Page 26 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_Neat

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Deciding what to wear to work isn’t getting any

easier for women, even as business dress codes relax

By The Conversation –
By Lucy Newton, Professor in Business History,
Henley Business School, University of Reading
& Victoria Barnes, Reader in Commercial Law,
Brunel University London

HSBC has recently introduced what
it calls a “more casual” uniform for
its branch staff, including jumpsuits
and jeans, “menopause-friendly”
clothing, as well as “ethnic wear”.
The uniforms aim to make staff
immediately visible to customers and
also signal a clear corporate message of
a friendly, approachable high street bank.
Last year, Virgin Airlines announced

that staff could wear any version they
wish of its Vivienne Westwood-designed This work was possible thanks to access To this day, dark-coloured, “sensible” work

staff uniforms, giving space for personal provided by Barclays Group archives. suits convey the classic image of a banker
expression of gender identity. in sober, serious, professional attire. This

Such changes hint at the difficulties We looked at the introduction of a new “uniform” is a clear signal of authority and
role – the personal banker – by Barclays
involved in working out what to wear in the 1970s. This was an entry-level status in the workplace.
at work, especially for women working position, based primarily on the shop Suits have also been adopted by women,

in offices or in customer – and client- floor, engaging with customers and being of course. But they still tend to have

facing roles. Without a uniform – be that more approachable and available than more choices to make than men, even if
employer-designed or a female version traditional clerks or bank managers. they wear a suit to work: trousers or skirt,
of the traditional work suit – women have length of skirt, fabric colour, boots or
often had to forge their own identity at In the early days, the position was shoes, heel height, neckline, accessories –
work. mostly held by women and there was a the list goes on.
This is because, like it or not, work clothes corresponding uniform (see image) of
a blue two-piece skirt suit with a white And the options they choose can aff ect
are important. They reflect the identity blouse. how they are seen by bosses, colleagues,

of both employee and employer, as well clients and customers.
as status. Clothes communicate key Female personal bankers, on the whole,
information and influence how others seemed to enjoy wearing this uniform. Indeed, documents from Barclay’s archives

perceive the wearer. Our research shows they saw it as an showed that managers felt women were
In a corporate environment, clothing also equivalent to the male business suit, that able to provide the personal, caring and
gave them a sense of legitimacy and status relationship-based approach in branches

reflects the identity of the organisation. that they did not have in the traditionally that it was seeking at the time.
Many businesses still see what employees male banking world.
wear as an important indicator of their And the uniforms were an attempt to
brand and it also affects perceptions of It’s telling then that the small number support the bank’s thinking around this

employees on an individual basis. This is of male workers that were personal kind of branding. One internal marketing
the case with uniforms, as well as when bankers at Barclays in the 1970s did not report from 1979 said:
women wear their own clothes to work. have uniforms. Those in charge at the “We believe that uniforms create an

Our research on workwear for women in time preferred “to confine the wearing attitude of mind on behalf of those that
of uniforms to the ladies”, according to a
banking in the 1970s shows how Barclays document sent between two senior staff wear them … and an improved perception
Bank used uniforms as a branding tool, members on September 3 1979 that we of the bank on behalf of our customers.
but also indicates the role gender has found in the archive. They strongly reinforce the idea that we

played in women’s work clothes over the are doing something different to what we
years. have done in the past.”

26 Winter 2024 www.cambridgechamber.com