Saturday, February 4th, 2006:
Appropriate office footwear in Sweden
What I think:
One really cool thing about Sweden is that many companies have a very casual dress-code. I think it's so nice being able to go to work and feel comfortable, and not have to wear a jacket & tie. It's perfectly cool for me to go in wearing black jeans and my "Boldly Going Nowhere" t-shirt. It's pretty laid back that way. To have that kind of freedom is a good thing.
Or is it?
There is one thing that I find bizarre, and even slightly (dare I say?) unprofessional-looking. Quite a number of people, upon arrival at work, remove their shoes (or boots), and put on sandals (leaving their socks on, of course).
Now, I totally understand not wanting to wear big winter boots all day long, and of course people in Canada take off their boots and have shoes that they wear at work (probably some people in northern Britain do as well), but sandals? In the office? Hhmm.
I believe that this is taking the comfort thing a bit too far. It looks plain silly.
And I bet there can be Health & Safety issues as well, come to think of it. What if you spill hot coffee? What if there's a fire and you have to go straight outside, only to get frostbite on your toes? What if you get a smack in the face for looking so stupid?
Don't even get me started on summer office attire. To the blokes who wear those pastel-coloured light cotton trousers that only go halfway down their lower legs: Look, I'm really not interested in seeing your hairy shins & calves, thank-you-very-much.
While I appreciate being comfortable at work, there should be just a few basic, common-sense rules to follow. I mean, what's next? Pyjama bottoms and bunny slippers?
Sandals (with socks, of course) worn at work are a blight on the fabric of Sweden's society, and it's time that the Swedish government did something about it. That's what I think.
One really cool thing about Sweden is that many companies have a very casual dress-code. I think it's so nice being able to go to work and feel comfortable, and not have to wear a jacket & tie. It's perfectly cool for me to go in wearing black jeans and my "Boldly Going Nowhere" t-shirt. It's pretty laid back that way. To have that kind of freedom is a good thing.
Or is it?
There is one thing that I find bizarre, and even slightly (dare I say?) unprofessional-looking. Quite a number of people, upon arrival at work, remove their shoes (or boots), and put on sandals (leaving their socks on, of course).
Now, I totally understand not wanting to wear big winter boots all day long, and of course people in Canada take off their boots and have shoes that they wear at work (probably some people in northern Britain do as well), but sandals? In the office? Hhmm.
I believe that this is taking the comfort thing a bit too far. It looks plain silly.
And I bet there can be Health & Safety issues as well, come to think of it. What if you spill hot coffee? What if there's a fire and you have to go straight outside, only to get frostbite on your toes? What if you get a smack in the face for looking so stupid?
Don't even get me started on summer office attire. To the blokes who wear those pastel-coloured light cotton trousers that only go halfway down their lower legs: Look, I'm really not interested in seeing your hairy shins & calves, thank-you-very-much.
While I appreciate being comfortable at work, there should be just a few basic, common-sense rules to follow. I mean, what's next? Pyjama bottoms and bunny slippers?
Sandals (with socks, of course) worn at work are a blight on the fabric of Sweden's society, and it's time that the Swedish government did something about it. That's what I think.
posted by Mark Base at 8:33 pm
5 Comments:
Come on, sandals and socks are a Swedish fashion statement, either in or out of the office. Just ask my father-in-law!
Can you imagine I did not even see that? It's time that I do more than working in the office! But bringing my own sandals? No way, that's too much of it, I fully agree with you Mark.
I like it. Sandals or no sandals, the brain is what you bring to the office, and that is what they pay you for.
However, that said, check out my blog on http://afo828.blogspot.com/
They are not wearing sandals, they are wearing 'inneskor', quite a different concept.
As far as the style of the wretched things is concerned, remember that shoes are often not worn indoors thus not considered part of your outfit like it is to an English person so, to many, whatever goes on your feet indoors is just a practicality, very far from any intentional fashion statement. And your blog is fab.
M.
Enjoyed a lot!
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