IT Dress Code: 10 Cardinal Sins

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Hey, you over there. Yes, you -- in the short-sleeve plaid button-down shirt and khakis. Straighten out that pocket protector and step into the conference room. We need to have a few words with you. We're the fashion police.

If only there was, in fact, a set of statutes -- and a corresponding law enforcement agency -- to save us all from ourselves when dressing for work in the morning. So many felonies of fashion and misdemeanors of mode could be prevented each and every year. Careers protected, reputations saved, unsavory gossip mills shut down for good. Alas, we're mostly left to our own devices when it comes to our appearance, and while we'd like to think we're adults who can reasonably dress ourselves, somehow bad decisions continue making their way into cubicles and conferences rooms with alarming regularity.

So if you put the casual in "business casual," have food stains on your sweatpants, or treat the office like your own personal gym locker room, by all means, keep reading. This is for you. Trust us.

We're not here to give you a makeover, mind you. Doing so would be allowing the inmates to run the asylum, to be honest. There are far better sources for fashion advice. And there's nothing wrong, per se, with sticking to the conventional and subdued when it comes to workplace attire. In fact, some of the questionable choices we're going to harp on here are probably the result of trying too hard to be too fashionable, cool, trendy, or whatever other word you want to substitute.

Rather, we're after the "oh, no" clothing and appearance decisions, the kind that tend to generate raised eyebrows and the "Did you see what [X] was wearing?" conversations behind your back. These are the fashion choices that might have a perfect context elsewhere in your life -- but work isn't that context.

Just as we might sometimes try a little too hard for our own fashion good, there are those among us who grossly misinterpret the meaning of the word "casual." It's a lasting artifact of the first dot-com boom, the offices where soccer sandals and flip-flops are de riguer. Maybe we don't need to dud up in suits every day, but a decent pair of shoes might still behoove everyone.

Then there are variables of common sense -- and common decency -- to consider. No, we don't want to talk about the sprawling ERP upgrade with you while you're sporting super-snug bike shorts and an equally form-fitting tour jersey. That's just awkward, your upcoming triathlon notwithstanding.

Look, you can keep the pocket protector and the short-sleeved button-down shirts. They've earned their rightful place in the chronicles of IT. But let's all commit to avoiding the graver fashion choices.

Read on for our list of fashion sins. Dare to defend these? By all means, chime in. Better still, tell us the weirdest, wackiest, or flat-out worst thing you've ever seen someone wear into the office. We'd love to hear about your coworkers' fashion disasters. We're sure there are some doozies -- share your nominations for the Fashion Hall of Shame in the comments.

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