Send in the Shoe Police!

Six middle-aged women sit amongst half-eaten fruit plates, seven-layer dip and Nanaimo bars, sipping white wine and chatting about work. A normal gal's night, until you reach their feet--garish shoes home-decorated in sequins, silver spray paint and buttons don their otherwise ordinarily dressed selves.

The occasion is a mock rebellion in solidarity with their colleagues in a neighboring government office who are feeling the pinch of a new shoe dress code.

Over the summer, the staff at the Vancouver-Main Street Crown Counsel offices were sent an e-mail declaring that certain shoes were not acceptable to wear in the office. Regional Crown Michael Hicks said the e-mail was sent by office manager Anne Boyle to clarify questions the staff had about appropriate warm weather attire.

Shoe 'uncertainty' addressed

"There was uncertainty in the office about the type of shoes that should be worn during the summer, the office manager clarified it with an e-mail," explains Hicks, adding, "There is an overall expectation that staff in the Crown Counsel offices, who, like many other members of the civil service deal regularly with the public, will be neatly dressed consistent with the standards of a professional office environment."

In the e-mail, Boyle attempted to simplify the confusion by attaching pictures of shoes arranged in columns titled "Shoes That are OK" and "Shoes That are Not," with an explanatory note. She writes:

"You will see that I have put one type of shoe in the "not ok" column that I had previously said ok to. Unfortunately, this shoe (the first one) has caused too many questions as there are varying types, and I have since decided that they are not ok. Although very nice shoes, I do not think they should be worn within the type of office that we are."

What about the men?

Looking at the pictures provided, the obvious conclusion would be: no open-toe shoes. However, Boyle goes on explain that "open toe shoes are fine, as long as you have a sling back or full back with them and are not 'sandal' in nature."

This "clarifying" e-mail was sent on June 29 with the "PS" addition, "this will be effective tomorrow, June 30th."

To the women at the "shoe rebellion" party, this small slice of office wear politics is both disturbing and humorous. None are willing to go on the record with their opinions. But they grumble about managers spending time compiling pictures of acceptable shoes, and ask why only women's shoes are depicted in the illustrations. According to the government employee directory, at least two men work in the office.

In fact, the "shoe" e-mail garnered quite a bit of attention from colleagues throughout the lower mainland. Boyle's "Shoes That are OK" and "Shoes That are Not" was circulated by e-mail among several offices with comments attached such as, "Just in case everyone was wondering what life was like for Admin Staff at Main Street, you just have to check out this latest e-mail with attached pictures of 'o.k. shoes' and 'not o.k. shoes'…seriously (happy face icon)," and subsequent parody e-mails of Boyle's original made their rounds as well.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Attorney General, which oversees the Crown Counsel, said she had no knowledge of a shoe dress code.

Professional look ascendant

Although Hicks maintains there were no formal complaints about issuing the "shoe code," confirmed by the staff's regional BCGEU representative, he seemed hesitant to talk about the rationale of such explicit fashion instruction of his employees, repeating the office was simply complying with standard expectations of business attire exhibited countless other professional offices.

The "professional look" is popping up in government and business rhetoric everywhere. One of the first actions President Bush made after taking over the Oval Office was to reinstate the White House suit-and-tie dress code  and Premier Gordon Campbell's "We're open for Business" slogan heralded hallways fulls of power suits, perfect hair and designer ties.

Victoria Times-Colonist legislative columnist Les Leyne recalls this switch during the 2002 Bike to Work Week by revealing that, since the changing of the guard, previously filled bike racks laid nearly empty, something he chalks up to fashion:

"Word of the business dress code surfaced soon after. Suits and ties, business attire all around, no casual Fridays. The thought occurred that maybe pedaling along in full geek mode--pedal clips, helmet and Armani business suit--was putting them off," writes Leyne.

Damned if you do or don't

During the Conservative leadership campaign earlier this year, candidate Belinda Stronach was scrutinized by the media more for her designer suits and perfect hair than her platform points. Similarly, provincial NDP leader Carole James has been criticized for supposedly not showing enough fashion savvy. And when provincial NDP opposition leader Joy MacPhail announced she was stepping out of politics last year, the Vancouver Sun responded with an elegy article to her hairstyles during her years as a high-profile politician.

Although office dress codes seem to defy what our society prides itself on as individualism and choice, according to business image consultant, Karen Mallett, dress codes are the way of the future.

"People don't like dress codes. They don't like to be told what to wear. But in the business world they are very important if you want to be taken seriously," said Mallett.

Power fashion advisor

Mallett is co-founder of a business consulting firm called In Good Company and, with Lewena Mayer, is half of the author/columnist power duo, known as the "Etiquette Ladies." She said dress codes allow an office staff to work together as a team and project the image they want. Mallett insists proper clothes and grooming project confidence to both employees and clients.

Number three on Mallet's "Top Ten Unquestionably Rude Office Behaviors", is "inappropriate attire" which she defines as "too short, too tight, too revealing, too often slept in."

"It is disrespectful to others and to yourself when productivity and the quality of work is demeaned by distractions resulting from someone's attire. A good rule of thumb is to follow the dress code exhibited by your immediate supervisor," writes Mallett in her column, putting bad attire next to only gossip and "the silent treatment" in ultimate office rudeness.

However, Mallet insists that dress codes should never come from the top-down or without proper consultation.

Bye, Bye Birkenstocks

"Dress codes should always be a group decision, not something one person dictates," she said.

"Everyone affected should discuss and decide as group what their dress code will be. Dress codes should be about group empowerment, not control."

So while the administration staff at Main Street Crown Counsel are letting their Birkenstocks and strapless pumps collect dust, the trend for office apparel seems clear: a more professional (and in most cases, more expensive) look is becoming the standard.

Sara Petrescu is a reporter who recently moved from the Sunshine Coast to Toronto.