Female Bank of England Employees Must Wear Makeup and Heels

[Are_grits_groceries]

Well, this is appalling: Earlier this week, the Bank of England held "Dress for Success" day. On that day, they sent out a memo to female employees detailing just how they should dress for success, important now more than ever in These Economic Times, the worst financial crisis Britain's dealt with since the Depression. WWD obtained a copy of the memo:

“Look professional, not fashionable; be careful with perfume; always wear a heel of some sort — maximum 2 inches; always wear some sort of makeup — even if it’s just lipstick.” Shoes and skirt must be the same color. No-no’s include ankle chains — “professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;” white high heels; overstuffed handbags; an overload of rings, and double-pierced ears.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/01/female_bank_of_england_employe.html

This better not cross the pond..........

[vadawg]

1. Uh not sure why your upset, its a professional setting

So you dress professionally. Many companies have dress codes for their employees unless im missing something this isnt new.

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. Uh, not sure why you don't get this.

I have worked under a lot of dress codes. "A 2" heel and makeup" would seem to be aimed at making an employee as feminine as one could by some measures, not necessarily as professional.
Is there a corresponding male rule? Do they have to have a certain tie width and use a certain knot? Do they have to forego loafers?

[vadawg]

3. wouldnt be surprised if the guys have a strict code also

Its all about projecting a professional image, so the guys probuably have to wear business suits, mayby no clip on ties, dress leather shoes etc. I certainly dont see this as anything nefarious as it is the Bank of England.

[JVS]

4. It's a less than 2 inch heel policy.

The guys are in suits and ties.

[Moosepoop]

22. "always wear a heel of some sort"

Two inches is the maximum height. Wonder what the minimum is?

[TK421]

62. The male rule would be making sure the package is tucked away

securely...:rofl:

[Skittles]

5. WTF???

I have one purse - black - and I don't give a fuck what color my shoes are. What does THAT have to do with being "professional"? Do they require men's briefcases match their shoes? It is fucking sexism.

[vadawg]

7. whys it sexism, i can almost guarentee the gents code is as strict

I got no problem with this whatsoever, their dress demands for their female staff are actually more lenient than the code the females i work with have.

[Skittles]

8. I've never heard of such crap

and I work in a professional environment....I've never worn lipstick in my entire life

[vadawg]

9. what crap??? my working environment is very strict for both male and female

Frankly I think the Bank of England is right in ensuring that their employees maintain a standard of dress that their customers expect.

[CreekDog]

10. don't be a moron, imagine if they asked a man to wear makeup

or cologne?

they shouldn't be asking women to do that.

also a woman can dress professionally and for success wearing a suit and flat shoes, just as a man does.

[vadawg]

11. okay thats your opinion, but remember this is the bank of england

I am personally not a client of theirs, but i understand their thinking. Personally i want my banker to show this level of professionalism, and white heels aaarrrggghhhh sloan ranger alert. PS remember this is in England, culturally a million miles away from the US, especially old world banks.

[pnwmom]

25. Explain why high heels and makeup equals professionalism for women

but not for men. Is there something about women's faces or lips that must be hidden in makeup?

"Heels" means some level of high heels, by the way -- not flats, as men wear.

[Skittles]

30. I GREW UP IN ENGLAND

[closeupready]

42. A fact which has no bearing on the truth of your arguments.

:sarcasm: Just kidding - Ann Coulter pulled something like that on the View ladies.

Anyway, this IS ridiculous, but I once worked for a French company which had a printed dress and behavior code for staff - things that don't sound so offensive, like "don't clip your nails at your desk - someone may see you!" but certainly did seem patronizing. But again, this is not that uncommon in Old World organizations, as I understand it. All the more reason I am glad I don't work in stuffy Europe.

[Skittles]

43. the OP was saying I didn't understand how things are in England

but I do

[leftynyc]

59. You think makeup being a requirement

is professional? I don't wear make up. I don't wear heels and my briefcase/purse is black leather. Let me know when the men are required to wear lipstick and I'll take this more seriously and not think the people making these rules are assholes.

[Sanity Claws]

18. Makeup? Heels?

Why isn't a clean face isn't considered professional? There are some mornings I'm in a rush and dispense with makeup. I wouldn't want to be deemed "nonprofessional" just because I wasn't wearing makeup.
The message regarding "heels" is unclear. I understand wearing "heels" to be anything other than flat shoes. I like flat shoes, particularly if I have to walk or stand a lot. I imagine the women tellers are constantly standing. They should be allowed to wear flat shoes to avoid back pain.

