As I penned a review of the Cornell sorority dress codes that had people going crazy, I kept thinking that the who scenario seemed somewhat familiar. Luckily, I remembered the similar case: just a year ago, The Bank of England gave their female employees, whether they were top investors, executives, or secretaries, some fashion advice in the form of a few strict dress code rules. There were many complaints lodged initially, but the rules have been enacted without trouble for most of the past years.

The rules? Heels that matched the color of their skirt and that were below two inches in height. "Appropriate" jewelry, including no more than one piercing in each ear. Handbags? Couldn't be over-stuffed. Yet what was the biggest deal-breaker? Mandatory make-up. Some make-up at to be worn, lipstick at a minimum. So let's break these rules down and figure out whether or not they seem fair.

"Heels are a must"

The below two inches rule on heels is a good one, not that any male is going to measure. No one wants what the Cornell sorority girls would term "sky-high hooker heels" in the workplace, unless your workplace just so happens to be a strip club. Heels have to match the skirt? That seems reasonable. The whole same color thing is a bit too far in my opinion, but most female employees of the Bank of England are probably wearing black every day. Now, as any New Yorker who's spent time in London will know, English women wear flats most of the time. Probably because of the cobblestone (anyone who has ever walked long distances on cobblestones will be understanding of this!), but still, they wear flats, not two-inch heels. An awful lot of these women are going to be angry about being ordered to wear heels, but it might be for the best. Heels make women appear taller and more powerful. In a workplace dominated by men, such as the Bank of England, these heels may very help the women in status and perceived power. If I were them, I'd stuff flats in my bag and change two blocks from the office after work.

Appropriate Jewelry

There wasn't much talk on appropriate jewelry, other than no anklets and no more than one hole in each ear. This isn't too bad. No one looks professional with pincushions for ears and four pounds of David Yurman. Simple chains or pearls are probably what most women stick to anyways. As far as those anklets go? They can rip your stockings anyway.

Overstuffed Handbags?

This is where I'm less sympathetic toward those who made up the rules. You can't really dictate how much a woman puts in her purse! Yes, I agree that it might look unprofessional to have a handbag bursting at the seems, with papers falling out, but this just isn't necessary in my opinion. Or in most women's opinions.

Makeup

Ok, this is just not necessary to be made a rule. Mandatory makeup? By the time women are in their twenties, they know what makeup they need, what makeup they don't, and when to wear it. No woman will show up to work without her self-designated minimum amount of makeup. And lipstick should never be encouraged, even neutral shades can make some women look overdone, so what are these girls to do? That this has to be a rule makes me wonder what state the Bank of England employees are showing up to work in.

Thoughts on these rules? I don't think they're so bad, other than the mandatory lipstick. In fact, the first two are really, really good rules.