Dress Codes – Top 3 Pros and Cons

Pro 1

Dress codes enforce decorum and a serious, professional atmosphere conducive to success.

Research shows that the quality of work improves when performed by individuals who dress up. One study found that participants who wore formal business attire (such as suits) scored higher on cognitive tests, with specific increases in abstract thinking. [13] [14]

Another study compared negotiations completed by a group who dressed up and another group who dressed casually. The dressed-up group closed more profitable deals. [13] [14]

Study participants who wore a white lab coat or who were told a white coat was a doctor’s coat made 50% fewer mistakes on high-concentration tasks than people who did not wear a lab coat or who were told the white coat was an artists’ smock. [13] [14]

High school athletes at St. Louis Park High School in Minnesota agreed that their teams’ dress code days (which include dressing up on game days) positively contributed to team unity. Brendan Donahue, a hockey player, said participating in dress code days better prepared him for games. He stated, “The dress codes add a further feeling of connection, teamwork and bond by wearing the same thing. It acts as a uniform much like our jerseys. Our dress code of dressing up adds a feeling of professionalism to our team and sport.” [15]

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Pro 2

Uniformly mandated dress codes promote safety.

From school chemistry labs to manufacturing jobs, some dress code requirements are obviously about safety. Many places require protective glasses, steel-toed boots, fire-resistant jackets, hard hats, or reflective vests, for example. [16] [17] [18] [19]

Other items of clothing may be restricted for less obvious safety reasons. Leggings, for example, are frequently made from synthetic, flammable materials that could react with spilled chemicals and catch fire. Similarly, skin-baring clothing may also be banned around chemicals to prevent burns. [19]

Religious headscarves have been banned in some settings, such as prisons, because wearers could be strangled by the garments in an altercation. [16] [20] [21]

Still other dress codes, such as no full-face masks (like Halloween masks) allowed in movie theaters, are intended to help prevent shootings and other violence. [22]

Other clothing restrictions at schools and public places may seem arbitrary but are used to protect against gang activity. Colors, brands, and logos may be gang-affiliated in certain locations. As Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska explained, “Clothing and accessories associated with gangs and hate groups have the potential to disrupt the learning environment by bringing symbols that represent fear and intimidation of others into classrooms. The identification and prohibition of this clothing help decrease the impact of gangs and hate groups in school. These rules also protect students who are unaware they are wearing clothes with a gang or hate group affiliation.” [23]

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Pro 3

Dress codes promote inclusiveness and a comfortable, cooperative environment while eliminating individualistic attire that can distract from common goals.

As Bonneville Academy, a STEM school in Stansbury Park, Utah, explained, “The primary objective of a school dress code is to build constant equality among all the students. When all the students wear the same style of dress, then there will be the same kind of atmosphere across the school campus. This pattern encourages the student to concentrate more on their academic and co-curricular activities… then all the learning becomes more interesting and relevant… Students who are used to dress[ing] properly will be well equipped to evolve into the actual world, especially when they enter into the ever-competitive job market.” [24]

Susan M. Heathfield, a management and organization development consultant, stated, “Employees appreciate guidance about appropriate business attire for your workplace—especially when you specify a rationale for the dress code that your team has selected.” Simply knowing whether suits are required or jeans are appropriate removes guesswork for employees, which leads to a more comfortable work environment. Similarly, dress codes can make a disparate group of people feel like a team—no one is left out or judged differently solely on the basis of the way they dress. [25] [26] [28]

Dress codes can also make workplace hierarchies friendlier and more work-conducive. A manager who dresses in suits with ties may intimidate employees who wear branded polo shirts and khakis, preventing effective communication. [28]

Further, dress codes mean employees and customers or clients won’t be distracted by individualistic clothing. For example, a customer of Nebraska State Bank & Trust Co. complained to the bank’s president about a branch employee’s outfit of mismatched tunic and leggings, fringed boots, and large earrings. A customer complaint can not only alienate the customer but also distract employees from their tasks and potentially embarrass or shame the employee whose outfit sparked the complaint. [29]

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