Everywhere we turn, we are greeted by dress codes. Dress codes are simply rules which people are expected to follow, and may vary based on the place, occasion and reason for attendance. Some events are incredibly formal, for example, that of the Royal Ascot, which has issued a 36-page dress code; with males in the Royal enclosure being mandated to wear top hats. However, most dress codes are not that specific, and can lead to much subjectivity in their enforcement.
Specifically, in Guyana, the main issue with dress codes are the fact that whoever made these dress codes seems to have never lived a day in Guyana themselves. In a country where we are constantly being faced with hot temperatures, our formal dress codes insist that we must be attired in sleeved shirts and long pants/dresses. There are numerous instances of people being refused entry to Government buildings on the grounds of a sleeve being too short, or a dress being above the knees. Now, I understand that dress codes serve a purpose. They help to maintain a standard, and create a particular aesthetic. There is nothing wrong with an employer wanting their employees to look professional, but is there any reason that professional dress must also be uncomfortable? Is there any reason that a person in a professional looking armless blouse should be turned away from work?
Whilst I was in school, the enforcement of the dress code drove me insane. One of the things that I found incredibly peculiar was the school’s ability to decide what a person should do with their hair. I don’t mean in terms of styling, (I have nothing against schools asking students to tie their hair up in a professional manner), but I mean in terms of how long it should be, and what colours are acceptable. Boys were not allowed to grow their hair out, even if they had intentions to comb it back or tie it up. Why? To what end? It’s not as if in the work place men are policed for the length of their hair. If a girl had dyed her hair, even if it was a shade of brown (or some other colour which would be considered ‘natural’), she would be forced to re-dye her hair. Why? Which employer cares about such things?
We spend so much time policing what people wear, and to what end? Who sees a Queen’s College student and cares whether or not they are wearing a ribbon? Yet in the school, this is incredibly important. I myself, was once told I could not enter a lab because I was not properly attired (missing a ribbon), and I have seen students being told to wear a strip of a black plastic bag on their hair in the place of a ribbon.
Subjectivity comes into play usually in dress codes directed to the public. People are turned away from Government buildings because their wear is too short, or deemed otherwise inappropriate by some person. The admission of someone to a building depends on the discretion of whoever is on duty at the time. That subjectivity is dangerous, and can lead to discrimination. In the United States, where many public schools do not have a uniform, there have been complaints that girls are ‘coded’ more frequently than boys, even though both break the rules of the dress code. There are also allegations that people of different races are treated differently with regards to the dress code. What is deemed appropriate for one race is deemed inappropriate for another.
I don’t believe we need to do away with dress codes completely, but I do believe we need to reexamine the existing ones that we have. We need to readjust our standards to cater for Guyana being a tropical country. Professional and sleeveless clothes are not mutually exclusive.
That being said, the National Dress Code Committee (which apparently exists) has embarked on a survey to determine whether or not there should be a dress code for persons entering public service and Government agencies. If you have ever had a complaint about how you were treated entering one of these places of business, make your voice heard by placing your vote. If this changes, maybe businesses and schools will begin to reassess their dress codes as well.
