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28 August 2026
Fashion changes day in and day out. One day a crop top is the latest fashion and the next a baggy T-shirt is in.
However, at work, fashion should be at the discretion of a contract, not the latest TikTok trend.
Workplace dress codes have been commonplace for a long time, but if you haven’t enforced one before, then it may be tricky to know where to begin.
A dress code policy should form part of your employment policies. It should give details on how your employees should dress while they are in the workplace or otherwise on the clock.
Dress codes can be used to manage health and safety or just be a preference for management.
Some examples could be having long hair tied up, protective clothing when carrying out hazardous work or smart office clothes like suits.
It is important to understand that a dress code is not the same as a uniform. If employers expect their employees to wear specific uniform items for PPE purposes, then employers must pay for them.
Employers are not legally required to have a dress code in place within the workplace. However, certain rules dictate what you can or cannot tell your staff to wear.
These rules pertain to discrimination. If you require your staff to adhere to a dress code, then it must be reasonable and not discriminate against the staff based on any of the nine protected characteristics. These are:
Be mindful that you could be discriminating against employees without even meaning to. This could be done if you enforce a separate dress code for men and women, you don’t make reasonable adjustments to dress codes based on disabilities or if the dress code conflicts with an employee’s religious beliefs.
Dress code policies should always be clear and in writing so that all employees have the same understanding of what is expected of them.
It tends to be useful to include the purpose of the policy alongside the rules to make it clear whether it is for brand purposes or health and safety requirements.
Additionally, there should be guidance on who this policy applies to, provided that such guidance will not constitute discrimination.
There should also be specific details on the dress code. If it is casual, business casual or formal, this should be clearly outlined within the contract.
Finally, the punishments for non-adherence should be included. There should be details on what disciplinary routes you will follow and how warnings will take place.
There are no laws that govern dress codes at work. Therefore, it is up to you as the employer to decide what you want your employees to wear at work.
Our employment law team here at Mander Hadley are here to support you when creating policies on dress codes within your workplace.
We can also help you when coming up with disciplinary practices should an employee breach the dress code.
Get in touch with our team for fashion-forward advice within the workplace.
