Bending Rules

Just this past summer I let my toes breathe and wore .... gasp.. flip flops to work. As my work dress code goes this was me bending the rules to include flip flops in the sandals category. Everything was going fine until I walked towards my manager and she glanced at my feet, her eyebrows raised in question. Caught bending the rules I said the only thing that made sense to me "If I don't flap as I'm walking do flip flops really differ from sandals?"

Can a bend in a rule really be something that can be reprimanded when the dress code does not specifically outline every item of clothing or shoe?
I wore my flip flops knowing they were not specifically listed but also knowing that they really were not work attire.
So if a fellow employee decided that cargo shorts, instead of golf shorts were work wear attire, how is he supposed to know that cargo shorts are too casual if they are not listed as part "do not wear".

I feel like the rules almost need to be bent by every employee so that the dress code can be revised and become less vague. Everyone has at one point in time experienced the co-worker who was in complete disregard of the dress code, and ultimately has read the resulting memo that has new items added.
Bending also allows for personal expression and ensures that employees do not look like carbon copies.

Needless to say, my work dress code has been updated to say "No flip flops"