How to dress up as Galileo?

How do I overcome the problem I have with the company dress code?

• I have been working at the same place for almost 1 year now. I am working as a software programmer, I am the only female programmer on the team. When I started, I was told that as long as the team looks neat and tidy there isn't a formal dress code since we never see clients. Fast forward to last month. The CEO's sister-in-law was placed in charge of the dress code (she is also the HR). She is a woman who wears 4 inch (or higher) stiletto's, skirts and basically business formal to work. Actually, now that I think about it, I've never seen her wear any shoes other than stiletto's. A few day's later I receive an email with the Ladies Dress Code. Since I am one of the ladies I now need to obide by the dress code. This includes the following: 1) Always wear heels 2 inches or higher. 2) Jeans may only be worn on Friday's, black or grey slacks or knee-length skirts to be worn during the week. 3) Shirts must be collared with buttons and in one of the company colours 4) No more than 1 piercing per ear. No other piercings or tattoo's may be visable. 5) Always wear make-up Then the rest are just standard Dress Code requirements that are common sense. I completely understand the dress code except for 1 item... Always wear heels. My reasons: 1) I don't own many heeled shoes, and those I do own are for formal events 2) I disagree with wearing heels full day to work for health reasons - I've read wearing heels all day every day can be really bad for a woman's back and legs. 3) I'm a tomboy, always was one, always will be one. I have spent 5 years trying to be seen as a serious programmer who is able to connect with male colleagues easily, not a delicate lady, and I see heels as part of the girly-girl attire. Men definitely treat women differently when they are dressed in a feminine manner. 4) I don't EVER see clients and I rarely see anybody outside the company either. As for the men on my team, they don't need to abide to the male dress code of the company, they only need to keep looking "Neat and Tidy". All the above points I have pointed out to the lady in charge of the dress code. Her response was "If the other ladies see you wearing flat shoes then they'll come to me and say "Why doesn't the dress code apply to Lilith?" and what should I tell them? If we allow you to wear flat shoes we have to allow everyone to do it and we cannot have the ladies who see clients not looking their best." Because of this, I feel as though I am being singled out in the programming team and being forced to conform to something that nobody else on the team has to conform to. This (and other incidents over the past month) make me feel as though the HR has a little project going called "Turn Lilith into a Girly-Girl". What she doesn't understand is that everytime I wear a pair of heels to work I feel as though a piece of my soul is being stripped away, because my entire life I have avoided heels like the plague. The problem is that I love my current job just as much as I hate wearing heels. I brought this up with the team leader, he said I must just live with it because he knows the HR very well and there is no way to change her mind once she has decided on something. Therefore, I don't want to leave this company. I don't want to wear heels. I cannot change the HR's mind and the CEO will take his Sister-In-Law's side. All the other ladies are extremely feminine and the men just don't get why I have a problem with it. The best solution I have is to overcome this internal struggle, but I have no idea how. Any idea's on how to do this? Or any idea's on what else I can do to change the situation?

• Answer:

  In "contemporary business casual" dress codes, heels are acceptable, ties are not, in most business situations, but not all. Generally, the dress code is left to the discretion of the business you work for. I have never heard of government restrictions on 2" heels. Most government agencies require women to wear heels with their dress uniform, including the military. The purpose of the dress code is uniformity among employees, so it is essential that all employees comply. The best a podiatrist can do for you if you have foot or ankle problems, is recommend well constructed low to moderate heels for some patients - but if you have no foot problems at present, you probably will not find a doctor to excuse you from wearing heels. There are arguments that heels can benefit women, one argument is that heels improve the muscle tone of a woman's pelvic floor, thus having a potential effect on female stress unrinary continence (Cerruto, 2008). Unfortunately, your only argument against heels is basically, that you don't want to wear them.