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Micromanaging Boss Writes This Man Up For Wearing Red Shoes To Work, So He Followed The Dress Code To The Book
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Micromanaging Boss Writes This Man Up For Wearing Red Shoes To Work, So He Followed The Dress Code To The Book

Interview Micromanaging Boss Writes This Woman Up For Wearing Red Shoes To Work, So She Followed The Dress Code To The BookBoss Is Happy They Made Employee Finally Comply With Dress Code, Realized How Pointless It Was When Compliance Turns Out To Be MaliciousEmployee Gets Back At Manager's Stupid Dress Code Rules By Maliciously Complying, Inspires Others To Share Similar StoriesCompany Does Not Have A Dress Code, But This Manager Demands Employee Stop Wearing Red Shoes, She Maliciously CompliesWoman Maliciously Complies To Boss' Nonexistent Dress Code, People Share Similar StoriesManager Is Angry With Employee For Wearing Red Shoes Despite The Company Not Having A Dress Code, Writes Her Up So She Has To Maliciously ComplyBoss Has A Problem With Employee's Red Converse Shoes, She Maliciously Complies With Nonexistent Dress CodeBoss Thinks Employee Is Finally Complying With Dress Code After Nagging Her For Months, Turns Out The Compliance Is Malicious
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While companies are allowed to specify how their employees should look at work, dress codes have been igniting debates for decades. After all, our jobs are demanding enough without the added pressure of worrying about what clothes to wear.

Unfortunately, it becomes even more infuriating when you have a micromanaging supervisor who just can’t seem to stop nagging you about your appearance. And this was just the case for Redditor rebelscumcsh. A few weeks ago, the man made a post on the Malicious Compliance subreddit revealing he works in upscale catering where the staff usually wear jeans and a simple t-shirt.

However, the user’s daily outfit included Converse Chuck Taylor shoes in bright, glaring red which seriously bothered his manager. “For months, she harped me almost daily until finally, she wrote me up,” the user revealed. But instead of getting himself into an exhausting argument, rebelscumcsh came up with a simple yet cunning plan. Read on for how the author maliciously complied and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Recently, this man shared how his micromanaging supervisor kept nagging him about the dress code

Image credits: D.C.Atty (not the actual photo)

But instead of getting himself into a long-lasting argument, the user maliciously complied

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Image credits: TEDxLasPalmas (not the actual photo)

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We managed to get in touch with the author of this post, rebelscumcsh, who was kind enough to have a little chat with us. When asked why he decided to share his story on the Malicious Compliance subreddit, the user revealed he simply thought it was amusing. “It happened 3 years ago and always makes me chuckle when I put my shoes on,” he told Bored Panda.

However, he did not expect it would attract so much attention but rather figured it would garner a few laughs and then get buried. As of today, the post has amassed more than 11.5K upvotes and several hundred comments with people applauding his little act of retaliation or sharing their own similar experiences.

Dozens of Redditor’s comments prove that many workers have issues with dress code rules at their companies. “So many employers want an employee pool of homogeneous appearance. Thing is, people are notoriously individualistic when it comes to how they look. We’re also a fairly stubborn species,” the user explained his thoughts on the issue.

Moreover, managers who keep nagging their employees about their looks can make the workplace feel awful. “In my particular case, I feel that she picked on me for a variety of reasons. Number one being I’m 20 years older than she is with a vastly superior resume. She was fresh out of college and had everything to prove,” the user revealed and added the woman simply didn’t like him. “Which is fine, I have her job now and she is no longer employed with this company.”

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When asked about his insights on strict dress codes, the user told us they definitely have their place. “Industry-specific generally. You go to a five-star hotel, you expect each employee to look their best. They need to match, they need to be easily identifiable as an employee.”

“On an oil rig, it’s all about safety,” he continued. “Can’t be showing up to work in a pair of sneakers on a rig. Business people need to look like businessmen so that business can be conducted in a business-friendly fashion all business-like.”

HR consulting firm Randstad commissioned a survey of over 1.2K American workers across different industries to find out the present state of workplace fashion. Surprisingly, they discovered that while employees typically favor more informal and relaxed clothes at work, they’d still prefer some direction about what’s considered acceptable.

