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!

How can she actually ban anything?? Pretty sure she can’t make any decisions regarding it when it’s not already in a policy.

I worked for the Civil Service, we could wear what we wanted, I always wore shorts & vest tops in summer.

I suspect most guys have something - something - in their wardrobe between a suit and a pair of shorts...

Obviously I know that, but they are dressing for their environment as is someone in shorts working in a roasting office.
My dentist also wears scrubs, but his are immaculate, I swear he gets them tailored 😅

Unbelievable.

I'm waiting for the thread praising woollen jumpers and for someone to chime in saying read the room, CoL, some of us can only afford recycled bottle jumpers.

What’s the dress code for women?

I have never worked anywhere which had employees in shorts and a vest top. I'd say they were inappropriate for work unless you are in a cycle shop, a building site or a garden centre.

You can wear light cotton things, they are cool enough. Drink plenty of water, you'll be fine but don't dress for the beach at work.

Honestly the shirt and short pictures you have posted are not appropriate for work. I wouldn't be comfortable wearing that to work. I personally think that you could find some really nice dresses in cool material that will breathe and are also dressy enough for work.

You were wearing shorts to work in an office? Dear god….. the rules are for you!

ETA: Ive just looked at the photo. That vest is something I’d wear to gym or as pyjamas. Honestly it’s so sloppy, like you’ve rolled out of bed. Not work attire at all. Confirms my opinion that you are the reason the rules have been introduced.

@Candy24 @Ohdearnotthisagain OP has never worn shorts to work. I don’t know where this misunderstanding has come from.

If, as I think you have stated, women are not allowed to wear shorts but men are, I would raise a grievance on grounds of sexual discrimination. If you don't want to stick your head over the parapet, this could even be an anonymous note to HR pointing out said sexual discrimination, and mentioning that workers are considering legal advice. Then broaden the issue to outline the manager's fucking ridiculous dress code.

Hmm I work for nhs and do line manage though middle line (I’m a B7 if that takes any difference) I suspect the dress code rules have been brought into place due to inappropriate office wear across the Trust. While I personally wouldn’t have an issue with the style or cut of a blouse, I do have an issue if undergarments are visible through the fabric. In my view, that isn’t appropriate for the workplace regardless of whether a role is public-facing or not. It is easy to argue that an office role isn't public-facing, but in all probability, staff are leaving the office or hospital building at lunch with their NHS lanyards on, meaning we are still representing the service to the public.

I agree about cotton jersey not being an easy fabric to sew with. I use an overlocker and cover stitch machine for sewing stretch fabrics.

I think longish loose cotton fabrics are best for working in the heat.

You need to speak to your union rep. If its NHS is your manager even allowed to dictate dress codes. Surely you have wider policies on this?

Exactly. I find this strange and as others have said OP needs to questions with HR, its nhs not someone’s private company where YThey can impose rules on a whim.

I am someone who dresses rather warm for the weather lol people always say aren’t you hot dressed like that?

I have only left the house one day this week and I was wearing a sleeveless maxi dress with a light jacket covering my sleeves despite it being 26 degrees! But even someone like would never think to impose such rules on a workplace. Especially one that isn’t customer facing.

Just let people be! I had a friend and former coworker that used to wear smart knee length shorts during the hot london summer and it looked great.

Yeah I have worked for both Scottish gov and UK gov in positions working closely with cabinet ministers and no one said a word about people wearing sleeveless tops in the office.

There's nothing wrong with sleeveless clothes but vest tops and shorts for work are a step further than that.

Next have some very pretty cap sleeved tops which are suitable for work.
If op can sew, she can easily run up a long or mid calf cotton skirt. I love floaty skirts in the summer. Full length tiered skirts are a summer staple. I made several over the years.
Personally, I like to try and look presentable as well as be comfortable.

I don't see anything about that particular screen shot of interaction/quote history that I included that was overly rude.

It IS that interaction and exchange over three messages that suggested you did wear the shorts to work though. Of course you later clarified in the thread that you do not wear those shorts to work.

Do you have no understanding of context?

You would expect to see body parts and hair in a medical environment, or on a beach, in a gym or at a pool for example.
I don’t want to see my dentist, lawyer, GP, or office colleague of either sex in a revealing top and shorts displaying armpit hair, leg hair or a hairy chest, and certainly not a manspreader (or womanspreader) in shorts in an office environment.

Policing women’s bodies as ever.
Some people won’t be happy until we are all in burkas.
OP, wear what keeps you cool and go above her head to complain about her attitude.
Nice of her to sit in aircon while trying to make others more uncomfortable.

I thought the line manager said only maxi length or midi are acceptable? Imagine going to work trussed up like a 1970s Laura Ashley model. Or Julie Christie in The Go Between.

My midi that I’m wearing today is like a parachute. I’d be far more trussed up in shorts and a vest top.

One of my colleagues comes in every day in shorts and t-shirt with no bra. She's mid 60s and has huge boobs. She's also a senior lecturer. She wears Merrells on her feet, sandals in the summer. Nobody has ever told her to go home and get changed. In the winter the shorts are swapped for joggers. She's been here since 1989.

To all the posters suggesting wearing 'nice airy maxi dresses' etc. You do realise that not all women want to dress like that?

I barely own any dresses, and not of that type. They're not me, and I'm not going to start wearing them to appease someone's idea of appropriate. We don't all aspire to look like respectable Tory wives from Tunbridge Wells.

Unless there is a clear uniform provision, I'll want to wear whatever of my own clothes, of my own style, that allow me to feel comfortable in hot weather.

And yes, that includes vests in the office. I'm mid 40s, perimenopausal and run hot, and I'm much happier if my clean, deodorised armpits are allowed to air, rather than soaking into underarm material of any sort.

And I work in a corporate environment where, shock horror, men and women can wear shorts/tshirts/vests, and some women above knee skirts too.

In order to stop policing women's bodies we need to actually stop policing women's bodies.