Majority Leader Chuck Schumer loosens Senate dress code to allow senators to wear whatever they want starting Monday

return2ozma@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 797 points –
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer loosens Senate dress code
nbcnews.com
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I like that the thumbnail is John Fetterman. Like who else could this be almost explicitly aimed at.

Exactly. Now watch, some of the GOP that complained about Fetterman's clothing choice will take it to the extreme and wear a chicken costume or something.

Personally I'm holding out for aborted fetus costume. I can feel it in my bones.

Ugh, you know what, I think you're absolutely right. That's gonna happen sooner or later. I dunno when, but I entirely expect it to eventually (or maybe very, very soon).

Well there was a literal orange clown in the oval office for a few days so republicans were already dressing up

Lauren Boebert has gotten into the habit of dressing down too it sounds like

Ya know. With the whole tits out while jerking off her date in public around kids and all that.

For sure someone is going to try to leverage this. What back-bencher will jump at it, and make a splash?

I look forward to all the cock jokes. I'm thinking something like:

"Which is the bigger cock: Hunter Biden's penis, or this chode in a chicken suit?"

I hope he goes wearing overalls with one shoulder unbuckled and nothing else.

Personally, I'm hoping for a full-on biker gang setup complete with jacket with a big patch on the back.

Poor guy got so depressed having to wear a suit they changed the dress code. I can empathize. My boss told me to put a dress shirt on if I'm on camera with customers and I hate it.

I think the rules said that women senators were supposed to wear dresses.

Dude looks like someone stuck an Astartes into a sweatshirt and jean shorts.

Ok so can we have universal healthcare now? Cause that should be the biggest issue every single day for them.

Until the filibuster is gone or there are 60 dem senators, a vote on universal healthcare will just be performative. You're not going to get any Republicans voting for that.

And then? Let it be performative. Make it the top issue every single day. Make sure nothing gets done until it gets done. Tie to budget, tie it to cabinet appointments, tie it feel good bills that do nothing. A single issue that shuts the government down until resolved. Eventually it will be. The DNC keeps playing nice and keeps failing.

Republicans: Democrats want to shut down the government??

No. Wait. Stop.

See, your problem is in thinking Republicans want a functioning government.

Some of them don't even want a functioning world and are actively trying to end it for all of us to bring the day of the rapture closer

My term for those is "Left Behind Christians". There's a lot of them. Worse than Jihadists.

Seven Mountain Cult is honestly terrifying if not for the simple fact of how effectively they've infiltrated governance and actively campaign for the end of the world.

I'd never heard of this before and looked it up. That's concerning. I don't have enough time right now to look deep enough to find which politicians are a part of it, however. Are there any in the House of Representatives or the Senate you can know of?

I don't think there's any members of government who are members of a church that espouses the Seven Mountain Mandate, but prettyuch the entire "Freedom Caucus" is very buddy buddy with a lot of influential people from Seven Mountain Mandate churches.

These churches also routinely are seen with celebrities such as Justin Bieber, the Kardashian, etc.

They would also tell you they're not an apocalypse cult and they just want to "bring about the second coming"

But like, that's an apocalypse cult. If you want to end the world, you're an apocalypse cult.

Seriously, if the GOP could have excuses to call for budget cuts and ending programs, and they didn’t even have to be the ones to come up with ways to stop the government from functioning in the first place? A dream come true for them

Well then perhaps the Democrats ought to engage in progressive theatrics as fascist theatrics seem to be effective.

This idea you seem to have that Democrat=progressive should have been fixed by now.

I don’t. I’m just pointing out that populist messages don’t have to be fascist populist messages.

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Time for femboy Congress

The average age of Congress is 182 years old

Um.. maybe not lol

Although senators will benefit from the change by being permitted to sport casual clothes in the Senate chamber, their staffs are still required to wear business clothes under the old dress code. People other than senators who walk on to the Senate floor will also need to wear business attire, which for men means a jacket and a tie.

One rule for thee but not for me.

Seriously, wtf sense does that make?

