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Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
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Red-headed bookworm
01/20/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
Eh, I work in an office and will wear high heels, some up to 5", when it's nice out. I.e. when there isn't two feet of snow on the ground. I wear them with jeans to try and dress it up a bit since my office is casual. A few other women wear heels, too. I do have a pair of steel-toed boots under my desk for when I go in the plant.
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nessalicious
01/20/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
I work at a fashion designer, and here we all dress pretty much how we want. Our 20 year old van driver wears his skinnies and flannies every day; our head of couture dresses "like she's in a refugee camp" (my boss' description not mine); we have interns who wear full on neon clothes; and then there's me who's attempting to look like Audrey Horne from Twin Peaks.

Honestly I love it. Though I realise we are the exception that proves the rule.

Incidentally, no-one but NO-ONE wears 5 inch heels.
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sarrible
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
And that is another reason Battlestar Galactica is frakking awesome. Ladies in appropriate work clothes? Check. Except for Number Six. But she's usually imaginary.
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la.donna.pietra
01/19/09

@sarrible: Not to mention, ladies in very sensible shoes and boots. And Number Six dresses quite appropriately, given her (semi-) fantasy status.
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Remedios Varo can't see no huevos.
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
One of the things I've hated most about the L Word is that one of the characters (Jenny S.) hasn't had an identifiably steady job in three seasons yet she always appears to be wearing couture-level clothes. Ugh.
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Maritsa
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
At my former firm we had to have someone talk to a summer associate for wearing short skirts. When I say short I mean, one day it was so short you could see the bottom of her control-top part of her stocking. People wondered why she didn't know better, but I blamed TV and her youth - and her school for not giving students a lecture on appropriate workwear/behavior, which my school did.
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/19/09

@Maritsa:

I knew someone in a setting something like that who had to talk to a youngish woman whose thong straps kept peaking out from her low-rise pants and she always seemed to have a reason be bending over. Although as a straight guy, it was diverting, he found it completely unprofessional.

The woman did take the advice, but she thought he was a prude and laughed. (!)
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haguenite
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
I'm making my way through Female Chauvinist Pigs at the moment, which means any and all talk about sexualising work get-up or any type of get-up, really, has be disgusted.

But what's more important, I have a job interview for administrative assistant at a local college tomorrow, and I'm wondering if I need to go all out with a suit, or just go for by dark jeans and suit jacket.

It's weird, because I always advise people to wear a suit, but something about a suit at what seems quite a laid back environment seems wrong. Still, I'd be assistant to the board, and even though my interview is not conducted my members of the board.... I DON'T KNOW!
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haguenite
01/19/09

@haguenite: has ME disgusted.

God!
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/19/09

@haguenite:

If the choice is between jeans and a suit -- suit. They know that how you dress for the interview is not necessarily how you'll dress for the job, but some people might interpret the jeans as a lack of respect.
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TransFat
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
A tad off topic, but can someone please help me?! I have the most important interview of my life tomorrow and I have no idea what to wear. It's not a typcal office job, I would essentially be around writers dictating their brilliance. I don't want to go too formal and seem clueless but I also don't want to assume every writers room is like the one on 30 rock. I skew kinda, let's go with ecclectic/vintage/librarian? I especially don't want to look like someone on the show and appear like I'm pandering. HELP! I promise to divulge what show it is if by some miracle of miracles I land it!
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
01/19/09

@TransFat: Maybe go a little more conservative/conventional, but with a few fun, unusual accessories/details to show off your personality? I work in a creative field, and that's what I did at my interview for my current job..... Can't say definitely without knowing the job, but good luck!
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/19/09

@TransFat:

It never hurts to be a little overdressed -- interviewing is part hazing ritual and part of the test is that you are willing to go along and show up in clothing that ordinarily you might not wear.

In fact, in a really informal environment, dressing just like the others before you're hired might even seem a little presumptuous.

From what you've said, there doesn't seem to be a need for a suit, but how about a suit jacket or blazer or longer cardigan over a fairly conservative dress like a sheath dress, black tights (it's cold) and attractive shoes with a small heel? The environment and your personal style should dictate the type of accessories, if any, but don't go overboard.

Most important accessory (I'd like to think):

Your brain.

Good Luck.
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PrairieGirl
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
All the fairly powerful and certainly successful women who have been my bosses over the years have been less Lipstick Jungle and more What Not to Wear.

It's not just business type characters who get the inappropriate costume treatment. Real female detectives (or CSIs*) probably don't wear tight tank tops that show cleavage and have long, flowing un-pulled back hair while they're on the job. Not if they want to be running around and man-handling potentially dangerous dudes all day. They put Olivia Benson, on L&O:SVU, in a pretty good wardrobe usually, but that's about the only example I can think of on current TV.

