It’s hard to define the boundaries of a professional relationship. Being friends with your coworkers is a nice prospect– it can turn going to work into a daily slog into a fun chance to connect with your pals. It can completely transform how you think about your job. It’s also good to have professional allies- people who will have your back when you need it and give references down the line. It’s a smart idea to develop some sort of interpersonal connection with the people you work with. 

Odds are, you also spend a ton of your time around them, so odds are you’ll learn a lot about each other. But, on the other hand, it’s not uncommon for a coworker situation to go awry. If something bad happens interpersonally, and you still have to see them every day, that’s a tough break. That’s the situation one woman found herself in after lending clothes to a coworker, but commenters were split on who was to blame. Read on for the story.