MINIMUS,
Wow, I could probably write a book about the rules, regulations and arguments over the years about dress and grooming in the religion for both men and women.
I feel the religion is very hypocritical with the 'businesslike' image they want to project to the public when in reality they are against worldly careers. Also, the impression of being 'businesslike' implies an education of sorts and, again, this is something many JWs do not have. It's all a big show and a veneer with the real story being vastly different in many cases.
I learned early on they had issues about women and I was criticized over a slit in my (rather long) skirt. Later on, I saw the attitudes against denim and the grief that women got over wearing it. I didn't think it was so bad in the summer months if a sister wore a denim skirt and everything else about her was clean and neat.
I noticed at some point in time there was an us versus them attitude with regard to sisters who were 'stylish' versus those who were 'plain'. I always felt that nobody's style (or LACK of style) should be inflicted on anybody else. As far as I was concerned, the unadorned sister who lives in the country with her shirt-waist dress and no makeup is just as acceptable as the sister in the big city who may have a more dressy suit with a modest amount of makeup and jewelry. And who do you think starts all the trouble in the congregations? Yup, it is the 'plain', unadorned women who criticize the more 'stylish' ones.
With regard to the brothers: The rules are just as annoying but I don't think they are as cramped as the ones for women. I personally don't see anything wrong with color shirts or modest texturing and prints. I certainly don't think there is anything wrong with some facial hair. Should a brother wear a handle-bar moustache or a bushy beard down to his chest? I tend to think No unless men in society in general wear this.
Again, the religion is all about appearances and 'seeming' to be businesslike.