[pnwmom]

24. It would be fair if men had to wear heels and makeup, too.

(In case you don't realize this, "heels" means some sort of high heels, not flats.)

[LostinVA]

53. I would be okay with it except for the makeup and the heels

There are professional flats -- heels are not only uncomfortable, but they do actual physical damage. Makeup? Fucking ridiculous. A woman can be very professionals sans heels and makeup.

[grannie4peace]

6. no shit- i'm glad i can claim being old & eccentric !

as my reason to not dress for success

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. It's advice, not a dress code

You may still feel it's sexist, of course, though I wouldn't be surprised to see things like "never wear brown shoes" for men.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/bank-tells-staff-dont-forget-the-lipstick-girls-1522530.html

[vadawg]

13. Bingo, a big fuss over nothing.

[Are_grits_groceries]

14. If the BOE spent money on this "advice",

I'll bet they'd be a tad put out if somebody didn't follow it. They should have had a seminar for everyone about how to dress professionally if they were going to dither over such matters. I'll bet even the men could have used some advice.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. I Can See A Couple Of Their Points

I don't like the "at least wear lipstick" thing. But, i do undestand the 2" max heel. There is nothing professional about stilleto heels, imo.

And, yeah there are probably loads of men who could use equal advice. One thing i'd tell them is to make sure your tie actually gets at least to the bottom of the belt! Guys who let the tip of their ties above the belt make me want to say "Hey, Gomer fix your tie."

The handbag thing seems stupid. And, the shoes and skirt matching? Wouldn't some complimentary pairs actually look even more professional?

I'd bet, all this being said, that the men's code (or suggestions or whatever) is pretty confining as well.
GAC

[pnwmom]

27. You missed a point.

Women are supposed to always wear heels -- this means they can't wear flats, as men do, and as many women prefer to do.

[SoCalDem]

39. BOE is too cheap to buy uniforms, so they are trying to "come close", by these 1960's "rules"

Much better idea to just buy them all blazers, skirts, & shoes..and be done with it..

MOST places have a DRESS CODE.. this is nothing new, but somewhere along the line, people forgot how to dress for various venues..

People used to have :
church clothes
school clothes
play clothes
work clothes..

The lines are all blurred these days, especially with the younger people who see ANY limitation on their attire, as an affront worthy of armed retaliation or at the least, a law suit..

BoE has every right to insist that jewelry be limited, especially piercings, which are a BIG turn off for many older customers.... people with pierced noses, eyebrows, ears with several piercings, probably would not WANT to work at a stodgy old bank anyway..

BUT if BOE wants a particular image to be presented, then THEY need to step up and offer uniforms..

[ProfessorGAC]

44. Works for Me

I think that's a good idea, SoCal.
GAC

[4lbs]

16. Anyone ever see the dress code to work at a place like IBM or the FBI?

It is pretty stringent compared to this one.

[noamnety]

33. I've worked at IBM.

I was able to wear slacks, there was no heel requirement, and makeup wasn't a requirement.

Back when my mom started working there, however, women had to wear gloves and bonnets!

I've worked with FBI women who wore flat shoes and slacks. Can't recall if they wore makeup.

[midnight]

17. I must say that the financial institution of England should

have their sites on more lauding detail. The banking world has collapsed, and putting lipstick on their female employees is not the professionalism that they should be promoting. If this bank would like to promote a professional image, stop screwing with the public!

[philosophie_en_rose]

19. This is what they're worried about?

Bankers are usually behind desks or counters. Why does the color of their shoes matter? How is wearing lipstick and pantyhose supposed to affect whether my transaction is completed accurately or quickly?

I don't expect bank employees to cater to my clothing or fashion preferences, but I'd think twice about banking with an institution that is so fussy about their employee's clothing.

[TK421]

66. "Your shoes clash with the rest of your outfit...I'm closing my account"

[NashVegas]

20. Some Businesses Don't Want Their Employees' Clothes Screaming "I'm Trendy"

And banks are right up there with corporate lawyers.

This already has crossed the pond, decades ago.

[Moosepoop]

21. So when is the seminar for the male employees?

Surely they need to be lectured on appropriate cuff links, tie pins, and watches, as well as what color socks to wear with what color shoes in relation to their suits. And of course they'll be getting the memo that they must wear heels (no more than 2 inches, though!) and that they must wear makeup, even if it's only eyeshadow.

