My department's dress code seems to be "Wear what you would to a family dinner." Way on the casual end of things, but still nice.

I have a friend who just yesterday was wearing a dress with leggings on underneath who was called out by one of her bosses.

On what grounds? I can't imagine ever wearing leggings to work, so I'm not entirely surprised that something happened, but I don't know the context or her workplace.

Men just have a ridiculously easy time of it. Also, unless you're the guy over the cube wall from me, probably a pretty boring time of it. But you know your code, and you don't need to get that much clothing, total, and it doesn't need to vary much in cut or fit.

Whereas we're conditioned for more variety, and with variety leads the issue of clothing body types. I've only gotten dinged for showing too much leg (ironically, while I was supposed to be hiding in the trenchcoat, I was complimented on the lovely colour of the skirt by the customer), but I'm manic about never showing cleavage.

There's a difficult middle space that probably doesn't exist between looking tidily putting together and drawing "undue" attention to your femaleness. Which, really? No fair. Because in a perfect world, my clothes are tailored to *me*, but I don't want them suck tight or shifting distractingly because I breathe.

But the ribbed turtleneck from earlier this week with the pencil skirt is as form-fitting as I'm willing to go at the office. More sexy than shorter skirts I've worn.

We've had a couple days here where we've been asked to wear business formal, which is frustrating. Everything I read on monster.com, etc, insists I shouldn't have to interview in a suit in my industry, but the recruiters firmly disagree. I interviewed for one recruiter in a dress with a matching long jacket, and she insisted I not meet the client in that very sedate outfit. I fucking love that outfit, but brown pinstripes it was. I really need a black or grey suit. Or comfortable brown pumps. Or to stop interviewing.

Business casual here seems pretty casual, and casual Fridays even more so. I'm not going to wear T-shirts to work, I don't think, or running shoes. Well, I don't wear running shoes, ever. Maybe I'd wear a glittery GL shirt. It'd feel kinda dressy.

We have a dress code, supposedly, but it's not really enforced. I will usually wear either a suit or something with a jacket, so I look professional. Our two men in professional positions wear suits most of the time, our president (a woman) wears fairly professional clothes. But some of the people in the office ... one comes in wearing clothes I'd think more appropriate for running errands on the weekend, a couple of young women come in wearing short sundresses (in the summer). Our president has noticed this and when we're having visitors feels she has to send out a message asking people to dress professionally.

On what grounds? I can't imagine ever wearing leggings to work, so I'm not entirely surprised that something happened, but I don't know the context or her workplace.

She has no idea. She even brought the dress to work (it was a bit above the knee, so leggings were being used like tights because here it's miserable to wear any kind of hose in the summer) to see if other boss could see something wrong with it.

Dress code varies a lot by city as well as industry.

And by actual workplace! I would have thought my mother and I work for similar orgs in the same metro area, but she is always surprised by how dressed up I am for work. And I don't think I'm all that dressed up. (Like, I almost never wear a jacket....)

Everything I read on monster.com, etc, insists I shouldn't have to interview in a suit in my industry, but the recruiters firmly disagree.

I disagree, too! Not about your industry, but I think everyone should wear a suit for an interview, definitely for any kind of office job. Although I would count dress-and-jacket as suity enough.

I'm biased because I hate leggings, but I think of them as incredibly casual. I'd be startled if I saw them at work, even on a Friday.

My first workplace (financial, as noted) had a carefully enunciated dress code, in the employee manual. No sleeveless, mandatory hose, no open toes, no short sleeves for men, yadda yadda. We briefly and randomly had a jeans Friday some Fridays (it got so complicated they made it every Friday and then they yanked it entirely). My second job, medical/educational, no enunciated dress code--my boss just said "Dress as you wish to be seen" and wore a tie every day. Pfft. Some people in my team wore jeans every now and again, so I'd bust them out once a month or so, but I felt self conscious. Still, sandals were okay.

This job? Still nothing written down. Business casual is pretty nebulous. To some people, that includes polo shirts during the week. To others, those only come out on Fridays. Personally, I look askance at those that don't take advantage of denim on Fridays, but I like judging.

But they're just tights without the feet part! Why would that be startling? I mean, sure, if one were trying to wear them as pants, that's a whole 'nother story.

Here's the summer dress code for one of the Big Law firms (NY office): [link]

I don't like leggings but I can't see how they are less appropriate than tights.

I worked at Weil when I was a legal proofreader and even we had a dress code, even though clients never saw us. "No pants with patch pockets" was one of the directives I remember.