A few years ago the company I work for decided to completely get rid of the corporate dress code. Overnight we went from being an organization that had a 35 page manual that dictated all kinds of details - such as sleeve length and types of allowable footwear - to no dress-code manual at all.

Many employees were shocked. They had lived with the dress-code for so long, and plenty of them even had a few stories to tell about employees who had been sent home for violating the dress-code rules.

The online messages boards at work blew up about the topic. Some staff felt that they wouldn't know how to dress without the dress-code guidelines. Many discussed details such as whether wearing yoga pants could be considered "acceptable." The really grumpy ones started posting reports of employees wearing t-shirts and flip-flops to work. It was quite the distraction.

It's Not About the Rules

Aside from using basic common sense to select appropriate clothing, (flip-flops are not work appropriate unless you work at a pool) these folks failed to get the overall concept that they should dress in a manner that showed self-respect and respect for their co-workers. Self-respect means you dress in a way that indicates you take your job seriously, and that you care about your appearance. Wearing yoga pants or a raggedy sweater at the office may be comfortable, but it doesn't inspire confidence.

Take a look at your own wardrobe with a fresh eye. Does your clothing show that you respect yourself and the dress code norms for the given situation (work, school, church)? If it doesn't make you feel confident and worthy of respect, get rid of it!