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!

This too. The sooner the maximum temperature is brought into law the better!!

Where do you work?

Many people have no choice and have to wear uniform and/or PPE - firefighters, police, nurses, doctors, retail , hospitality. Be grateful you don’t have to do that. I don’t think shorts and vest tops are appropriate for a professional workplace.

As long as she does the job what does it matter what she wears? it's not a public facing role.
It's a very old fashioned attitude.

I'd start with a H&S complaint about working in 35 degrees. I know a top temperature is not mandated yet but it's in the post legislatively. There are still employer obligations to manage heat and this is from the HSE website. If none of this is happening then you have grounds to complain about multiple things, not just a sleeveless blouse which on the face of it I would wear and simply say that it's not a vest. Because it's not.

When people are too hot
You can help ensure people are comfortable in warm conditions:

• Provide fans, such as desk, pedestal or ceiling-mounted ones
• Provide air-cooling or air-conditioning and adequate ventilation
• Ensure windows can be opened to keep air circulating
• Shade employees from direct sunlight with blinds or by using reflective film on windows
• Position workstations away from direct sunlight or sources of heat
• Place insulating materials around hot plant and pipes
• Provide cold water dispensers (water is better than caffeine or carbonated drinks)

You can also change work arrangements to avoid people getting too hot:

• Introduce flexible working patterns, such as job rotation, moving workers to cooler parts of the building where possible
• Allow enough breaks to allow workers to get cold drinks or cool down
• Relax formal dress codes – but make sure personal protective equipment is used if required

Why have knees suddenly becone an issue.

theyre just bloody joints in the middle of your legs , they'll be insisting elbows are covered next.

I agree about vests and shorts - sorry - I don't think they belong in an office environment. If she's had to ban certain items, I suspect its been in response to some people wearing inappropriate styles. It's something that we are notoriously bad at in the UK - dressing for work in hot weather. Whereas in hot countries, on the continent for example, they seem capable of dressing for the weather and still looking professional.
The issue is the temperature in the office, this can be raised with HR.

skirts that sit at the knee

so what's wrong with a midi length? Which is about calf length.

why quit a job just because your manager doesn't want beachwear in the office? Jobs aren't that easy to find.

I don t think shorts are appropriate. Vest tops can be okay depending on the style.

I don’t think your top is smart enough OP- sorry.

If it were a Tailored sleeveless top (like a shirt with a collar, just sleeveless, or something like this, I think that’s office appropriate:

I think the whole department should pile into her office until the aircon situation can be resolved.

Yabu for exaggerating and saying that the only option she's left you with are ankle length trousers, there's still a lot of scope for outfits that dont include vest and shorts that are both cool and work appropriate. If you're not customer facing you could just pull a longer skirt up to your knees anyway when sitting at a desk or whatever and get the same amount of bare skin.

She is being unreasonable by going so OTT given you aren't customer facing and its only hot like this a few days a year. And also by keeping a lovely air con office to herself while the rest of the staff are sweltering.

Tbh if its that bad id just pull a sicky next time its really hot - Im not someone who does that often (haven't had a sick day since I had covid in 2021) but fuck it, if the workplace is going to treat me like a naughty schoolchild by measuring hemlengths they don't then get pure professionalism back in return!

I don't want to see anyone's armpit if I'm not at the beach, pool or a very dressy and appropriately cool occasion.

There are many versions of shorts that are more elegant and work-appropriate than the silly flippy kneelength or longer skirts with or without slits that I like to wear off work. Not that I wear shorts to work (yet), but I admire the tailored-shorts look.

In the 2010s my preferred work 'uniform' was tunic dresses above the knee with tight thickness according to season. Nobody died.

Because it’s a bloody nightmare when you allow shorts and vests as people can’t be relied upon to exercise judgement and dress appropriately and managers end up becoming the clothing police.

My team have a relaxed dress code this week.

My rules are if I can see up it, down it or through it - don’t wear it. Otherwise, go for it.

I need them to work, and nobody’s going to be in the mood to do that if they’re melting to death at their computer.

I had thought that was common sense, but maybe not.

I worked for a software company years ago. All the
programmers wore shorts in hot weather. If you’re not customer facing, I don’t see that it really matters. All I care about personally is whether people are clean. Is your manage a former teacher? These are the type of rules that schools make.

Armpits are a weird hill to die on. I don’t want to see anyone’s boobs, but completely unoffended by shoulders and armpits.

They've probably been told (or more likely misinterpreted) that they have to apply the same rule to men and women, and they don't want to have to deal with men turning up in Bermuda shorts and a vest.

In fairness, when the weather gets hot I do think men get the short end of the straw when it comes to appropriate office wear. Not so bad if you can wear tshirts, but many places expect a man to be in long sleeves in order to be considered "smart" and most offices would frown on men turning up to work in shorts.

“would you honestly care if your doctor/lawyer/bank manager/whoever was dressed practically and comfortably but was doing a good job?“

Yes - if my lawyer etc were wearing a strappy vest top with pits on show and shorts/short beach skirt and flip flops, I would care. I would instinctively think ‘unprofessional’ and like that they couldn’t be bothered or were in their way to the beach or something

No it suggests the manager is a loon wanting ankle length skirts.

I would check that that is a safe temperature to be working in. Since you work for the NHS you will have an HR department with solid policies and Occupational health to

It's a very unflattering length for most people and quite an aging look, that's probably why.

OP I wonder if you are at my old trust! I also had a mini dictator boss who sat in am air-conditioned office and our south-facing officers were 35 degrees in the summer. I left asking the whole place was so toxic and now work in an environment here I can wear whatever I like. It's great. They don't measure my performance against my sleeve length

I agree with the vest aspect but not the rest. Without air conditioning some offices can get unbearable.

There is a minimum which I think is 16 degrees for offices (off the top of my head) but no maximum.

I foyu think about populations in hot countries, they don't wear vests and shorts