I can understand if they have some important meeting. If some foreign dignitary is going to be stopping by, you'll want people to dress up. However, this should be the case for Senators and staffers. If it's just a normal work day, there's no reason that the staffers can't go with casual clothing.

Yeah that's pretty much what I mean, with this change, the senate is proclaiming that there's no need for formal dress on a "regular day in the office" (which I 100% agree with), but to make that declaration, while still insisting your staffers stay formal is literally saying "We get to be comfortable because we're important and rich, and you can stay uncomfortable, because who gives a shit what you want."

Dress codes are designed to keep the "wrong people" out. Show up to a DC event and they'll know you don't belong by the cut of your suit.

Dress codes are designed to keep the “wrong people” out. Show up to a DC event and they’ll know you don’t belong by the cut of your suit.

Or at least, that's the excuse they'll use since they can't forbid entry due to the factors they want to use anymore.

No that's literally the purpose of all dress codes. If you don't fit in you get kicked out, and the most restrictive clubs require clothing that is extremely expensive.

Well yeah, those are for superheroes only. If you don't have a suit you're not a superhero.

Not just to literally recognize people who don't belong or to act as a financial barrier. Some of these dress codes I think are there to give a feeling of who belongs. They want people to feel stuff like, "wow, these people are so dressed up and I am never dressed up, so they must be above me".

Traditionally, politics has been a thing for the upper class and intertia on such things doesn't make it easy for them to change. Dress codes in politics is just another way to make the idea of being a politician feel like something only for the upper class. Low and middle class people aren't supposed to feel like they can be politicians. Politicians aren't supposed to be too relatable. Even when trying to be relatable, they still often act like they are better than you.

Know what would be funny? All the Dems show up in tan suits.

That would run about as well as the nancy pelosi kente cloth. The way you own republicans is by damaging their ability to gatekeep, not by just doing the thing they do but different.

should've passed it for every job, everywhere, using the same logic

Indeed. What is considered "business attire" is exceedingly stupid and impractical.

Nonesense. Now, go and spend enough money to buy a week's food on a long strip of ornate silk and symbolically knot it around your neck like a noose as is demanded by the customs of your corporate masters.

I only ever had one job with a business casual dress code. Never again.

Seriously. I joke that I specifically became a sysadmin because a T-shirt (and occasional polo), jeans, and sneakers or boots is already formal for me.

... it's only partially actually a joke.

When I was a scrub whose daily tasks involved running eternity cables, supporting warehouse machines, etc. I convinced my boss than business casual was a waste of money unless he wanted to buy my work wardrobe. This was back when I was 20ish, so 23 years ago

For real - who the hell wants to be commando-crawling through a datacenter in slacks and loafers? Total fucking nonsense.

I went full remote in early 2018, so now you'd have to put a gun to my head to be in anything more than shorts and a wifebeater while I work. I'm popping into the office this Thursday and for a minute, I was afraid I didn't have any long jeans left for the occasion lmao

When I started my current job (over 20 years ago), I dressed in dress pants, a sport jacket, tie, dress shoes, and dress shirt. Over time, I ditched the sport jacket.

Then COVID hit and I began working from home. Now my work dress is a nice shirt (polo or solid print) and jeans or shorts (depending on the weather). No shoes needed.

Now, I wouldn't want to go back to the more formal dress code. Sure, it means that the dozens of cool and geeky ties that I accumulated over the years won't be used. Still, I'd rather be comfortable and still look professional than be dressy and uncomfortable.

shoot - that's still way more dressy than I do for my Work from home lol

My standard outfit is just a comfy t-shirt (sometimes a tanktop if it's >100 outside) and either basketball shorts or sweatpants depending on the weather

Anything more than a polo shirt is too fancy for me. Half the time I just stay in my jammies until I need to go somewhere or take a shower.

Everyone will live long enough to regret this. Matt Gates will show up in a thong and a gas mask to protest something and the votes won't be there to bring things back the old rules.

Good thing Matt Gatez isn't in the Senate.

I lumped all the Republicans into one basket but. I can't imagine McConnell doing the same kind of stunt. Even Vance wouldn't do that.

I'd love to see the moral scolds on the right pipe up about how scandalous this all is, right after Lauren "handy" Qbert was caught on video....

