Dresses at work?

[Rarejem]

My SD told me we can wear any solid color bottom and the top should "suggest red". I laughed because the tm standing beside me was wearing striped pants and nobody has ever said a thing about it.

 

[happygoth]

OP said skirts were fine. It'd be very unusual for the cut to be alike but treated differently. Because two tone dresses in the right color scheme are hard to find I'm thinking a strong possibility is they say no dresses because of color, not because of a joining at the waist. Also thinking it was communicated in a way that didn't mean how it was heard, especially if there were frustrations due to the preceding color disagreement. Three sides to every story after all.

I'm not sure of your point. You said if they wanted to wear a dress, they should meet dress code, and I pointed out that the OP said they were told that no dresses were allowed at all. If the OP's leadership said khaki dresses were allowed, it was not mentioned in their posts.

 

[Kvothe]

If you feel strongly about wearing a dress, fight for it. You'll find out whether the SD can veto corporate policy soon enough. Keep us posted.

 

[Klmar]

That's not how it works. Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius That's a legal phrase. It means the inclusion of one thing is the exclusion of the other. So, if you have a legal list of things that you can do, it means you cannot do anything that isn't listed. It's how courts interpret statutes.

(Note, this does not apply in criminal law, but we are not talking criminal law here.)

But if there is a specific list of do nots. I.e. no mini skirts, no tank tops. And dress is not on the list of don’t it’s not that it wasn’t included in things I can wear. It’s not on a list of things deemed inappropriate to wear.

 

[Klmar]

For fucking sake, are you at Target to work or to argue?

You want to wear a dress, meet dress code. Khaki color dress with something red on top like an open sweater.

What you are doing is the equivalent of red pants at work. And your arguments are "yeah, I know it's like red pants but I'm wanting to make waves. I'm wanting to show off, I'm not wanting to meet dress codes."

I did meet dress code requirements and was told to either purchase and entire new outfit or go home to change. So either spend my money to fix something that isn’t addressed in the dress code but meets every other dress code requirement, except for the word dress, or loose money to go home and put on pants and a shirt, when they have never before expressed that I could not wear a dress and other stores even in the area allow it.
and fuck yeah I’ll make waves to be able to work comfortably at my job. Especially when their excuse is that a dress inappropriate, when it was to my knees and really no different than if I work a skirt. I want to know what makes it inappropriate.

 

[Klmar]

Damn I guess you really like dresses.

I just don’t own skirts outside of pencil skirts, which I find would be difficult to go up the ladders in, and are also like black plaid not a solid color. I don’t want to buy anything more than I already have especially with everyone’s hours being cut at our store. I have bills to pay, but I’m also expected to be getting carts out in the heat multiple times a day because they don’t hire a cart attendant. So yes I want to be comfortable and I want a legitimate reason as to why I cannot. I’m not a child and because I said so doesn’t really cut it with me as a good reason.

 

[happygoth]

Dresses aren't mentioned at all in the dress code, yea or nay, which I do think is a bit odd. Guess they are just leaving it up to stores to figure it out.

 

[happygoth]

I just don’t own skirts outside of pencil skirts, which I find would be difficult to go up the ladders in, and are also like black plaid not a solid color. I don’t want to buy anything more than I already have especially with everyone’s hours being cut at our store. I have bills to pay, but I’m also expected to be getting carts out in the heat multiple times a day because they don’t hire a cart attendant. So yes I want to be comfortable and I want a legitimate reason as to why I cannot. I’m not a child and because I said so doesn’t really cut it with me as a good reason.

Truthfully, I would have more of a problem with a Style TM being expected to get carts several times a day. I don't mind helping in that area once in a while, but not every shift, and certainly not several times a shift. But I digress.

 

[Klmar]

Truthfully, I would have more of a problem with a Style TM being expected to get carts several times a day. I don't mind helping in that area once in a while, but not every shift, and certainly not several times a shift. But I digress.

I really don’t mind getting carts, or helping out. I do not mind working hard, I just think telling me I have to wear pants or buy new clothes in order to comfortably be able to help out seems more ridiculous. Because I don’t see or understand the difference. Maybe my SD will be able to shed some light on why a skirt is acceptable and a dress is not.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Did you ask your etl?

 

[redeye58]

We have a middle eastern TM who wears a long khaki skirt, a long-sleeved red top & a patterned hijab.
Another wears a knee-length skirt with matching leggings with a long-sleeve top & a variety of print hijabs.
Sounds like your leadership is being prickly.
You'd think they'd embrace the idea of a TM wearing something they SELL.

