Historical and Cultural Dress Codes
– European royalty and nobility used dress codes to differentiate themselves from others
– Social hierarchy became more noticeable through ornamented garments
– Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast had dress codes indicating social distinctions
– Islam laid out rules regarding attire for men and women in public
– Sikhism requires male Sikhs to wear a turban at all times
Laws and Social Norms
– Cultural values, norms, and laws regarding clothing vary by location
– Most developed countries have no specific clothing rules in public scenarios
– Some areas allow topless women, which is less common in Western countries
– Private organizations may have their own dress codes for specific situations, such as weddings or funerals
Workplace Dress Code Discrimination
– Employers in the United States can legally enforce gender-based dress codes
– The Jespersen v. Harrahs Operating Co. court case allowed a workplace to require female employees to wear makeup while banning male employees from doing so
– The Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa in New Jersey faced a lawsuit from twenty-one women who were required to maintain a certain weight and size to keep their jobs
– In the Doe v. Boeing Corporation case, a transgender person was fired for violating the dress code by wearing feminine clothing
– The United States Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that firing someone for being homosexual or transgender is discrimination based on sex
Formal Wear
– In Western countries, a formal dress code often includes coats for men and evening dresses for women
– The most formal dress code is a full-length ball or evening gown for women and white tie, including a tailcoat, for men
– Semi-formal dress code typically means an evening jacket and tie for men (black tie) and a dress for women
– Business casual dress code emerged in the 1990s, with no universally accepted definition
– Wedding casual is another mode of dress, where guests dress respectfully but not necessarily fancily
Education System Dress Codes
– Many schools worldwide implement dress codes to prevent students from wearing inappropriate clothing
– Former U.S. President Bill Clinton expressed support for school uniforms
– Around 70 schools in the United States, with approximately 60,000 students, switched to school uniforms
– Dress code violations can include clothing with implications of hate, violence, or gang affiliation
– Certain dress code restrictions in schools have been accused of perpetuating sexist standards Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dress_code
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A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies and cultures are likely to have different dress codes, Western dress codes being a prominent example.
Dress codes are symbolic indications of different social ideas, including social class, cultural identity, attitude towards comfort, tradition, and political or religious affiliations. Dress code also allows individuals to read others' behavior as good, or bad by the way they express themselves with their choice of apparel.