I’m ok with this- who the fuck cares if you have a tie.

I was all shit and tie when I started my job, and especially after Covid, things have relaxed to just about anything. Sure, I still put on a nice work polo for a client meeting or something, but fuck the suit and tie. If anything, fancy dress code made me way less productive because I was god damned uncomfortable all day. I’m a software engineer and cloud architect- wearing a dress shirt and tie is ridiculous.

As for our lawmakers, one less thing to distract them from actually reading bills and having productive discussion is a win.

I have a friend who used to work for some big time government IT contractor, he was a tech guy, software engineer or something along those lines. One time they wanted him to go to some meeting, and not that he normally dresses like a slob or anything, but for the meeting he put on like a polo and khakis figuring he should look somewhat professional. They told him to go put a hoodie on because they thought whoever they were meeting with wouldn't take him seriously as a programmer if he looked too presentable.

I'm a programmer, and I like dressing up: I don't like ties, but I like wearing slacks and a button up shirt - so long as it's a nice fit, it doesn't restrict your movement, and there's a lot of things to subtly stim with - you can roll your sleeves up or rebutton the cuff, you can make your steps clack or silent depending on how you walk, etc. Plus people just treat you differently off the bat, it's a confidence boost

After a few years of constantly being told by everyone "you don't have to dress up, people come here in jeans and a t-shirt" I finally gave in and took the hint

People just expect good programmers to look aggressively casual these days

I was all shit and tie

I think I may have spotted your problem.

Edit

PS: I wear shorts or jeans and a tee every day. But oddly enough I also find suits really comfortable, as long as the shirt collar isn't too tight. And I even kind of like dressing up. Once in a while. Maybe it's because the laundry routine for a suit is much more of a PITA than tees.

I work from home and only have a couple meetings where cameras aren’t necessary. Usually explaining how reports are calculated and such.

I wear pj’s 90% of the time unless I need to leave my house.

You're telling me you don't just wear the PJs out? Join me my friend

because I was god damned uncomfortable all day. I’m a software engineer and cloud architect- wearing a dress shirt and tie is ridiculous.

I had a role for a grand total of six weeks like that. It ended with one of those you can't fire me because I quit kinda deals.

I hope this goes to the House too so I can finally see Boebert in her wal mart pajama pants

This is part of a slow trend towards powerful people dressing casually to differentiate themselves from the less powerful people who work for them. Historically, trends like this have been set by the elite and are then emulated by people trying to convince others that they are elite. This is the beginning of the end of formal wear in the United States. Soon a suit will mean "i work at a hotel".

Hence this part, perhaps?

Although senators will benefit from the change by being permitted to sport casual clothes in the Senate chamber, their staffs are still required to wear business clothes under the old dress code. People other than senators who walk on to the Senate floor will also need to wear business attire, which for men means a jacket and a tie.

Rules for thee, not for me.

The president of Chile wears a Tool t shirt and Zelenskyy is basically always in olive drab. The time of the suit is past.

Zelenskyy I guess has no other choice as his country is in war and he is the supreme commander of his forces

He's not on the front lines lol

I know but wearing olive drab is good for his soldier's morale... "I'm on this with you" kind of thing

He frequently visits them however. OD is extremely practical in his case and definitely the exception to this stuff

I hate dressing up for work. Reminds me of getting dressed for church as a kid. Hard pass.

Well, the formal wear will just shift- to over priced hoodies and stuff

I don't think so. I think this time is different. At some point the leadership was no longer the trendsetters. I am not going to buy a certain shirt because I saw Biden or Bezos wearing it. I might if someone I think is actually cool did. Maybe we just aren't some weird pyramid society anymore.

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They should wear togas and sashes. Maybe have some fist fights and assasinations once in a while.

Fuck yeah. Hoodie and jeans. He's the most "average man" there is.

Jeans? What the hell is this,, Ohio? That man is wearing a hoodie and shorts, thankyouverymuch. The senator from PA prefers traditional dress.

Oh fuck yeah, shorts 100%, but I figured he wanted to class up the joint a little and wear long pants.