 

[Anelmi]

But again. The TMs are wearing a skirt not a dress and that is what OP is having the issue with: wearing a dress.

 

[Tessa120]

I'm not sure of your point. You said if they wanted to wear a dress, they should meet dress code, and I pointed out that the OP said they were told that no dresses were allowed at all. If the OP's leadership said khaki dresses were allowed, it was not mentioned in their posts.

All right, I'll be a little more plain. I'm thinking that leadership said flat out the color is the problem, the OP argued back about the color instead of taking ownership for violating the color portion of the dress code, leadership got annoyed, and either they tried to shut the argument down with a blanket "no dresses" since the OP can't seem to understand the color portion of the dress code - or - leadership said "no red dresses" which the OP heard/interprets as "no dresses".

The OP has admitted to wearing an inappropriate color and is arguing the appropriateness of it. Since every story has three sides, the OP's side may not match leadership's side and both may not match what was word-for-word said.

 

[Leo47]

We had a style TM who would wear a red dress like this with a jean jacket over it and nobody even blinked. it was super cute

 

[NKG]

I think mine advice was the best in this thread and it got overlooked 🤦‍♀️

 

[ISMike]

The OP has admitted to wearing an inappropriate color and is arguing the appropriateness of it.

Technically, as long as it's solid, there really is no inappropriate color. Solid color is the only actual color requirement written in the book (last I checked) - khaki being a preference only.

 

[happygoth]

I think mine advice was the best in this thread and it got overlooked 🤦‍♀️

Your advice was solid!

For the most part, khakis or blue jeans are the preferred bottom, though I've heard that some stores allow black. The interpretation of "red top" is quite lenient in my store.

 

[Kvothe]

We had a style TM who would wear a red dress like this with a jean jacket over it and nobody even blinked. it was super cute

View attachment 10934

I would blink.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

The dress code specifies 2 separate items of clothing so the mention of a dress is not necessary. You’re required to wear a solid red TOP “and” a solid colored bottom. No where does it mention dressed as okay or not because it doesn’t fall which the dress code guidelines in the first place.

 

[Bufferine]

At my store 1/2 of the people you wouldn’t know worked there if it wasn’t for the name tag. Sounds like someone was jelly. It takes a lot of confidence to step out of the box and perhaps you outshined her. My old SD always wore dresses. She even wore very short ones. She would even wear high wedges and one day helped me with the truck. (She did good to) I have also worked with a few girls that wore dresses all the time because of their church. I would have went directly to HR and ask if their was a problem.

 

[Tessa120]

You're advice was solid!

For the most part, khakis or blue jeans are the preferred bottom, though I've heard that some stores allow black. The interpretation of "red top" is quite lenient in my store.

It was at mine too. Over 50% red (though there were plenty 50/50 exact), any shade.

Shortly before I left there was a new DTL, his first time touring the place I saw him. Rust and white tiny checkerboard pattern shirt, 50/50 red and white.

 

[Bufferine]

When I started I received an employee handbook. Didn’t we all get the same one. Maybe all stores aren’t the same but corporate is boss.

 

[RealFuckingName]

Not sure if someone already said this, but part of it is safety. Are your legs covered by a thick fabric to protect your legs? Does it go to your ankles?

 

[Tessa120]

Not sure if someone already said this, but part of it is safety. Are your legs covered by a thick fabric to protect your legs? Does it go to your ankles?

That would exclude skirts as well though. Safety is likely not a concern in this particular situation.

 

[BoxCutter]

First, thank you for your service to our country. I have great respect for you

Second, I think you will enjoy being a lawyer since you come across as someone who is passionate about righting wrongs.

I have been with Target for close to 19 years and I'm going to tell you how this will play out. If you dress the way they want you to, you will most likely be scheduled as you currently are scheduled. If you continue to fight to wear the dress, win or lose, you may be looking at being scheduled 4 hours per week. Now you will say, they can't retaliate against me like that, but you have already given them the cover by stating:

I don’t want to buy anything more than I already have especially with everyone’s hours being cut at our store.

Your hours will be cut, and there is very little you can do about that because of "the needs of the business."

My advice, if you like working at Target, are satisfied with your hourly rate, and are content with your scheduled hours, play ball with your store's management and wear what they say you can wear.

If you insist on dying on this hill in your red dress, be ready for drastically reduced hours, little if any merit increases in your hourly pay rate, and eventually being performanced out.

Choose wisely and good luck.