Jim VandeHei, aka Ralph Lauren, the editor at Politico, sent out an internal memo Friday [obtained by FishbowlDC] … and stated that chest hair and “gangly toe nails” are no longer permissible at the office.

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Important…
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 13:34:12 -0400
From: Jim VandeHei
To: Staff
…
Dress Code Alert (and I am not kidding) ”
…
There is no doubt we like to push the envelope here at Politico, writing with more voice and injecting some edge into our stories. What we no longer want to do is push the envelope on dress code. That’s right, guys:
…no more unbuttoned shirts to sport your beastly chests, no more flipflops to sport your gangly toenails and no more wrinkled shirts yanked from beneath your bed.
…
I thought it was only me bothered by it but when I announced this to a huge sampling of Politicos they erupted in wild applause (I believe Lisa Lerer even hooted standing atop her chair).
…
I am not asking you to wear a monogrammed shirt and tie every day. But we are professionals, so let’s all use some common sense and dress like it. Socks would be nice, too.
…
VandeHei