Merrimack Valley

Beacon Hill cracks down on flip-flops and tank tops

By Edward Mason
Staff writer
Published: June 13, 2008

BOSTON — House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi is cracking down on the questionable fashion statements of employees who have taken the concept of "casual Fridays" too far.

In a stern memo to all House staff, the speaker's personnel chief warned workers that the word "casual" does not cover the wearing of tank tops, shorts or denim jeans.

And while political flip-flops may be common on Beacon Hill, the kind you wear on your feet are forbidden.

"The purpose of the dress code is to ensure that all House employees convey professionalism and respect," wrote E. Keith Johnson, director of human resources for the House, "not just for their jobs, but also for the institution of the House of Representatives and the constituents and other members of the public whom we serve."

Johnson, who did not return a call, wrote that the rules are "in effect every work day, including 'casual' Fridays."

The dress code was first outlined in an employee handbook given out March 31. It contains a long list of clothes banned from the hallowed halls of the Statehouse even on casual Friday, including athletic footwear, casual sandals, flip-flops and beach wear.

There's more.

Women who enjoy skimpy summer fashions are being asked to save their sundresses with bare shoulders or shoulder straps for the beach or backyard.

Sports fans must ditch their beloved Celtics tank tops and shirts with sports logos. Red Sox caps also are forbidden. Only head gear worn for religious or medical purposes — say, if you're receiving chemotherapy — are allowed.

Another fashion no-no according to the speaker: tight-fitting Spandex.

The House dress code is lax compared with many other downtown Boston workplaces, where suits and dresses are de rigueur.

During the work week, male House employees are not required to wear ties and jackets, unless the House is debating legislation or if the employee is assisting lawmakers at a public hearing. Beyond casual Fridays, women do not receive specific guidance on how to dress.

David Guarino, a spokesman for DiMasi, said the memo sent last week was "merely a timely reminder of the rules on the first really warm day of spring."

Indeed, on Beacon Hill warm weather usually is an invitation for House staff to wear flip-flops, loose fitting jeans and short skirts.

House aides were reluctant to talk about the new rules. However, Colleen McGonagle, chief of staff to Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill, said many of the offenders are interns, who flood the Statehouse during summer months.

Before the House rules, lawmakers were responsible for setting dress codes within their own offices, McGonagle said. She said Dempsey's office requires staff to dress appropriately on all days "out of respect for the building and the history of the building and what we do on a daily basis."

Experts said the House fashion crackdown reflects a broader backlash against casual Fridays gone wild, as once easily understood standards over appropriate business wear continue to evolve.

In a harbinger of a more casual workforce, the Men's Dress Furnishings Association, a New York trade group representing necktie makers, disbanded earlier this month, after its membership dipped to just 25 companies.

And a recent Gallup Poll found just 6 percent of men wear ties to work, down from the previous low of 10 percent in 2002.

Casual Fridays, however, have gone too far, and John Macht, founder of The Macht Group, a Chestnut Hill company that advises businesses, said employers are reining in overly casual work wear.

"There was a reaction when it got real sloppy," Macht said. "They took business casual and it became OK to wear anything."

Gov. Deval Patrick's office does not have a dress code, said spokeswoman Rebecca Deusser. The governor's staff usually follows the governor's sartorial example, with men wearing suits, while women wear dresses or skirts.

David Falcone, spokesman for Senate President Therese Murray, said the Senate has not had to remind its aides what not to wear.

"There's no formal memo," Falcone said. "But people, especially new people, are told what is appropriate upfront."

A single sentence in the Senate handbook calls for "appropriate dress and grooming."

An unwritten rule requires men to wear a jacket when in the chamber when the Senate is in session, and court officers are there to enforce it. The rule extends to reporters, and lockers in the Statehouse press gallery hold a stash of blue blazers for under-dressed journalists.

Even on Fridays, male Senate staff are seen in their offices and about the Statehouse halls wearing suits and ties while women wear dresses or pantsuits.

"I would characterize it as 'smart' casual," Falcone said.