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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that “professional” standards shouldn’t apply during periods of extreme weather?

209 replies

toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 15:38

I live in an area that has a red weather warning for extreme heat for the next two days.

Today the office was sweltering. It’s been 35° minimum all day, but in the office it’s been closer to 40°. We’ve all been unable to function.

We had a “friendly reminder” that the dress code still applies - dresses to mid calf, no shorts, shirts must cover to the mid arm.

AIBU to say fuck it and turn up in a T-shirt and shorts tomorrow? We have no client contact whatsoever, I will not see a single service user tomorrow. The only people I will see are my coworkers.

My line manager has said she’s fine with it, but if the “big bosses” walk in (from their air conditioned office!), we may get in trouble.

Surely the worst they’ll do is send me home, which is a win for me 😂

OP posts:
KilkennyCats · 24/06/2026 16:45

elephantball · 24/06/2026 16:43

I rest my case

Show quote history

What case? 😆

Stompythedinosaur · 24/06/2026 16:45

I think you're probably hot and grumpy (understandably) but being a bit awkward for no reason.

I don't think shorts and a t-shirt will be noticeably cooler than a knee length dress.

Ultimately, work is work. You chose to work there knowing the dress code.

socks1107 · 24/06/2026 16:45

Then buy some clothes that are more comfortable in this weather. The wrong fabric will trap sweat inside or outside

Justveryveryangry · 24/06/2026 16:43

I think you’re getting a hard time on here.

I’m a manager of a large team based in an office and who aren’t client facing. The last thing on my mind today was to instruct them on what to wear. I’ve got far more pressing things to worry about than whether some shows a little bit of thigh or shoulder.

I can’t stand people who love to insist on petty rules being kept whatever the circumstances. Whoever gives a shit that someone’s shoulders are showing on a day like today is a sour, small-minded, pathetic pedant.

elephantball · 24/06/2026 16:43

KilkennyCats · 24/06/2026 16:39

Op is not her own boss. Have you missed that bit in your rush to demonstrate your superiority to the rest of humanity?

Show quote history

I rest my case

Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:43

Jellycatspyjamas · 24/06/2026 16:42

If you’re not customer facing will they authorise you working from home? Then you can sit in your pants all day 🤷‍♀️

I wish. Despite it being possible they say no

OP posts:
Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:43

MrsVBS · 24/06/2026 16:39

Yes it’s hot but people are doing jobs in much hotter conditions, they’re not telling you to wear a coat and scarf, just appropriate office attire. Get yourself a fan.

We have fans.

I don’t see why people doing jobs in hotter conditions means I should be uncomfortable

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 24/06/2026 16:42

If you’re not customer facing will they authorise you working from home? Then you can sit in your pants all day 🤷‍♀️

342524u · 24/06/2026 16:41
  1. it's just 1 day
  2. if your productivity goes down, then that's what the bosses ordered!
  3. do what you want, it's up to you to take on the risks
Jellycatspyjamas · 24/06/2026 16:40

If it’s that hot will shorts really make a difference? I’m by no means slave to a dress code but I don’t think having more flesh on show makes a difference to temperature than light trousers and t-shirt does. You’ll still be hot and sticky, I find fabric makes more of a difference - cotton and linen rather than polyester.

Ablondiebutagoody · 24/06/2026 16:40

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 24/06/2026 16:36

Surely, you can only go off sick if you are sick

Show quote history

It's an interesting question. OP says her health is at risk. Are preventative sickies a thing? I don't know.

MrsVBS · 24/06/2026 16:39

Yes it’s hot but people are doing jobs in much hotter conditions, they’re not telling you to wear a coat and scarf, just appropriate office attire. Get yourself a fan.

KilkennyCats · 24/06/2026 16:39

elephantball · 24/06/2026 16:35

OP you’ll get nowhere on here, you’re asking a bunch of people who were socially conditioned at primary school to do exactly what they were told and not to question it or they’ll face social rejection, they are terrified of going against the grain and the mere suggestion of it is clearly igniting people in the race to the bottom because they have been successfully taught that they are not special so must suffer with grace.
No op there is no need to wear uncomfortable clothing in the name of looking professional but you won’t hear that on here.

Op is not her own boss. Have you missed that bit in your rush to demonstrate your superiority to the rest of humanity?

Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:39

elephantball · 24/06/2026 16:35

OP you’ll get nowhere on here, you’re asking a bunch of people who were socially conditioned at primary school to do exactly what they were told and not to question it or they’ll face social rejection, they are terrified of going against the grain and the mere suggestion of it is clearly igniting people in the race to the bottom because they have been successfully taught that they are not special so must suffer with grace.
No op there is no need to wear uncomfortable clothing in the name of looking professional but you won’t hear that on here.

I kind of think that the worse that could happen is they send me home, which then means I’m sat in my nice cool garden instead of the boiling hot office

OP posts:
Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:38

socks1107 · 24/06/2026 16:37

I don’t understand what the point is then?
You want to wear shorts instead of a dress because it’s hot. What has being inside or outside got to do with it.
Without air con it’s hot everywhere and wearing shorts won’t change that and isn’t appropriate in your work place. Plenty of professions this week are wearing clothes that are unsuitable and are just having to get on

My point is it’s so hot that the sweat isn’t drying, it’s sitting on my clothes and trapping even more heat

OP posts:
socks1107 · 24/06/2026 16:37

I don’t understand what the point is then?
You want to wear shorts instead of a dress because it’s hot. What has being inside or outside got to do with it.
Without air con it’s hot everywhere and wearing shorts won’t change that and isn’t appropriate in your work place. Plenty of professions this week are wearing clothes that are unsuitable and are just having to get on

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 24/06/2026 16:36

Ablondiebutagoody · 24/06/2026 15:44

Instead of moaning, go off sick if it's genuinely putting your health at risk

Surely, you can only go off sick if you are sick

elephantball · 24/06/2026 16:35

OP you’ll get nowhere on here, you’re asking a bunch of people who were socially conditioned at primary school to do exactly what they were told and not to question it or they’ll face social rejection, they are terrified of going against the grain and the mere suggestion of it is clearly igniting people in the race to the bottom because they have been successfully taught that they are not special so must suffer with grace.
No op there is no need to wear uncomfortable clothing in the name of looking professional but you won’t hear that on here.

Sirzy · 24/06/2026 16:34

I think some flexibility while maintaining sensible standards is fair enough.

I work in a school and normally wear polo shirt and black pants all year around. I have got myself some thick strapped vests which still smart and cover everything but are cooler instead.

it’s not an either or thing.

Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:33

socks1107 · 24/06/2026 16:31

You can go in wearing a flioaty dress that will be the coolest thing to wear. Is male colleagues I feel for in trousers and shirts- that could be relaxed a little. But I do think yabu shorts won’t make any difference from a dress

Again, if I was outside I’d agree. But I think a lot of people are just ignoring the point I’ve made.

OP posts:
socks1107 · 24/06/2026 16:31

You can go in wearing a flioaty dress that will be the coolest thing to wear. Is male colleagues I feel for in trousers and shirts- that could be relaxed a little. But I do think yabu shorts won’t make any difference from a dress

Original poster
toohotforallthis · 24/06/2026 16:22

oviraptor21 · 24/06/2026 16:20

I would care about your bare sweaty thighs being on the office chairs though.
Incidentally the whole point of sweat and feeling damp against your skin is to cool you down. It's a wonderful mechanism!

Perhaps you drank too much water at 3 litres. I was out in the sun all day yesterday in a loose dress and probably drank 2 litres. The sweat running down my back did a wonderful job of cooling me and the dress did a great job of absorbing it.

We each have our own chairs.

The issue is that the sweat cannot go anywhere, it’s so hot. So it sits in the fabric, against the skin and we’re just getting hotter and hotter.

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 24/06/2026 16:20

I would care about your bare sweaty thighs being on the office chairs though.
Incidentally the whole point of sweat and feeling damp against your skin is to cool you down. It's a wonderful mechanism!

Perhaps you drank too much water at 3 litres. I was out in the sun all day yesterday in a loose dress and probably drank 2 litres. The sweat running down my back did a wonderful job of cooling me and the dress did a great job of absorbing it.

Gemilo · 24/06/2026 16:19

Such a big fuss over this hot weather. I lived in Australia in the nineties. Most houses had no air con, schools never closed, people didn't feel the need to dress in beach clothes at the office. Shock horror - life carried on and everyone survived.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 24/06/2026 16:17

Dresses/skirts to mid calf?? That’s bizarre in any weather - a knee length pencil skirt would generally be seen as a very standard formal bit of office wear. It would look oddly out of place in my office as it would look too formal.