Saturday, January 3, 2009

I'll be wearing my work clothes

I once went on a date with a lawyer. Since we worked in the same neighborhood, we agreed to meet soon after work. And after we agreed on the day and time of the date he added (quite unnecessarily?) that he'll be wearing his work clothes. I said that I'll be wearing mine and we left it at that though I wondered if I should take my lab coat in my pocketbook ( just in case).
In the end, the guy wasn't even worth me showing up in a robe but that's not what this post is about.

It appears that some work clothes are better than others. Often business people (i.e. those who have to have a 'professional' appearance) quite often find it acceptable to show up at an evening social function wearing their 'work' clothes, regardless of the general appearance of these clothes. A suit is a suit.

A couple of times I've noticed doctors (medical residents) attending a function in scrubs. Granted , doctor is a respectable profession. But a uniform at a social function is neither respectable nor respectful.

Would it be ok for a nursing assistant to show up in scrubs? Would a nursing assistant or a nurse (wearing exact same scrubs) ever allow him/herself this liberty. How about a mechanic in an oily blue one-piece, or a butcher in a blood splatters apron? Can a train conductor or a police officer show up at an engagement party or a brit in their uniform?

Or do I need to get out more?

12 comments:

Mikeinmidwood said...

Maybe a cop.

Ookamikun said...

I show up in my work clothes. Then again, I'm a jerk. :-D

Dina said...

I don't like to show up in my work suits, because I don't like to feel like I'm at work when I'm not. Truthfully, though, if people don't know I'm a lawyer, they don't realize that the suits are actually work clothes, and assume I'm going to some fancy thing.

As a point of etiquette, I believe people in the military are traditionally entitled to show up in uniform for formal events.

SubWife said...

I wonder what would happen if an underwear model would show up in her work clothes for formal event.

Ookamikun said...

All the guys would be paying rapt attention.

SubWife said...

No way!

Ookamikun said...

I'm bringing camera ;-)

Sally Hazel said...

Hmm...As one of my friends would say, some of the people leaving comments 'didn't get the point'. But that's part of the fun:)

Lion of Zion said...

why should a doctor care if scrubs are not respectable. they're a babe magnet and that's all tha matters.

Barb Chansky said...

Not in my book they are; there is a certain attitude that most doctors have and that is mostly not deserved

Sally Hazel said...

I asked a couple of my coworkers re: scrubs and they didn't see anything wrong in showing up to a bris in scrubs ( though they didn't comment on an engagement)...

In short, it seems that majority of us would love to see a friendly cop show up at an engagement or at least a bris...

SubWife said...

I still think it's not appropriate. Just b/c ppl think it's ok doesn't make it so. Then again, to my it's all academic. I wouldn't care if someone showed at at my simcha in scrubs. If they choose to look this way and are not embarrassed, I couldn't care less.