I wonder how much these seminars are costing the bank?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. I go to work in my pjs but these guidelines aren't really out of line. I don't even consider 2"

heels, as heels. That is the highest I can wear comfortably. A little lipstick isn't torture either. When I worked in an office, before there was even a thought of casual Fridays, I was "put together" everyday.


It would be nice thought if the men had to wear a bit of make-up too! :rofl:

[underpants]

26. SPICY!

:eyes:

[ima_sinnic]

28. last time I was in my bank I noticed the teller's purse

(which was locked in a cabinet behind and under the counter, but I have x-ray vision) did not match her skirt.

I will NOT be doing business with such an UNPROFESSIONAL bank!! that is disgusting! I mean, really, do they expect us to have confidence in their ability to handle our money if they can't even match a purse to a skirt? Everybody KNOWS that clothes and makeup have everything to do with skill and trustworthiness in business. In fact, it is an integral part of SWOT analysis: competitor's female employees sometimes wear flat shoes, so competitor is, like, no threat at all!

Look at those fatcat Wall St. bankers--now there are people who can be trusted. After all, THEY KNOW HOW TO DRESS!!1!!1

[melm00se]

29. Let me tell you about my 1st day working for a bank:

we are walking through the lobby of the HQ building and on the floor of inlayed marble (the internal branch was built back in the teens and looked like a bank) was the full out name of the company.

We were all asked to look down and read it. Once we did, the HR orientation person said the single most important word in the full company name was "trust". That is, ultimately, why people give you their money - - - they trust that you will have that money available to them when they need/want it.

They then went on to say that your image, the way you look, act, speak and behave must, always, do nothing that jeopardize those feelings of trust. So we had a dress code:

Men
Suits: dark color preferred: gray, blue but please not black or brown)
White Shirts (pressed) undershirt if necessary so you didn't "show through"
Ties: nothing "obnoxious" - I was told that my "pinky and the brain" tie wouldn't do - but power red was the cultural tie of choice
Black shoes
Belt to match the shoes
Well groomed: no beards, mustaches ok (just barely), hair above the collar, do not smell (that meant minimal cologne but also no garlic for lunch)
Jewelry: watch and ring only

Women
Suits (as above) were ok
Skirts (just above the knee - no mini's)
Shoes - no high heels, 3 inch maximum please
Hose - no designs or seamed stockings
White shirt - slip/camisole so you don't show through
Jewelry - again, watch and ring, necklace is ok, earrings: 1 per ear, no other piercings
Perfume - minimal and no overbearing

Needless to say: no visible tattoos

As you moved up in the ranks (I made it to VP) the expectation was that your dress would improve accordingly (off the rack suits from Sears could definitely limit your upward career mobility) but things like Armani suits were considered "excessive" (I learned this last part as there were new orientations as you moved from individual contributor to manager and another one as you moved to "executive", VPs were low, entry level executives).

As to the bank that I worked at 15 years ago, they are doing quite nicely, relatively unscathed with the current financial crisis...

[treestar]

31. The make-up part is what crosses the line

Women are never good enough as they were born! They must do something to improve on nature.

[blonndee]

32. I think the "heels" part does, too.

Not required of/suggested for men, and many women like myself can't wear heels without extreme pain.

[treestar]

37. I once read all the damage those heels do

Who invented them, and why? Why is a woman's height not acceptable as is? :rofl: Men are the ones who "should" be tall, so you'd think they'd be the ones stuck on this one.

[Kitty Herder]

50. It's horrible that an institution would require its female employees to wear shoes that

are crippling. Where are they getting their dress code ideas? 18th century China?

[TorchTheWitch]

58. sexual attractiveness

High heels make the leg look longer, better shaped and proportioned. They also subtlely readjust your balance so that the chest and bottom thrust out even by a small degree. That's why they often make the back hurt more than the feet. The higher the heel, the more the bottom and chest need to be thrust out to balance properly. High heels have everything to do with sexual attractiveness and why they were invented. Same with stockings/pantyhose. There were no nylons until skirts became short enough to see some of the leg. Same goes for make-up. Lipstick and blusher were worn to subtlely immitate the flush a woman gets when sexually arroused and after orgasm. Used to be only "loose" women wore make-up (and for that reason). Then the more daring "good" women started using it subtlely for the same reason... sexual attractiveness. Along the way all these things have become part and parcel of a woman's attire... but all of it goes back to sexual attractiveness. Even now our society sees women as more sexually attractive or even "loose" the higher the heel of shoe she wears.