More than a half, 55 percent, of managers surveyed revealed they care more about performance than their employees’ looks. Almost a third of all workers revealed they feel uncertainty over what’s proper when the dress code is unclear, and 28 percent even mentioned that a coworker’s garments have made them feel uncomfortable at one point or another.

For years, there has been a certain trend of slowly drifting away from the formal and strict office dress codes, and the pandemic may have pushed it even further. Around a third of all workers (and 41 percent of those who work in environments with conservative dress codes) said they would rather have a relaxed, casual dress code than an additional $5K in pay a year. Moreover, another third revealed they would sooner quit their job or not accept a new offer than follow a strict, conservative dress code.

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Rebelscumcsh would like to give you one piece of advice, dear readers: “Be yourself, stay true to yourself, but recognize the bigger picture of the industry you’re in and, most importantly, pick your battles.”

This story inspired Redditors to open up about their own experiences, here’s what they had to say

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Ieva Gailiūtė

Ieva Gailiūtė

Writer, Community member

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Ieva is a writer at Bored Panda who graduated in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. After learning the Swedish language and getting completely lost in the world of Scandinavian mythology, she figured out that translating and writing is what she's passionate about. When not writing, Ieva enjoys making jewelry, going on hikes, reading and drinking coffee.

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Ieva Gailiūtė

Ieva Gailiūtė

Writer, Community member

Ieva is a writer at Bored Panda who graduated in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. After learning the Swedish language and getting completely lost in the world of Scandinavian mythology, she figured out that translating and writing is what she's passionate about. When not writing, Ieva enjoys making jewelry, going on hikes, reading and drinking coffee.

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

Read less »

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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Firstname Lastname
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our job allows "patterns" on your shirt or pants, but doesn't specify where the boundaries are past being child friendly. I've scoured thrift store racks for the most absurd and absolutely love when people get close enough to realize what I'm actually wearing.

Dani Pret
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This sounds like such fun. I bet you come across all sorts. I think it was a part on here or reddit where someone innocently had a patterned tie but upon inspection it was little pe*is

Load More Replies...
Darcy Marie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have an autoimmune disease that causes my weight to fluctuate a lot, especially if I have to regularly take courses of steroids which makes me balloon up, I always bought stretchy slacks that would fit when I was on the lower and higher end of my fluctuations. I never had any problem until another company bought out the company I worked for and made a lot of changes including a stricter dress code (had to be business casual, no leggings no tees, even though all our clients were over the phone, never in person.) I wore my stretchy pants one day with a dressy sleeveless top and a cardigan when I was on a higher end of my weight fluctuation and I got sent home because the slacks were tight on me so they were like leggings, therefore they are leggings. I even showed them the pockets, zip, and belt loops. Still sent home. I ended up going to the thrift store and buying slacks about 4 or 5 sizes too large and just belted them and showed up with major baggy pants looking super sloppy.

Iggy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it really malicious, though? Petty and defiant, maybe.

Load More Comments
Firstname Lastname
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our job allows "patterns" on your shirt or pants, but doesn't specify where the boundaries are past being child friendly. I've scoured thrift store racks for the most absurd and absolutely love when people get close enough to realize what I'm actually wearing.

Dani Pret
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This sounds like such fun. I bet you come across all sorts. I think it was a part on here or reddit where someone innocently had a patterned tie but upon inspection it was little pe*is

Load More Replies...
Darcy Marie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have an autoimmune disease that causes my weight to fluctuate a lot, especially if I have to regularly take courses of steroids which makes me balloon up, I always bought stretchy slacks that would fit when I was on the lower and higher end of my fluctuations. I never had any problem until another company bought out the company I worked for and made a lot of changes including a stricter dress code (had to be business casual, no leggings no tees, even though all our clients were over the phone, never in person.) I wore my stretchy pants one day with a dressy sleeveless top and a cardigan when I was on a higher end of my weight fluctuation and I got sent home because the slacks were tight on me so they were like leggings, therefore they are leggings. I even showed them the pockets, zip, and belt loops. Still sent home. I ended up going to the thrift store and buying slacks about 4 or 5 sizes too large and just belted them and showed up with major baggy pants looking super sloppy.

Iggy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it really malicious, though? Petty and defiant, maybe.

Load More Comments
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