Frivolous Dress Order !new! -
Research suggests that the clothes we wear affect our psychological processes. Wearing something "frivolous" or grand can actually boost your mood and confidence.
"Just got a dress code update – they want us in specific brand-name shoes and matching blazers for desk work. No client visits. This feels totally frivolous. Anyone else pushing back on this?" Frivolous Dress Order
Before you issue that memo banning the color purple or requiring dress shoes in a rainstorm, ask yourself one question: Is this worth a lawsuit, a resignation, or a viral TikTok? If the answer is no, shred the frivolous dress order and trust your people to dress with common sense. Research suggests that the clothes we wear affect
Gendered and Racialized Dimensions Regulation of “frivolous” dress is often gendered—women’s ornamentation receives disproportionate scrutiny, tied to anxieties about sexuality and public morality. Racialized policing appears when minority cultural dress is recast as exotic, unprofessional, or frivolous, justifying its suppression. Thus, what counts as frivolous is never neutral; it reflects dominant norms. No client visits
If you’re an HR leader or business owner, you want a dress code that works. Here’s how to avoid issuing a frivolous dress order.