*The women's work wear on CSI is, of course, the least of the problems in terms of accuracy on that show, but you know what I mean.
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Laulau
01/19/09

@PrairieGirl: Drives me nuts on Grey's Anatomy (among other things). All that loose, flowy hair cannot be sanitary in a hospital.
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Hamsterpants
01/19/09

@PrairieGirl: Olivia is the only woman I can think of in a drama series on TV who is dressed appropriately for her gig. Considering her gig is being a cop, it's nice that they have her in clothes she could actually run down a skel in or cuff some perv without her boob popping out.
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allycat
01/19/09

@PrairieGirl: Are you me? I stopped watching CSI specifically because of the outfits those women wear. And always with the hair all over the place! It's so maddening, I wind up cursing at the TV.
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Devonna
01/19/09

@PrairieGirl: They actually do a really nice job of dressing Sarah Shahi on Life and Robin Tunney on The Mentalist. But the CSI shows just got strange with their dress codes...the early shows weren't like that. I mean, white pants at a crime scene...seriously?
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info*ninja
01/19/09

@allycat: Haha me too! I just could ot get over the idea of a CSI with their hair down. And it is so odd that the same dress code that puts men in suits allows women to wear tank tops!
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info*ninja
01/19/09

@Devonna: Robin Tunnley always has her hair down and is often in a tight tank. She is super hot though, i like her character (except for the hair down! and sleeping with her boss).
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devilchyld22
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
Chucks...jeans...a white t-shirt and add a sweater and I'm good to go.
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DinosaurDanceParty
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
It's sad but kind of true. Last year when my best friend used to go to work at a law firm (in our first year out of college jobs) she would wear unbelievably short skirts and low-cut blouses and nylons and high heels things that made her look about 10 years older, not to mention had me clutching my pearls about appropriate office wear. As I work in the most boring place ever I often wear jeans and Uggs to work, but if I did choose to wear something more "sexy" it wouldn't be all at once. I'm positive my friend dressed this way because she assumed "professional" people did, as it was her first real world job she had no other experience.
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Evie Havok
01/19/09

@DinosaurDanceParty: What happened to common sense?
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Le Coucher d'Yvette
01/19/09

@DinosaurDanceParty: we have a paralegal here who we call "skankalicous." you can only imagine why - she wears, not kidding, pants with slits to the mid thigh, one in front, and one in back. In Pittsburgh. In January.
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LadyNo Fondles Sweaters
01/19/09

@c_kav: We had an intern here who was nicknamed "B. McC." As in Boobie McCleavage. We found dirty pics of her on her facebook page, and she actually wore lucite heels to work. Seriously!
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Jessi Ramsey
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
Which is funny seeing as how when a scene is shot from the waist up the actresses are wearing sneakers, uggs, flip flops, or whatever comfy shoe.
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sequined
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
As fashion-forward as Chanel sneakers are, they just don't make my legs look as long and lean in my micro mini dress as do my Jimmy Choos.
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DiffidentDolly Loves Nina Flowers
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
I don't know, it seems to me, in the 21st century, being sexy at all times has turned into some kind of female empowerment; into some kind of feminism.

I actually like watching Lipstick Jungle, but want to vomit all over their ridiculous wardrobe and makeup.

But I haven't seen very many films or tv shows made recently that doesn't make women overtly sexual to the exclusion of content of character.
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bluebears
01/19/09

@DiffidentDolly: no, I totally know what you mean. It is frustrating. Mostly because its just sooooo prevalent.
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jenalicious
01/19/09

@DiffidentDolly: kindof makes me think about most of the button down shirts i had from Express when i worked in an office.. a lot of them didnt button all the way to the top. which is a little strange now that i think about it.
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PumpkinWhoopies
01/19/09

@DiffidentDolly: I definitely agree with that. In trying to think of shows with a strong female lead who isn't always tramped up... Bones?
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Devonna
01/19/09

@PumpkinWhoopies: But she has the best jewelry! I've been watching it in syndication religiously on TNT and I want to know where they get Emily Deschanel's necklaces. They are always, always funky while being classy.
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DangerMouse
01/19/09

@PumpkinWhoopies: @suzannelb: I was coming down into this thread to say Bones. They're usually pretty good about realizing that f you are going to be walking around outside, riding boots are a good way to go.

I want to dress like Bones. SO. MUCH.
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kad9k
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
I had this thought when they did the Lipstick Jungle challenge on Project Runway. The outfit that won was great, but I couldn't imagine any working woman wearing it -- it was more like a cocktail dress IMO.
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/19/09

@kad9k:

Speaking of Project Runway, in the episode where the designers had to dress young women entering the job market, the judges showed themselves to be out of touch.

A suit or suit-equivalent is still the best choice for an interviewee.
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The2ndMrsDeWinter
01/19/09

In reply to Working Girls: TV's Office Dress Codes Are Business-Cocktail
This reminds me: we never saw Brooke wear Keith-the-hot-gay-Mormon from Project Runway's winning dress on Lipstick Jungle, did we?
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
01/19/09

@The2ndMrsDeWinter: I watched all of them and I didn't see it. I was looking.
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jenalicious
01/19/09

@The2ndMrsDeWinter: they might have "adjusted" it. maybe "adjusted" beyond recognition..
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