Many offices do require a uniform. The last office that I worked in was at a factory, we had to wear dark blue slacks, the shirt differed by job, they were all polo shirts with the factory logo on them, but the color told you who was regular office help, who was upper management and what department you belonged to. All uniforms were cleaned by the company (at a cost of $5 a week to the employee).

If you work in the medical profession in an office, you’ll be wearing scrubs too. Even the office personal of the major grocery store here wear the same kaki pants and shirt with the store logo on it that the employees wear. Our bank requires their employees to wear blazers with the bank logo on it, I assume that the black slacks are required because they all wear them.

The offices that I worked in that did not have a specific uniform had very strict dress codes. I clerked for a judge and was required to wear a black shirt (nylons were required with skirts, period) or slacks with very specific criteria for blouses and sweaters, and black shoes were required. The clothes purchased for that job became a uniform.

Now that I think about it, I’ve never worked anywhere that I could just throw what I want on and head to work.

Expressing yourself falls into the social catagory, not school or work. Especially not work, as an employee you are representing the company you work for.

My cousin is an electrical engineer, he’s worked for the government, the Howard Hughes (now GE) currently the largest firm in the country. He comments on the new employees coming in that are required to remove all piercings and cover all tattoos; turtlenecks in the summer for some.

Businessess take these things seriously. The company he works for will not hire smokers.

In working world, unless you own your own company, SOMEONE ELSE will tell you how to dress and wear your hair.