The economy is crashing and burning, there are several wars raging around the globe, finance executives are using tax dollars like their own mad money, and guess what’s getting top billing in the news — Michelle Obama’s toned arms and whether she should be wearing sleeveless dresses to show them off.

National Public Radio decided yesterday to do a feature on the Michelle Obama fashion bicep controversy, and the Associated Press had a big story on the first lady’s fashion sense. Even political commentators such as usually serious conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks got in on the act: “She’s made her point. Now she should put away Thunder and Lightening.”

What does this tell us, other than shedding light on why the media is dying in this country?

It tells us that no one cares what the Commander in Chief Barack Obama is wearing, even though he has his finger on the “button”. He had on a black suit yesterday with a light charcoal, stripped tie. The combination so didn’t go together. (See how silly this sounds.)

But Michelle Obama, well, let’s cut her up into pieces over what she’s wearing and how she’s wearing it.

This my gal friends is an attitude that seeps into the workplace whether we like it or not.

Both men and women dissect women who don’t dress well or who dress “inappropriately.”

Yes, I said women dissect women. They can be the toughest on their own gender.

Here’s an email I got recently from a female reader:

I was in a job that was a leadership position for a small but reputable company and reported to a chief level position.
This particular incident occurred when we were working on a project for which I was accountable for the successful implementation of a software program within twelve months.

Our operations manager had oversight over the programmers and the two of us were to work closely together to see the project through to completion. The operations manager was a woman and often came to work scantily dressed with her breasts exposed to nipple line and in her jeans had tears in them that revealed her underwear.

On top of this, she was very difficult to work with, neglected our project in favor of other projects and we were falling behind.

After several attempts to communicate with her and rectify the situation, I found that she was agreeable when we were talking but then took no action
and we kept falling further and further behind. Ultimately I believed that I should speak to the person that I reported to for his support.

Essentially, he placated me and said that the project would be completed in time and that I was making a big deal out of it.

When I pressed him and asked why we enable her behavior, he said that maybe we like the way she looks.

Ah, looks. Women have to face it, the way you look can work for you or it can work against you.

The reader wanted to know what she should do.

I was shocked and lost a lot of respect for our leadership team. I am an attractive female and do not rely on my looks to succeed in my job. I dress respectfully, am results oriented and very conscientious.

She mentioned that she dressed “respectfully.” When I hear that I think, boring. I’m not sure how she actually dresses, but women with a big of zing in their outfits definitely get attention in the office.

I know of many high-powered women that spend a lot of time and money on their wardrobes. They want to walk into a meeting and floor the people in the room with their confidence and their look.

And right now, showing up for an interview in this competitive job market with a respectful look may not cut it.

It’s harsh to say, I know. But it make sense when you look at the way the first lady has been put through the fashionista buzz saw.

That doesn’t mean you still don’t have to have the goods, the experience, etc., to do a job. That’s what gets you through the door. But once you get through the door, you want to wow everyone.

Don’t get all up in arms (no pun intended). I don’t mean you should get plastic surgery and go buy a $1,000 designer suit. Just put yourself together. If you’ve been out of the job market for a while, you may have gotten used to wearing that same old hair style from the 1980s, and that suit with the big shoulder pads.

Well, time to enter the present people. This goes for you frumpy guys out there too. Don’t let your dated look jeopardize you chances of landing a job.

Alas, it will be the women that get most of the scrutiny, right? How do you dress at work or for interviews? Does your look impact your career success?

Deana, a reader who commented on this post, makes us wonder if the bicep thing is a race issue. Did anyone debate this photo of Mamie Eisenhower?: