[astroAPhi]

Thank God I'm in engineering. Before I came in for my first day my manager told me to wear pants and closed toed shoes. With the number of random times I've had to go into the bays, I see why.

Some woman showed up earlier this summer for a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility wearing what she probably thought was a cute little skirt suit. The moment she walked in, the guard stopped her and said, "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask to to put on a bunny suit." She chose to remain behind instead and didn't get to see the orbiter like anyone else.

I'm a little bothered as well that it's a big deal, but for me it's more of a comfort issue. With dresses or skirts I usually feel like I have to wear high heels, or uncomfortable shoes, and these soccer feet just don't like that. When I wear skirts on a regular basis I usually have some dressy but comfortable sandals that I can wear instead, but those aren't appropriate in a setting like this.

I dunno... I guess I'm one of those people that thinks I look just as nice in a pantsuit as I do in a skirt suit.