Yesterday morning a carefully covered Meredith Viera reported on cleavage in the workplace. The general consensus seemed to be that a) spilling out of your top is inappropriate, b) everyone remains divided on how much, if any, cleavage is appropriate.
Let me point out that there is now a debate over cleavage in the workplace. Not too long ago women were not allowed in the workplace. Now we have female CEOs and women showing cleavage! In an evolving world, I suspect that this debate too shall pass.
“Unprofessional” seems to be the buzzword surround cleavage, but was that same word not used about tattoos. Just as cleavage was once an automatic workplace no-no, so were tattoos. But dress codes within the workplace are changing. Rochester based Paychex had one of the strictest dress codes when they first started in 1971 (among many other things women were not allowed to wear pants). While the dress code slowly changed over the years, major changes have been made in the past two years (we’re talking open-toed shoes!).
Dress, both inside and outside the workplace, is an expression of culture. Millennails have grown up seeing flesh on television, in advertising, on their peers. In many ways, Millennails have become desensitized to the “distraction” and shock that is cleavage. With Baby Boomers on their way out and Millennials on the way in you can expect that the once traditional dress code will become even more lenient.
Like it or not, expect to see cleavage in your office in the near future.
See what featured Today show cleavage expert Karen Salmansohn has to say about cleavage in the workplace on her blog.
October 30, 2007 at 12:46 pm |
I must say that I have only seen a few cases of over exposed breasts since I started here at the USDA. I do think that how some “businesswomen” dress in TV shows is NOT truly appropriate in the real world. It also depends on the industry. Those in the fashion industry are going to dress differently than someone who works on Capital Hill.
October 31, 2007 at 10:22 pm |
I agree Kat. I think it most industries it’s going to ease up (except for government). I think there’s a difference between showing a little and showing too much. I also wouldn’t condone showing “a little” everyday. Moderation is the key. But, I feel strongly that women should be allowed to wear feminine items rather than turtlenecks everyday.
March 29, 2008 at 12:02 pm |
[...] and if you have it, it’s probably not a good idea to flaunt it. The jury is still out on whether cleavage is acceptable in the workplace or not, but you’ll be in a safer place by covering [...]
April 21, 2008 at 6:54 am |
[...] title of this post was the title of a post written for The Employment File less than six months ago. When spring arrives and turns into summer, employer dress codes [...]
January 17, 2009 at 1:39 am |
some women are using their cleavage power nowadays to get ahead in the workplace or to express their feminine power, they now have the freedom to do it and more and more women are coming into the office looking sexy, boob enhancements, plunge bras, tight blouses, mini skirts are becoming more fashionable now in the workplace. men get horny and distracted, thats obvious from some of their comments, many women don’t realize that form-fitting clothes often trigger sexual thoughts that men have to fight to concentrate on work.
but i think men are getting more used to having lots more sexily dressed colleagues around them and its becoming more acceptable to them and to women, men need to be educated to respect women and to look at them in the eye when they are talking to them because its very annoying for women to have men staring at their cleavage instead .
January 17, 2009 at 1:59 pm |
Ross – I don’t think it’s about power. I think it’s about having the freedom to dress how we want. There’s no reason that women should feel matronly in the workplace.
I also wouldn’t place the blame on men. The society we live in says “ooo boobies.” If you go to Europe there are billboards in the open with women’s breasts exposed. The more forbidden you make it the more men (and women!) are going to be drawn to it.
January 17, 2009 at 9:52 pm |
Rachel- what do you mean by matronly? Do you not agree that men need to be educated to respect women , after all in European countries there is a similiar problem with sexual harrassment or unwanted oogling at womens cleavage or other parts of their bodies. How would you feel Rachel if a man was constantly staring at your cleavage instead of looking at you only in the eyes? I think that women should not have to put up with that – there are laws against sexual harrassment and heavy punishments for it. Is it true that in California men have learnt not to stare at a womans boobs in the office. I used to work in a company where there was a woman with beautiful breasts who worked at the computer opposite me and sometimes when she was stretching herself she her boobs would be thrust forward in full view over my computer screen – but i always tried not to look or think about them and i was able to blot it out of my mind.
So is your point that women should not be forbidden to wear anything in the office, and that if its generally accepted that they can dress very sexily in the workplace that men would get used to it as the norm and would say “oo boobies”. Do you not think that a man will feel horny, a hormone surge, distracted by constant sexual thoughts and urges when everyday they see the sight of a beautiful pair of breasts in a tight blouse and plunge bra of a colleague who works at a desk beside him.
March 23, 2009 at 11:28 am |
I agree with some ladies who said that its annoying for them the way men oogle at their cleavage or boobs. men should not do that , its not gentlemanly, they must control themselves, its entirely the mans responsibilty to control his sexual urges, the woman is not responsible for his urges. More and more women nowadays are dressing sexily in the office , they realise it can be to teir advantage. Cleavage is POWER, and they should be able to use it at work if they wish.
In the workplace women have the RIGHT to dress whatever way they wish, low cut tops, push up bras, high heels, tight blouses. If they have a nice figure why not flaunt it, they should feel confident about expressing their sexuality and femininity.
Women have fought hard to achieve equality. Apparently 74%, 3 out of 4, men have slight or great problems with sexual feelings at work, but I think they are getting more used to and accepting of having sexily dressed female colleagues and if men are properly educated to respect women then it wont be such a struggle for them at work to keep their eyes off their colleagues cleavage and or to be distracted by it.
April 20, 2009 at 9:48 am |
many women nowadays dress sexy in the office, they are showing more cleavage, wearing form fitting clothes, push up bras, miniskirts, high heels, they have the right to wear what they want. Some are using their cleavage power to get ahead. Men cannot tell them what to wear because of stricter sexual harrassment laws men are afraid to make any comments about a womans dress or even to stare at a sexy looking female colleague for fear of being punished. So women now have the freedom to wear what they want. Its up to men to control their urges -its rude for them to stare at a woman. they shouldnt do that.
May 25, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
Sexual harrassment is a cruel backlash against women because some men feel threatened by women’s advance up the corporate ladder and womens increasing power and equality in the workplace. Harrasment is an attempt to put them back in their place. I think its terrible that women should have to put up with any form of sexual harassment in the workplace – i agree with the radical feminists who say that even staring at a woman’s boobs or commenting on her appearance should be viewed as sexual harassment especially if it causes annoyance to the woman -i.e. if the woman feels uncomfortable by this behaviour then it is harassment – the only way to root out this problem Jennifer is harsh punishments for men who sexually harrass female colleagues , prompt punishment, dismissal, hefty fines or even imprisonment . What about having him apologise to the woman victim. Ive heard some women saying that. secondly men should be educated to respect women and treat them properly-
Ross