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Eh, I'm fine with it being loosened up, but is it really "whatever they want"? If it is then I'd think annoying attention-grabbing messaging would become an issue. (Or, not an issue, in the grand scheme of things, but another in a long list of distractions)

attention-grabbing messaging

This is what the GOP would call a senator wearing a rainbow shirt, for instance. Should that be a reason to restrict self-expression?

This will be helpful in so many ways, humility and work ethic will be encouraged by not inflating ego with suits. If a suit is your style, great and fine, have at! If you are wearing it to feel important and you are working with others who are dressed differently, you are reminded that the job is at hand and not ego.

I saw a dude the other day looked exactly like Senator Fetterman. He was a tow truck driver.

I'll have you know a shorts and hoodie is appropriate wear pretty much anywhere in PA for any event, so Fetterman should be allowed to rock his Pennsylvania tuxedo

It looks like it’s geared towards men and their suits but does anyone know if there were changes for women? I know Canadian parliament women had to protest to not get in trouble for just showing their shoulders, not sure if there’s similar rules in American congress.

Literally saw this as I'm preparing to go get printed for a background check for my first gov job. I've been debating how dressed-down I wanna be since this isn't an actual "work" thing. This just persuaded me to ditch the polo shirt and wear a tshirt. I'll have plenty of other days when I "need" to wear a colored shirt.

So, just a caution. The folks in the area of the department you're working for may be chill and following the norms of leadership. But bureaucrats are cautious and traditional to a fault. Many still see formal wear from subordinates as a sign of respect for the hierarchy and office, and changes like those from Schumer as a temporary stunt that may or may not stick around. Further, the folks who are printing you are likely law and order types and are even more likely to make judgements based on appearance. Unless you know they are chill, caution may be best. In general, government work is highly context dependent, with lots of unwritten rules and judgements based on perception and relationships. Caution is best if there aren't written rules to follow.

A note to programmers: don't "dress up" for any important business or government meeting. I got yelled at once because I was supposed to "look like a programmer" in a sales meeting but I dressed nice

Moral of the story, ask your manager how you should dress for that important meeting.

Even better, try to work for managers that give proper direction to the people they supervise, rather than expecting people to be mind-readers.

Well, to be fair, unless you work in very specific industries, a manager usually won't tell you how to dress, but will expect you to know the policy as laid down by HR.

My point was, on a specific meeting-by-meeting basis, if a meeting has particular business importance to it you might want to check with your direct report as to how you should present yourself overall, and not just how you should dress.

But yeah, managers that communicate well to their staff is always a good thing, generally speaking.

I once worked for a place that had "formal fridays". Once saw a dev come in with a top hat, coat and tails.

In my first job out of college, I dressed up in a suit and tie for my first day. I was (nicely) told not to dress like that again and that the office was much more casual.

Of course, this was a technology magazine in the mid-90's so it might have been an exception versus other work places.

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Unless you know they are chill, caution may be best.

A good piece of advice for every day in your life, when dealing with others that may have power over you.

looks at my DHS badge with it's literal just woke up face and memphis devil lady t-shirt

Huh, that explains a lot of things now.

That's exactly why they put you on the 'spying for dick-pics' team... are there any openings?

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I hope at least one person still believes you dress for the job you want and they show up as spiderman.

Senates dripping... Now that's one off my bucket list 🤣

This is the best summary I could come up with:


WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has quietly made changes to the Senate’s informal dress code to allow senators to wear whatever they want on the floor, one person with direct knowledge told NBC News.

A notice went out to the Senate sergeant at arms and relevant staff late Friday, and the change will go into effect starting Monday, the source added.

The offices of Schumer and Fetterman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Senate has operated with an informal dress code enforced by the sergeant at arms, which requires men and women to dress in business attire.

But because the standard is not formal or a written policy, senators at times have been seen on the Senate floor wearing gym clothes, golf attire, denim vests, shoes without socks, colorful wigs, among other unconventional attire.

Although senators will benefit from the new change by being permitted to sport casual clothes in the Senate chamber, their staff is still required to wear business clothes under the old dress code.


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