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!

You can wear weather appropriate clothing that isn’t shorts and a vest top. I’m wearing a voluminous linen mid calf dress with elbow length sleeves, it’s the coolest thing I own. Tight clothes that expose flesh are way hotter.

I d ask the union what the situation is over the uniform and “appropriate “ see what they say

seems over the top

acas https://www.acas.org.uk/extreme-temperatures-in-the-workplace. Have this section

So no shorts, no vests & skirts longer than knee length?

Doesn't seem too bad?

If it gets to 40 plus in the office I might, I'd also point out I have a medical condition that is worse with heat so please get some air con that works for our giant glass box so I can concentrate on work and not how unbearably uncomfortable I am.

We seem to have returned to Victorian times. It’s an ARM, not an arse or a tit. And anyway, different work places have different levels of formality.

I think you need to go to HR. From your policy I don't think she's entitled to do what she's trying to do. Contentious question, but is she trying to stick to her own cultural norms? When she said ankle length for skirts I wondered if she'd had a strict upbringing?

I might be wrong, but I think legally there is a minimum temperature people can be expected to work in, but no legal maximum 😧

I might be wrong, but I think legally there is a minimum temperature people can be expected to work in, but no legal maximum 😧

It looks like an old tshirt, not work attire. I wouldn’t even go outside wearing it - just my opinion though

Same, HE and we can wear what we want. Everyone is wearing birkenstocks, few are in crocs. I don't wear straps tops because we bave aircon, but in the winter I wear hoodies and jeans. As long as we rank well in student surveys and bring in research grants, nothing else matters. People see past clothes.

I'm another one genuinely confused as to why bare shoulders and arms are now deemed inappropriate?

Corporate power dressing and all that jazz has always included sleeveless blouses and dresses, weren't we all supposed to go all Michelle Obama arms at one point?

I think sleeveless tops are fine. I wear a lot for work in the summer. I’m not talking stringy, strappy vests but so many sleeveless tops are fine and professional looking. I think it’s a shame she’s banned those, I’d hate to wear sleeves in hot weather.

The rules should apply equally to men as well as women shouldn’t they?
I wouldn’t want to be working with a man wearing a vest exposing his hairy chest and bushy armpits in my vicinity!

Agree! Bare arms in this weather is totally the norm in my workplace.

I don't know either, it's really unpleasant.

That top is absolutely reasonable office wear. I wouldn't describe it as a vest anyway and I took perfectly presentable.

It's the problem though with people being given an inch and taking a mile. That top isn't a vest to me but to lots of people there wouldn't be a difference between a vest and a sleeveless tshirt so they wod start wearing all kinds of inappropriately skimpy items.

‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes…but heads are ok’

Are these erogenous zones now? I know they tend to move about as times change, but I didn't think I was that out of touch!

It would explain the trend towards bare backsides, though. The young women in thong shorts have their knees, toes and shoulders covered, right? Right??

If men can still wear shorts then that's really odd. I was wondering whether this policy could be because if it's frowned upon for men to wear shorts or vests in the office (and it often is), then it is a bit inconsistent to allow women to basically do the same thing. To be clear OP - has your manager actually said it's OK for men to wear shorts or is it just that they haven't said it's not because it hasn't been raised?

The same reason you dont wear a winter coat in the summer?
Why only wear a jumper when its too cold? Whats you rationale?

I would say it is fairly obvious. People are uncomfortable when they are too warm

@itsjustthepricewepay I personally think you’ve been given an exceptionally hard time on this thread.

I’ve worked in a corporate setting my whole life (I’m in my 50’s). Aside from flip flops from a safety perspective, which you clearly haven’t mentioned that you’d wear them, I think your manager is being personal in her opinions and dictating that on to others. Our CEO wears shorts and tshirt to the office in this weather ffs!

Can’t people in non customer facing environments not be given a bit of slack?

Blimey, that is harsh.
In our office two blokes wear shorts all year unless they are going into very formal meetings and they'll change back afterwards. One woman wears knee length denim shorts all year, no one bats an eye.
The only time something was said was when a female staf f who was 42 at the time had denim shorts on in a heatwave and her arse cheeks were hanging out and had a low cut halter neck t shirt on. She was sent home to change thankfully!

Agree.

People still expect professionals - someone mentioned doctors, lawyers, bank managers- not needing to look smart.

They dress smartly out of respect for their clients. It doesn't have to be a full suit, though some still do that- but not shorts and vest FGS.

Interestingly school uniforms are becoming more stringent, rather than less. There are reasons for this- identity, smartness, not opening the door to weird and wonderful distracting 'fashion' .

Wow I can't believe how many rude, abusive comments are in this thread! I was going to comment about how thus should be taken to HR because of the double standard between men and women's dress code.. but honestly I'm taken aback by how horrible everyone has been to this person!

Weird hatred for the vests. I’m a 59 year old Secondary English Teacher in an academic independent school and I wear vests when it’s hot.

So your school has no staff dress code?

By a vest do you mean a sleeveless T shirt?
Or a scoop neck, low back, thin strap top that's more beach or garden wear?

That's unusual even for an indie school, unless it's incredibly progressive.

The subject of our conversation is not wanting bare armpits in the office, I thought? That's what I was answering about. That I don't want the look and smell of anyone's hairy armpits in the office. Nothing about shaving. Just covering them in the office.