Dressing for work nowadays is always a challenge. Too casual, and you run the risk of not being taken seriously. Too formal, and you make your coworkers uncomfortable. Oh, and until recently, if you were a woman in Paris, it was actually illegal to wear pants.
Say what?
That’s right: Until January 31, when France’s minister of women’s rights repealed the law, Parisian women had to ask the police for permission to “dress as men” if they wanted to wear trousers to work or anywhere else. (Unless they were holding the handlebars of a bicycle or the reins of a horse. And no, I am not making this up.)
The rule obviously hadn’t been enforced for years, but had been kept on the books as part of “legal archeology.” (Again, not made up.)
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, minister of women’s rights, repealed the law at the request of Senator Alain Houpert who said that the “symbolic importance” of the law “could injure our modern sensibilities.”
One less thing for French women to worry about while dressing for work on Monday.
Tell Us What You Think
We want to hear from you! What’s the most challenging part about dressing for your job? Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #MakeItHappen.
More from PayScale
What Not to Wear to Your Next Job Interview
An Easy Solution to the Empty Resume Problem
The 50 Best Employers in America
(Photo Credit: jinterwas/Flickr)
Leave a Reply