Dress codes: what can you wear?

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Dress codes
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: Hello – this is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - and Alice is with me
today. Hello Alice!
Alice: Hello Yvonne!
Yvonne: Now these days, BBC staff no longer wear formal clothes for work - like
dinner jackets and evening dresses.
Alice: What a shame – it would be nice to get really dressed up to go to work
sometimes.
Yvonne: So how would you describe your BBC work wardrobe, Alice – the clothes you
wear to work?
Alice: Well I suppose it's what you call 'smart casual'. So for women, that's quite a
smart skirt and blouse or dress or trousers. And for men - nice shirt, smart
trousers but perhaps no tie or jacket.
Yvonne: So that's 'smart casual'. Now recently – the Ukrainian government decided to
publish a dress code for its workers on the official website. Alice, would you
explain for us what is meant by ‘a dress code’?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Alice: Well here, it’s a set of written guidelines or rules about what people should and
shouldn’t wear to work. In some cases, workers get into trouble if they don’t
follow the dress code.
Yvonne: Thanks, Alice. But before we hear about the details of Ukraine’s dress code,
I’ve a question. Alice, following its independence, an African country banned
its men from wearing the western style suit with shirt and tie. This was done to
show that the country had broken links with its colonial past – but which
country was it?
Zaire, now known as The Democratic Republic of Congo
Rwanda or
Uganda
Alice: Ooh – that's difficult. I'm not sure, so I'm going to guess the second answer –
Rwanda.
Yvonne: As usual, we’ll find whether you're right or wrong later on! As mentioned
earlier, in the Ukraine, government workers now have an official dress code.
So, let’s find out what workers there used to wear - and what they’re being
asked to wear now. Here’s part of a report by the BBC’s David Stern from the
capital, Kiev…
David Stern, BBC reporter, Kiev
Ukrainian government workers have received their wardrobe marching orders. Gone
are the flashy, provocative styles of the country's previous administration. In, are more
subdued fashions and colours.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: So, the current government is trying to stop workers from wearing what they
used to by giving their wardrobes ‘marching orders’!
Alice: 'Marching orders' – it's a military term meaning to stop something.
Yvonne: And here, they're giving marching orders to ‘flashy and provocative’ clothes.
Alice, what does that mean?
Alice: Well, ‘flashy’ usually means something that's shiny, bright coloured –
something that attracts a lot of attention. And provocative clothes are those
usually worn to parties or nightclubs to help people look and feel as attractive
as possible.
Yvonne: So, we couldn't be described as 'flashy' dressers then, Alice?
Alice: Not exactly. We're both in grey today!
Yvonne: So we could say that we prefer 'subdued' fashion and colours – just the
opposite. But there were more details about what women should wear – or
rather, not wear…
Extract 2: David Stern, BBC reporter, Kiev
Women were told what perfume to wear - scents with sharp aromas should only be worn
in the afternoon, it suggested. They should also avoid short, tight skirts and outfits that
revealed too much cleavage. Flats were preferred to high heels.
Yvonne: So, no scents with sharp aromas in the mornings.
Alice: That's - no strong perfumes.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: Well, I can understand how women showing a lot of their chest area –
revealing too much cleavage – isn’t appropriate for work, but I don't think I
like the rule about shoes!
Alice: It says it prefers women to wear ‘flats’ rather than ‘high heels’. Maybe that's
for safety.
Yvonne: That's true – could be. Well, you’ll probably be pleased to hear that men have a
few rules too…
Extract 3: David Stern, BBC Reporter, Kieve
As for men, the advice was more basic. They should dress in trousers that break across
their shoe fronts and their suit sleeves should reach the top of their palms. They should
also not wear the same outfit two days in a row, the dress code suggested.
Yvonne: Men shouldn't wear suits that are too small for them and, they should wear a
different outfit each day. So Alice, what’s your reaction to that one?
Alice: I think that's difficult for me because suits can be very expensive. It is true men
don't look so good in suits that are too small - but I think I'd just say wear a
clean shirt and a different tie and you'll look different.
Yvonne: Good point. Now earlier, I asked which African country, following
independence, banned its men from wearing the western style suit with shirt
and tie to show it had broken links with the colonial past.
Alice: And I said 'Rwanda'?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: Hmm – good guess but it was actually Zaire, now known as the Democratic
Republic of Congo. And there's just time now for a reminder of some of the
language we came across in today's programme.
Alice: Dinner jacket
Wardrobe
Dress Code
Flashy
Provocative
Subdued fashion
Flats
High heels
Yvonne: That's all for today's “6 Minute English”. Do join us again for more!
Both: Goodbye!