Deciphering dress codes

There are few things that confuse people more than dress codes. More precisely, there are two kinds of codes that reek corporate BS.

Dress codes are supposed to do things like creating identity, recognition or a certain style. So you wear uniforms, business suits or silly hats. You always have the choice to like it or not but for the most part there is a sound purpose for the defined dress code.

However, there is Business Casual. What's up with that? Does anyone know what that really means? No, and that's exactly the point. When VP doesn't know the social intricacies in a given situation he leaves it up to you to decide. Giving you ample chance to do a faux-pas.

Is blue jeans business casual? Probably not. But black jeans most likely are. Or at an international event, what are the exact rules then? What's business casual in Burkina Fasso?

Secondly you have the real red herring: VP announcing that the company has no dress code at all.

Ha, not true. It simply means that you should've known better when you come to work under-dressed. It means that you will have to earn your place in the team by conforming to unwritten rules that are only communicated by frowning if you break them. That's mean!