This list of employers and their policies on body modification from Modified Mind is an interesting read in corporate image management. You might be surprised to know, for example, that if you plan on seeking a lucrative future career with a firm like Enterprise Rent-A-Car and you have even minimal body modifications, you are screwed:

No visible tattoos, facial piercings, or “unnatural” hair colors.
Men: no piercings whatsoever, no visible tattoos. Hair trimmed within 1 inch of lobe. No sideburns. No facial hair except a neatly trimmed moustache. No beard unless medically necessary. Female: Maximum of two ear holes. Must be located on lobe. Top hole must have a post only in it. Bottom must be conservative with a maximum 1 inch hoop or dangle

I’d be completely fucked if I wanted to work for Enterprise. Even without any of my piercings, tattoos, or anything else, I’d be 86’d just for my sideburns. Though Enterprise has pretty specific requirements, you might also know that if you’re unlucky enough to tear tickets for $5.50 an hour at AMC Cinemas, you can’t have visible tattoos. Similarly, if you’re stuck flipping dead cow at MickeyD’s you can’t have visible tattoos or piercings (unless you’re female and wearing ear studs).

I don’t know why I find this surprising. It should come as no surprise that your job wants to control you as much as possible, including controlling your very body and what you can do with it. Of course, companies are worried about image as part of their corporate package. My guess is that the upstanding Enterprise Rent-A-Car Sales Associate or Team Member or whatever they call their wage slaves would be someone who replicated the clean-cut confidence of a mormon on mission, or perhaps a Young chino-wearing Republican campaign worker.

This is why I know I’m not right for the corporate world. Academia can suck sometimes, but at least there’s the pretense that you’re free. And truth is, I don’t know of any academic institution that has an outright dress code for faculty.