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For the ladies only. Men please don't read this blog.

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

Okay, ladies, I'm looking for opinions and advice after a night out with a few couples.  We were having a discussion on dress codes.   Two lady business women were there and one of those ladies was responsible for enforcing the dress code at her business. 

I asked what the code was and she said the females can't wear thongs (the panty type!).  Girls can't wear flip-flops even if they cost $69 a pair and have sparkles.  They can't wear tops and skirts that show the tattoo on their hip when they bend.  Their skirts can't be higher than 2" above the knee and she didn't say where the knee actually is but I'm curious. 

But I got distracted there.  What really made me write this blog to get your advice, ladies, is this.  The conversation went to panty hose.  We all agreed that all ladies used to wear panty hose.  The men agreed saying, "Yes, my wife used to tear one ruined leg off and attach another one to it with duct tape or something in order to get more wear out of the expensive panty hose."

I said, "No one seems to wear hose anymore.  Why is that?"  You know before panty hose there were stockings held up with garter belts!  Covering a girl's legs goes way back!

"My daughter told me that it doesn't matter how ugly your legs are, you must go bare legged,"  replied one wife.

So, girls, when did all this change?  When was it decided that ugly legs are fashionable?  When did panty hose go away?  Tell me what you think about this whole new fashion thing.  I solved my problem with panty hose years ago by just wearing pants all the time. 

 

Comments (65)

Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Vanessa, why weddings????  You must elaborate.

Jun 05, 2008 12:35 PM
Julianna Hind
eXp Realty - Tacoma, WA
REALTOR, 206-679-4768, Tacoma Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, WA

Barbara, can I ask, is there any part of the office dress code that pertains to MEN? I mean, I think dressing nice in the office is VERY important... I am always surprised to see what I do.

I think if the office has a policy, it should be respected, but it purturbs me when the rules are all one sided! The IDEA is to have people looking nice and professional, but a lot of times that is not adressed with the guys-- if you know what I mean, sloppy gym cloths, terrible wardrobes, a really really bad tie... or they are just plain stinky.... Kind of makes me want to wear my glitter flip-flops -- SO THERE! ;-) panty hose are so uncomfortable, however, they are still acceptable!

Jun 05, 2008 12:36 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Julianna, I guess the codes refer to men too but in a different way.  They may have to wear suits and ties!!  My favorite saying for years has been that women will never be equal to men until women start wearing sensible shoes.  Women wear absolutely dumb shoes.

Erica, I wear pants.  I used to love the double knit pant suits.  Remember them?   They never wrinkled, didn't have to be dry cleaned, and moved when you moved.  This blog was not about a real estate office but another type business, much more formal.  I don't know how they did the thong check! LOL

Jun 05, 2008 01:37 PM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

I didn't even notice I was being fashionable by not wearing pantyhose any longer...I just hate them. Yes, I wear pants in the winter and when I do have to wear a dress or skirt it's tights or colored panyhose (that don't look like fake skin). But I hate pantyhose AND tights and avoid dresses at all costs for this reason. In the summer I will wear dresses and skirts more often but only after I have a suntan on my legs and can get by without pantyhose. If I wear pant suits in the summer it is alwasy without stockings and with a pair of sandles. There are many ways to dress business like and fashionable without having to wear pantyhose.     

Jun 05, 2008 02:50 PM
Julianna Hind
eXp Realty - Tacoma, WA
REALTOR, 206-679-4768, Tacoma Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, WA

Hi again Barbara - this is a fun and clever blog... thats all I have to say at this time ;-)

Jun 05, 2008 03:10 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Carol, I'll bet you look great and comfortable each day! 

Julianna, I'm glad you enjoyed the blog.  It's those sneaky guys who read the blog that noticed words that should not even be noticed.  It was just about women's fashions....nothing more.

Jun 06, 2008 12:46 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Barbara, for most guys, when you use the words "thong" and "panty" in the same sentence  you might as well yell "fire" in a crowded theater:)

Jun 06, 2008 01:17 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

Did that company also have a dress code for plumbers and other workers? Must wear jump suits to prevent certain things showing or else get spackled.

Did they have male volunteers for the thong & tatto police? Perhaps a door monitor. All ladies must bend over before being allowed into the building.

How many guys did you think could actually resist reading this?

Jun 06, 2008 01:30 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

I guess you're right, Charles.  But somehow I thought the guys on activerain were more intelligent and would recognize the serious nature of this blog.  It should have been featured, shouldn't it?  LOL

Jun 06, 2008 01:31 AM
Vanessa Plante-McDonald, MBA, REALTOR® - Cash Rebate to ALL My Buyers!
Bethel Equities, LLC - Laurel, MD

Barbara,

Unless the wedding is apparently casual, I wear panty hose because growing up, weddings were super formal events. Panty hoses complete the formal look.

Thanks,

Vanessa.

Jun 06, 2008 02:28 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Vanessa, beware!  You are thinking as your mother would have thought!  Remember all the liberated youth now who disregard what was required when they were growing up?  I think we all get a little "pang of guilt" at some point when breaking old rules.  LOL 

Jun 07, 2008 12:27 AM
Vanessa Plante-McDonald, MBA, REALTOR® - Cash Rebate to ALL My Buyers!
Bethel Equities, LLC - Laurel, MD

Barbara,

My mother's profession requires us (my siblings and I) to be up to par on our etiquette at all times!

We actually had "training" sessions!

BTW...I think "old school rules" are cool. :)

Thanks,

Vanessa.

 

Jun 07, 2008 12:24 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Vanessa, you are fun!  You had training sessions??  On etiquette?  We probably need more of those schools now!! 

Jun 07, 2008 02:16 PM
Vanessa Plante-McDonald, MBA, REALTOR® - Cash Rebate to ALL My Buyers!
Bethel Equities, LLC - Laurel, MD

Barbara, we did. My mom even made us walk with books on our heads to get good posture!

I agree, the youth needs to be trained.

You know I realized after commenting that I'm not all that "young". At least I don't feel so after meeting people born in the 1980's.

 

Jun 08, 2008 04:16 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Vanessa, if your mother is still alive, I'll bet she's appalled at the fashion today.  Thanks for comments.

Jun 09, 2008 12:04 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Barbara:  Although I have not lived in Cleveland with it's colder winters since 1982, I can remember wearing dressy wool slacks that were nicely lined, and remember the big difference in how they fit (and hung on me) when wearing pantihose rather than not.  Things just "hung" better... and when lined, nice wool slacks even "swished"...(LOL) when wearing hose.

And yes, I wear slacks more often than I used to...but I still find them much more "restrictive" than wearing a dress.  And... phooey on the old-school rantings about being against wearing dresses.  I used to hear that all the time from my sister feminists in the seventies.  Although I was very much a feminist... sorry... I wear exactily what I feel like wearing... whether or not someone else... male or female... thinks it is "too dressy."  I am, more often than not, considered slightly "overdressed" pretty much wherever I go.  I also find that it has somewhat of a positive effect on my own mood.

Thanks for your post, Barbara.  It inspired a nice and fun thread of "girl talk."  It was a nice "recess period."

Jun 26, 2008 01:48 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Karen Anne, I was the opposite.  I hated the feel of panty hose under pants.  I mostly wore pants to avoid the feel and still wear the knee-highs instead.  I'd love to see you all "overdressed" sometime.  Send us a photo!  Thanks for the comment.

Jun 26, 2008 12:55 PM
Ginger Walker
Keller Williams Realty - Stafford, VA
Realtor e-PRO,CSP

I hate stockings...If I can go without them and just make sure that my legs are not too marked up from chasing the kids around then I would rather leave them behind..they are hot and really the color of stocking no matter how much you pay for them never truly matches the color of my skin...so I ask why wear them if you do not have to?  sometimes I think less is more...just put some nice lotion on your legs and they sell it with a tint in it if you need.. Ha ha this post is rather funny!

Jun 26, 2008 03:54 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Ginger, you are right up there with the fashion crowd! I need me some of that lotion with a tint.  What kind is best?  Thanks for reading an d commenting.

Jun 28, 2008 06:14 AM
koriton Harper

Haha, do you really think no man will read this? They don't shy away from wearing funny womens thongs, why wouldn't they read this. Anyways, it was in your power to warn and so you did.

Nov 12, 2023 05:26 AM