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Severe doesn’t cut it anymore 06-03-2007
Sunday Monitor
By Dorene Namanya
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Because of the ever changing and developing fashion world, employees do not want to feel left behind, especially when vigorous advertising showcases a more toned down “office wear.”
It used to be that men and women in formal institutions like banks, law firms, corporations and government offices came to work dressed in business suits, dress shirts, skirts and ties, but today, they have adopted a more relaxed outlook on dressing at work.
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A man in khaki trousers and a casual shirt. Some men have given up the traditional suits and go to work dressed casually. |  |
The ladies too are moving away from the norm and spot trousers, open shoes and colourful blouses for work. Photos by Eddie Chicco |
Gone are the stuffy, severe, three-piece tailored suits in conservative colours like black, grey and navy blue, conservative skirts of times past, immaculately combed and well-shaved hair. These days, women and men wear dreadlocks to work, even in the more institutional workplaces like banks and corporate companies.
Women have embraced this change much more than men. Men have for the most part stuck with the suits and dress shirts. Dr. Sylvia Tamale, the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Makerere University, also a human rights activist spots dreadlocks, wears jeans and shorts to the lecture rooms. This would be frowned upon in the past where female teachers were not allowed to wear trousers to class, let alone shorts.
In 2004, Charlotte Muhoozi caused a stir in Bank of Uganda when she became the first woman to wear a trouser suit to work. Because of her stature, the rules had to be bent to accommodate her, now all female employees can wear trousers to the bank. However, according to the Daily Monitor story that reported the development, when contacted the bank’s public relations director, Mr J.B Walusimbi downplayed Ms Muhoozi’s influence on the change of the dress code.
“We have many young ladies who clamoured for change of the dress code. They raised the matter with management, who in turn presented the issue to the governor - who approved the wearing of trousers,” Walusimbi said. Vincent, a sales executive for a radio station says he feels choked by the formal corporate look they wear everyday.
“It affects my confidence. I feel like I am in a cage, locked up with my neck tie.” However, he adds, this dress code represents the company and he has to abide by it. Clearly, most employees that are still forced to wear the more strict dress code are not thrilled about it and can’t wait to loosen the necktie and undo a few buttons at the end of the day.
John Nsubuga, an employee of Kenfreight Uganda limited carries his necktie in an envelope at the end of the day because he says he feels like winding down in his favourite hang out while still wearing a necktie.
Besides, some employees say work clothing is more expensive than casual clothes. So dressing down makes more economic sense. Because of the ever changing and developing fashion world, employees do not want to feel left behind, especially when vigorous advertising showcases a more toned down “office wear.”
For example, in order to promote sales of casual clothing, Levi Strauss, a major garment factory in the US sent a “Guide to Casual Business Wear” to 30,000 human resource managers across the nation. This is what eventually bred the “casual Friday” that most companies worldwide have now embraced where employees are allowed to dress down on Fridays.
Women emancipation has also seen a new crop of women come up. Women who have become more bold and confident and this is reflected in the way they dress going for a more modernised look.
This sometimes means showing more skin than would be considered decent for work in the years past and throwing out the understated accessories for brighter, flamboyant necklaces and earrings.
The suit has been relegated to the day of the interview, and when the job is in the bag, the suit is shoved at the back of the closet, for the next job interview. Men, not to be left out, have also thrown out the neckties and gone for a more casual look with the shirt open at the front revealing a little skin. Khaki pants have replaced the immaculately tailored trousers. When they choose to stay formal, the neckties have also become flashier. It is common to see a man wearing a pleasant pink necktie to work. Some men even wear neck chains and earrings to work.
Traditional professions like nursing have a dress code. Nurses wear white canvass shoes, neatly starched uniforms, and usually red or blue belts. Some hospitals have tried to uphold this like Mulago Hospital but private hospitals have relaxed on these dress codes. At International Medical Centre, nurses wear short green skirts, high heels and they even wear jeans on the weekends.
Some professions though have continued to take their jobs seriously and have refused to cave in to the ever-changing demands of the fashion world. Lawyers are of this breed, but even they wear less severe suits. They are more into pin stripped designer suits and flashy neckties that would be more appropriate for a dinner than a court session.
A dress code is intended to protect a company’s image. And these days, organisations are into the less formal look, so don’t be surprised when you visit a high power exec. on a Monday morning wearing a short sleeved chequered shirt and khaki pants because that is the new trend.
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