'I've started selling to coworkers': Employee creates loophole for herself and coworkers after bosses dress code her

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 28, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

Bosses who insist on arbitrary dress codes are so annoying. 

Sometimes, dress codes are really important: for example, if you work in a hard hat area and need proper protective gear, or if you work in fast food and need nonslip shoes for those greasy floors. Those make sense. But this person's bosses seem to just like messing with their employees' wardrobes for no reason other than to have a power trip. 

U/Devils_av0cad0 wrote to r/Maliciouscompliance with an awesome tale of workplace compliance. She says that as a cashier at a large warehouse chain, she and the other coworkers are subjected to the whims of their managers. These bosses keep changing their minds about what exactly the dress code should be. The wild thing is that a shirt that the OP has apparently worn to work hundreds of times is now considered inappropriate for work by her bosses. 

Now, her bosses are insisting she wear blouses, which is a rather old-fashioned way to talk about dress codes. Lots of millennials and Gen Z might not even own a blouse in the first place! What's wrong with some tee shirts? These bosses are clearly just trying to control their employees' style. However, the OP has an amazing plan in place. You can see her creativity shine in the photos below, as well as check out the whole story (and read through the comments from people who adored her idea).

Next up, this boss would rather put her employee in a dangerous situation instead of just buying a new product at the dollar store. 

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  • 01
    Clothing
    via Waldemar on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - My work decided my sweater was sweatery enough. So here comes my new wardrobe.. S OC I work at a huge warehouse store that you all shop at. I'm a cashier I ring you up for basic things. Our managers are switching positions constantly so they change the wardrobe rules on the fly. The other day I went to work and was basically sent home because I wasn't going to buy a new shirt.. and I had worn this shirt a hundred times before over the past six years there. I even bought it there. So.. the
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 03
    Font - females it has to be a "blouse" (what the actual f even is that anyway?), a sweater, or a collared shirt. These are the only rules. So I've been working on my new, entirely dress code compliant tie dyed wardrobe. I've got at least a dozen blouses, polos, sweaters, etc now. I've done a few pieces for coworkers too.
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 04

    In a prior post, the OP explained what they've been up to

    Font - So I work at a big warehouse store where managers randomly decide to change the dress code constantly. They didn't like my sweater the other day because it wasn't a "blouse", sweater, or collared top. I say it was a sweater but whatever.. I can work within those parameters. I am building up a full collection of work dress code compliant tie dyes. I've started selling to coworkers too I get that rules are rules but I'm a cashier selling you toilet paper for crying out loud why do I need a
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 05

    The OP included photos of the shirts she's been crafting for herself and her teammates.

    Outerwear
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 06

    The results are beautiful!

    Outerwear - PLACE B
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 07

    She and her work friends will look very cool, though it seems like their managers aren't going to be happy about it.

    Leaf - HOUTOFOVE ONO TIL
    via u/Devils_av0cad0
  • 08
    Font - zorggalacticus 2 days ago +2. Walmart did the same thing to me. I had found these nice button downs on sale so I bought several green and several navy blue. Literally took them into the back and compared them to the color chart and they matched perfectly. Wore them for a couple YEARS. New manager comes in and says it's not the right color. We go to the back and put it next to the chart. "See, it matches."
    via u/zorggalacticus
  • 09
    Font - He just doubled down and said "no it doesn't. You can clearly see the difference. It doesn't match at all. Go home and change and come back with the correct shirt!" Well, I walked to work. About two hours later I showed back up with a cheap t-shirt in "the correct color." It was the exact same shade as the button down, yet it was somehow correct. He just didn't want to admit his mistake. He was fired for stealing money from the cash office not long after that and I started wearing the but
    via u/zorggalacticus
  • 10
    Font - OutlawJoseyMeow. 2 days ago I used to work at Walmart back when we could only wear blue, white, or black (I think)tops. Manager came up and grabbed the blue material of my sleeve and said "this is purple!" Uh, no it's a dark navy blue and I'd worn it numerous times before
    via u/OutlawJoseyMeow
  • 11
    Rectangle - StillNotATony 2 days ago I worked at UPS, and our dress code was basically no sleeveless shirts, no obscenities on clothing, and steel toed boots.
    via u/StillNotATony
  • 12
    Font - So on the day of our big safety inspection when the guys came down from corporate and talked to each and every one of us, the guy who worked next to me on the belt showed up in a full-on, black and white spotted cow costume. Horns, udder everything. He wore his steel toed boots, too, so he was dress code compliant.
    via u/StillNotATony
  • 13
    Font - You could tell the supervisors REALLY wanted to say something to him but couldn't.
    via u/StillNotATony
  • 14
    Font - MomOfMoe 2 days ago +1. Love your tie-dye! Keep up the good work. 5 Reply Share Devils_avocado OP. 2 days ago Thank you, that means so much to me. I'm not very confident in my stuff but I'm having fun along the way!
    via u/MomOfMoe
  • 15
    Font - LokiKamiSama 2 days ago +1. A blouse is defined as "a woman's shirt". So technically it's any shirt bought in the woman's section. It also has an old defunct definition of a bell sleeved tunic. So unless they are going to give you a wardrobe allowance (most likely will have to hire a designer to make them) as well as a dry cleaning allowance, tell them to pound sand.
    via u/LokiKamiSama
  • 16
    Font - FatBloke4 +2. 1 day ago As I see it, if a company wants to dictate what employees wear, to the extent of the colours of various items, then they should be providing that clothing (for free).
    via u/FatBloke4
  • 17
    Font - bolshoich - 1 day ago A lot of retail clothing outlets have a policy that their floor people need to wear parts of their current stock. And there are standards on how it's supposed to be worn. It's not free, but it is discounted.
    via u/bolshoich
  • 18
    Font - Overall-Surround-925. 2 days ago Can you not buy a sweater/blouse/collared shirt from said warehouse and return it after your shift?
    via u/Overall-Surround-925
  • 19
    Font - Devils_avocado OP. 2 days ago Nope they stopped allowing you to return it like that. I mean I would take it hope for a couple days and then return it but it pissed me off and I was missing the Father's Day bbq anyways, so I went hope and started another batch!
    via u/Devils_avocado

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dress code malicious compliance retail retail worker coworkers malicious-compliance-reddit t shirts shirts bad bosses tie dye coworker
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