me) even asked me to wear it.

[lethearen]

I would have to say that if the boss-lady says it's a no go, then it's a no go. But her response sounds a little vague.

"I'm not sure that's 'appropriate office attire.'"

Sounds like some fact-finding is in order to determine what your company defines as appropriate office attire Sounds to me like you need to visit with HR and get an official copy of the official dress code and see if there's anything in it that excludes kilts as such.

But if things don't turn out in your favour... better to let sleeping dogs lie. Like others have said, you agreed to follow their rules when you accepted the job.

As for what would be the equivalent of your normal daily attire? Generally speaking, you can just swap the kilt in for the trousers and wear hose instead of socks... otherwise, it's pretty interchangeable. But if there is any question about how professional a kilt is (which it sounds like there is), then I'd suggest upping your usual garb a notch. Add a tie and maybe a waistcoat. Maybe even a jacket if you have one. I think Jeff's ensemble a few posts back is smashing, and if you can put something like that together it leaves little room for those questions.

But don't forget that your attitude can make or break you. Keep yourself professional and subdued (i.e. don't go seeking attention or making a scene). Hopefully you'll be able to win the OK... or at least talk your boss into a trial run. Tell your boss that you'll have a pair of trousers on standby and at the first sign of trouble, you'll change... with the agreement that if there isn't any fuss, she'll let you wear it from time to time in the future! Maybe once a month, or on casual Fridays or something.

[piperdbh]

Here's something that might work:
If your company requires some sort of education/training/staff development units/credits, could you possibly give a presentation on kilts and all the accessories, at which your colleagues could earn a credit and learn something at the same time? If such a presentation were an enjoyable thing, and your coworkers didn't view it as just another thing they had to do, then they might be on your side and ask for you to wear the kilt. Hmmm......

[Zardoz]

When your boss said she was not sure a kilt is appropriate, you should think about what image the average citizen thinks of when you say "kilt"; likely either pipe bands or Braveheart. If all your dress code says is 'appropriate office attire', I would go with your first idea, wear your 'appropriate office attire' but replace the slacks with a kilt and hose. But I'm of the "better to ask forgiveness than permission" bent anyway.
If you are really worried, take some slacks along just in case.