Insisting women in the workplace wear skirts instead of pants, heels, nylons and make-up has everything to do with wanting them to look more sexually attractive, not more professional. Everyone knows women can look very professional in a pantsuit, no make-up and flat shoes and probably moreso than a woman in a knee length skirt, nylons, heels and make-up... the latter will be perceived more sexually than the former by both men and women even if they aren't even aware of it. If this company wanted the women workers to look more professional, they'd be insisting on pants, flat shoes and only very subtle make-up.

[LostinVA]

54. Agreed -- and, I said upthread, they are plenty of flats that are professional

Certain types of loafers, ballerinas, etc. I work in a professional setting and I do NOT wear makeup OR heels, and it's totally within the dress code, and it's a more professional setting than the BOE.

[cherish44]

56. exactly

I agree that well-groomed and conservative dress is expected in certain industries but requiring a woman to wear makeup is blatantly sexist. It's a bank not Hooters. Of course who knows, do they have to wear makeup at Hooters?

[tomg]

57. I think makeup is essential for women

and suits for men. My suggestions as to makeup:


and for suits,say, something along these lines:



I mean it is the Bank of England

[MicaelS]

61. If men can be expected to shave their beards daily

Women can be expected to wear makeup, daily.

[TimeChaser]

34. So what about women with bad ankles, who can't wear heels

for long periods of time?

[MajorChode]

35. On this side of the pond you get fired for not wearing makeup

...and there's nothing you can do about it.

http://www.eeac.org/briefs/JespersenvHarrahs.pdf

[jmowreader]

36. Y'know...

if various media outlets released the "news" that men who wear makeup at work can make as much as $20,000 more per year on average than men who don't, men would suddenly become very interested in wearing it. It's only an exaggeration of the truth--I'm certain the local newscasters make more money than the local supermarket managers.

Follow that up with "how to wear makeup without looking like your wife" articles, and lines of product in masculine-looking containers that you could buy in drugstores, and half the men in the country would at least try it.

[vadawg]

38. from your lips to my ears, not sure i could get away with it though

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

40. The silliest one is that the shoes and skirt have to match!

Purple skirt, purple shoes
Red Skirt, Red shoes
Pink skirt, pink shoes
Green skirt, green shoes

imagine how horrific that would look. It would be like being half a bridesmaid every day.

[Mari333]

47. LOL nt

[Kitty Herder]

49. I imagine I would wear nothing but brown and black skirts.

Because I would not buy a rainbow of shoes. No way. What a waste of money.

I suppose that rule has the effect of keeping the clothing colors somber.

[Jack Sprat]

41. Have any pictures?

I like those tall 5 inch spiked heels on women bankers. Makes them look more professional, I think.

[JerseygirlCT]

45. Oh brother... nt

[Mari333]

46. heels suck ass

there is nothing comfortable about heels to many women. they hurt. they are dangerous. wearing them causes strain on the calf muscles. to this day my mother, who is 82, has problems walking because of heels she wore back in the 50s. flats are professional and more comfortable. why would they want women to be in pain and work? thats not professional.
as for makeup..extend it to the men also..I think men in drag would be a welcome sight at what sounds like an overly stuffy establishment.

[Kitty Herder]

48. I'll second that. nt

[Mari333]

55. I met a guy who likes women in heels

because he said 'they cant run away..it hobbles them so we , as men, can attack...'
from then on I realized its a rape fantasy some guys have.
good way to judge if someone is a total creep.

[RadiationTherapy]

51. Too bad. Too fucking bad.

We are all slaves beholden to corporations. As if this "dress code" is any more offensive than our existence as corporate fertilizer.

Fuggemall.

[cherish44]

52. Well I can't wear heels anymore

I loved high heels but after years of wearing my feet are messed up. I'd have take them the court on that one I guess...legitimate disability. Make up? Well if women have to wear so do the guys. Sorry that rule is a pretty sexist. Not all women wear makeup. Bet a few of the ladies at that bank will be lawyering up. I think most women intelligent enough to work in banking are smart enough to decide for themselves how to dress professionally.

[Matariki]

60. I fear that "in These Economic Times" is going to quickly become the excuse du jour

as if banks problems could be solved by their female employees wearing lipstick :eyes:

No wonder they're in trouble.

[KansDem]

63. Take a lead from the Bush Administration---

W required his cabinet to wear professional business attire at all times in the White House. Then he and they went on to totally fuck-up the world!

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

64. Maybe it's an ill-conceived ploy to retain male and lesbian customers.

:sarcasm:

[McCamy Taylor]

65. Is this legal in England? They have no gender discrimination laws? What about disability?

What about workers who can not wear heels? Can they sue for disability discrimination?