The National Basketball Assn. is adopting, under protest from some of its employees, a more formal dress code in hopes of improving its image. It was quite amusing to hear one player, making some $8 million a year, bleating about how teams should provide “clothing allowances” to help the well-paid athletes and coaches meet the new standards. Poor souls!

Considering the way so many professional athletes appear in public anymore, it’s in the best interests of the various leagues, and their players, to spruce up at least a little. The same is true in non-sports venues, where a number of employers also are taking some steps to require proper attire.

A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that about 55 percent of employers allow casual dress once a week, down from 60 percent in 2001. The majority of people who work full time in an office setting have a dress code, according to a Biz Rate Research study, with just 26 percent allowed to feature casual work attire. Most – 64 percent – work under a business casual requirement.

According to USA Today, here is what some are doing regarding attire:

At Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, a dress code, passed last year, bans any form-fitting pants, sheer clothing, backless dresses, short mini-skirts, low-cut blouses, tank or halter tops and any ripped or faded clothes. No areas of the body with body piercing jewelry, other than the ear, can be visible at work. Tattoos are banned. Employees who don’t follow the dress code will be sent home and not paid for the time they are away from work.

Employees at the Women Presidents’ Organization, a New York-based peer advisory for female business owners, are required to dress up when they meet clients. That generally means suits or skirts with a jacket.

Communities in Schools, a nonprofit unit based in Alexandria, Va., works on dropout prevention. It recently tightened its dress code. The organization decided to focus on refining its public image, including the dress policy.

The “better-dressed” movement seems to be spreading across business, educational and social lines and many consider it long overdue.

“People make an assessment about you in the first three seconds,” says Marsha Firestone, president of the New York women’s presidential group. “It’s about building confidence in the profession and letting people know you’re serious.”

Attire can say a lot about individuals and groups and how they regard themselves as parts of a given community. An overly casual approach to work clothing has made too many serious inroads into our self-image and self-esteem. It will be beneficial if high-profile people, such as athletes, help us get back to a less tacky and sloppy approach to our attire.