My manager has banned all vests, skirts and shorts

[itsjustthepricewepay]

I could cry right now.

I understand banning thin strapped vests but surely thick straps are fine? She’s also banned all shorts (including knee length) and skirts that sit at the knee. Basically we have to go down to ankle length trousers.

AIBU to genuinely consider quitting my job? Her office is air conditioned but we’re in a horrible hot sun trap!

I wfh now but when I worked in offices they were absolutely roasting in the summer and freezing in winter (only one place was ok which had air con).
I was never allowed to wear shorts but I’d wear loose thin trousers - cropped or full length - or a dress (could bare knees though). Never a fan of a skirt. In terms of tops - sleeveless fine but not vest tops.
i think that’s sensible enough.

It's a heatwave, I would argue that your temperatures don't meet the legal definition of "reasonable" so would be asking, minimally, for concessions in clothing, or to be sent home.

Do you have a Union?

Would your colleagues consider a collective grievance?

Why would I be doing that?

im sat here fucking boiling. It’s hot, all I want tomorrow is to wear a skirt and maybe some sandals, and my manager has said no. I’m fuming

It is over the safe temperature. Otherwise tell her if you're going by the book, you shouldn't be working in this heat
In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that the minimum safe working temperature in an office should be at least 16°C (or 13°C if the work involves rigorous physical effort). However, for most office environments, a comfortable and safe temperature range is generally considered to be between 16°C and 24°C.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also state that employers must ensure the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings is "" during working hours. While there is no legal reasonablemaximum temperature, employers are expected to take action if the temperature becomes uncomfortably high.

I agree - I am one of those women. I can’t wear lots of things without showing some cleavage, so in this weather would opt for shoulders out in some sort of thick strap vest, but with a higher neckline. I can’t do anything about the actual shape of them, but I can hide the boobs themselves.

I can accept that that’s because breasts can be distracting, but who has ever been sexually attracted to or distracted by a shoulder or armpit I am unsure.

If, as I suspect @owlpassportthats a veiled comment about my body, I really couldn’t care less. It is bloody hot and I want my bingo wings out

I'm remembering 1985 and chancing it at my City workplace (suits, skirt suits no trouser suits for women) by wearing a floral cotton dress on a really hot day.

As chance would have it, I was sent to our most senior partner in that building with something to sign off. I though I'd be getting my P45.

'Oh Maggie!', he cried, 'You look like the breath of Spring! '

I know! Do they faint at the sight of an ankle?!

Quite a lot of people have really unpleasant armpits in this weather, which makes life pretty grim for those stuck next to them at work for 8 hours a day. You can't go around doing a sniff test to say which colleagues are suitably well-groomed to be allowed bare armpits so I guess it's easier to say that everyone has to cover-up and say its about projecting a professional image.

oh come on, you have to share now!!

im at home, there's a corner shop along the road, it has been like a Nike Advert all day. what little the teens are wearing is Nike Pro 😂

thankfully not many dogs being walked since about 9am, hopefully enjoying their doggy paddling pools in the shade!

Heatwaves here don’t last long. Either stick to the dress code or find another job.

@itsjustthepricewepay - have you managed to get a look at your trust’s uniform policy? Maybe that will help you?

Yes, we have just been to Spain and the men make a t-shirt look good.

I would definitely go to occupational health about the temperature you're expected to work in, it will be having an impact on your health. In my country, while there's no legal limit to workplace temperatures, employers must try and mitigate when temperatures exceed 28 degrees, and if they can't, then workers must be able to take a break every 45-50 minutes somewhere cooler.

This thread just reminded me of the one person I saw wearing a vest in my workplace (we're provided with long sleeve shirts because of chemicals), which he wore so that he could post in front of the mirror and admire his muscles

I work in a global corporate and have never heard of bare shoulders being a problem. That sounds quite outdated?

There’s nothing wrong with knees or shoulders per se, what it does is provide some easily remembered, easily interpreted guidelines meaning managers don’t have to have ridiculous conversations with adults about clothing as soon as the sun comes out. No one is getting their ruler out to measure skirt length but equally everyone knows rocking up in a mini skirt/shorts is against dress code and will be brought up with them. Appropriate is too subjective to be consistently applied, especially since COVID altered so many people’s boundaries and removed their common sense/common decency

boss in aircon office dictating what people without aircon should wear during the hottest May for a million years. Yeah right. Get on to your union.

@WhatAMarvelousTune I really like that top. Do you have a link to it please? Is it from a shopping site or just a file image?

Wearing tops with short sleeves won't make you much hotter.

Try linen - shirts, tops, etc with short sleeves.

I understand banning thin strapped vests but surely thick straps are fine?

I think the 'no vests' is to stop people moving boundaries.
One person might wear a sleeveless T shirt, another might wear something with spaghetti straps and show acres of flesh.

A blanket' ban' is easier to manage.
Likewise skirts- she doesn't want to see women wearing teeny short skirts so knee length and below is fine.

Midi and maxi skirts are the fashion now.
Linen trousers- wide or slightly cropped.
Dresses - short sleeves and midi length.

You sound as if you can't think of these options.

Wanting to cry and quit your job?
Is this not a bit dramatic simply because someone has asked you to wear a top with short sleeves that will not make the slightest difference to how hot you feel.

Not sure why no-one is saying but unless there is a dress code policy that you have agreed to add offset of your terms and conditions this cannot be enforced.

If I was you I'd ask to see the dress code policy and also the health and safety representative where you can report your working conditions.

Two can play at that game

Wear what you want, tell her to stop making up uniform policy & to read your official uniform policy.

Or is it because you work in a global corporate and people instinctively know what's appropriate? I think this might be one of those things where the more aspirational the job, the less of an issue this is. I work in the public sector and some people really push the dress code.

Oh get a grip if your washed clean and using the correct products armpits are fine. What a weird strange world we live in. I’d choose comfort any day

Wear something floaty with cap sleeves. Sometimes a bit more coverage with cool cotton or linen is more comfortable in the heat than beachwear.

Why is that ok and a crew neck vest is not?