Dear Editor,
Two recent letter-writers referred to the implementation of a dress code to the Post Office. Many government offices have such dress codes in place, upheld by rude security guards who have no control over what they themselves wear.
What is the purpose of a dress code, and who determines this? What are the standards that a dress code seeks to uphold?
I have long been concerned by the nonsensical infliction of so-called ‘dress codes’ on members of the public, which deems the upper arm completely unacceptable but finds no issue with some exposure of thigh and bosom. We live in a tropical country; our daily news is filled with dire indications of increased temperatures, global warming, and the threat of worse to come. Are we to ignore this in our dress, or does the Ministry of Home Affairs assume that we are all adding to our environmental woes with air conditioning?
While I agree that there is a line that should not be crossed, and that obscene slogans, transparent materials and excessively revealing attire should not be allowed at public offices, this puritanical moralism has gone too far. What, exactly, is wrong with the appearance of a woman who is quite decently attired except for the fact that her shirt – collared and buttoned – has no sleeves? And why can a man not wear tailored shorts of the same type that our nation’s schoolboys spend five out of seven days in?
The application of this ‘dress code’ at the National Cultural Centre is just as laughable. Have the “authorities” never heard of Evening Dress? Are they aware that for ladies, full-sleeved evening dress can be torturously hot (especially in a packed Cultural Centre!) and is generally designed for the colder seasons in temperate countries?
Why are we addressing extreme behaviour by punishing moderate behaviour? Should we issue an advisory to prospective tourists, warning them that they’d better dress formally to send their postcards home?
Please, let common sense be our guide, and let me buy my stamps in peace.
Yours faithfully,
(name and address supplied)
