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!

Your boss is a loon. Most reasonable managers relax clothing rules in extreme heat. Especially as you’re not public facing.

Wear what you want (within reason, obvs) and tell them to go fuck themselves

Strappy vests are not smart, give over an unprofessional image, and I find it galling men have to wear shirts / tie or sleeved tops when women wear strapped vests and little skirts.

However if you do not have air con (and she does?!!), then explain this and carry on - men included too let them wear strappy tops.

no air con in this day and age in an office. I do feel for emergency workers with no air con in cars or they are on the street etc , teachers and support staff in schools with no air con.

Both the sleeveless top and the homemade T-shirt are hideous and unprofessional. They are beachwear. I’d actually say the T was only fit for a pyjama top

Why are you so horrible

Yeah - it's always (slightly) puzzled me there are minimum temperatures but not maximum temperatures

Trainers are literally plastic coating for your feet. There's no way they are better for your feet or skin than open leather sandals.

And no way that long trousers, however floaty, clinging yo sweaty legs are cooler than my light poplin shorts I've been wearing the last two days.

I worked in the NHS for a ling time, there are lots of middle managers on a power trip

It does look a bit like summer pyjamas.

That looks a bit fitted and too hot for an overheated office - loose fitting and lightweight is the way to go

Make your mind up.

You couldn’t care less but you said:

I wouldn’t want to be working with a man wearing a vest exposing his hairy chest and bushy armpits in my vicinity!

So which is it? If you don’t like the look of body hair in your vicinity then you obviously do care.

Banning skirts? How odd.

OK - I think I'm now starting to understand why the manager may have sent the message they did ... 💡

Why do people on this thread keep referring to ‘frocks’? What century am I in?

A waistcoat and Bermuda shorts is a cool (literally and figuratively) option. There are tons like this. I can't understand why someone would object to it. The idea of of frilly sleeves and midi skirts is totally yuk to me, I think it's so dowdy and mostly looks like a cheap wedding guest outfit

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/product/tuc145656895

This might be why:

“A frock is a term for a woman's or girl's dress. While sometimes viewed as slightly old-fashioned in the US, it remains an everyday and colloquial term across the UK”

What century do you think you are in?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frock

You can buy linen or cotton/linen trousers etc at M&S, Next, Peacocks, even Primark. Not elitist.

It’s interchangeable with dress. I often wear a frock.

Uniqlo airi stuff is good for the heat. I’m wearing light weight culottes

however bring a thermometer to measure the
heat because if it’s 10 above outside it’s a safety issue and you shouldn’t be in at all

Woah - that's a bit of an over simplification!

Unless the dress code is uniform they pay for, she has no right to say what you wear .

T-shirts. Doesn't everyone own heaps? Solves the "vest" problem which I had to ask on another thread what they were ( I was thinking a knitted jumper type garment made with no sleeves or the 3rd piece of a 3 piece suit. ). This may be a UK thing. Sorry.
OP wear a t-shirt with a long skirt; or a dress or flowy long pants etc.

Lifeguard?

Sounds like the real issue is the temperature, not whether you wear a strappy top and short skirt rather than a loose fitting dress. If you're lightheaded with heat, wearing a vest instead of a light cotton blouse won't make your head not lightheaded. You're focussing on the wrong issue - ask for a fan or whatever

Seriously?

"Tee hee - extreme heat ". Sorry just pissed off most of Mumsnet. We had a rumour at high school that if it hit 40 degrees you would get to leave school. Never happened , but over 6 years it did hit 40 a few times. Australian obviously 😁

ETA - personal fans for the win, charge off your computer USB, tiny but cooling.

What industry are you in?

It highly depends. If it’s a normal office job and they’re banning skirts that’s crazy.