The pandemic has changed the company dress code

MeN AN INTERNAL memo to staff in 2016 JPMorgan Chase relaxed its dress code. American banks’ 240,000 employees can hang up their coats and wear the business casual attire provided for Fridays throughout the work week. Some clothes remain pale outside (T-shirts, flip-flops, tank tops, yoga pants). But lots of polo shirts, skirts (of appropriate length), dress sandals being fair game.

JPMorgan is, sartorially speaking, ahead of time among stuffy corporate giants (turtlenecks and hoodies have long been the fashion choice of the Silicon Valley giant). Others followed, as it were. Men’s corporate uniforms and women’s power suits designed to reflect them are increasingly seen as vestiges of the male-dominated office of yore and no longer fit for purpose in the greater (though still imperfect) world of workplace equality. As more and more people run or cycle to work, they find that changing into a full suit is impractical, as jackets that fold into backpacks tend to lose their crispness.

These days bonding is no longer a necessity in client meetings even for striped investment bankers at Goldman Sachs. Formal wear suppliers have fallen on hard times. Last year the Brooks Brothers, who had been sewing button-up shirts since 1818, filed for bankruptcy. Last month Marks & Spencer, the UK retailer, announced it would no longer sell menswear in more than half of its larger stores.

As the pandemic completely separates work and office attendance, employees at many companies are turning to something less rigid. However, unlike JPMorgan, most have not put in place any guidelines on what is and isn’t appropriate. Although the Delta variant forced the company to delay returning to the office, that day is coming. When workers return to their desks, at least some of the time, new dress codes may be needed.

Much has been written about what people are wearing on Zoom calls during lockdown (and what they’re not wearing: some retailers are reporting that tops have significantly sold out pants in the past year and a half). Designers like Giles Deacon in the UK have launched fashion collections from everywhere, aiming for clothes that are a little looser but still look smart. Two Japanese companies, Aoki and Whatever Inc, create pajama suits, a soft and comfortable blend of suits and casual wear, perfect for video conferences attended from home. Aoki uses the same fabric as his pajamas but with a cut like a suit. Whatever Inc WFH Jammies is a business above, loungewear below.

That doesn’t mean that business-relaxed Fridays have been replaced by sports work weeks. Indeed, some workplaces are already experiencing a reaction to informality. In 2017 the British House of Commons ruled that men MPs are no longer required to wear a tie when attending debates; previously they could only play untied on hot summer days. But in early September this year Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of Parliament, announced that he expected all MPs to be smart. Jeans, chinos, and sleeveless tops are out of stock.

Taken as a whole, individual clothing speaks for more than personal preference. People’s fashion choices add up to the zeitgeist. It’s no coincidence that the joy of the 1920s came right after the despair of the First World War and the Spanish flu. Today’s tailor brands are hoping that when the pandemic subsides eventually both male and female professionals will feel a new urge to dress up.

So did Bartleby. Like Sir Lindsay, he would recommend that employees maintain a formal level of presentation. Yes, some people can appear disheveled, but not everyone. Dressing with taste and elegance doesn’t have to involve designer clothes or expensive watches. It signifies commitment and seriousness. A freshly washed and clean shirt announces to the world that you’ve put in the effort; no tracksuit.

And if going to the office is a ritual, getting dressed can be a pleasure, not a chore. The way a person dresses is part of his self-expression. It also separates public and private. Stripping off the formal office attire and wearing something comfortable marks the daily transition from work to non-work. The line was blurred during locking and could have done with some sharpening. The man in the suit and tie is the man who loosens his tie at the end of the day.

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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the title “Sweatsuit v suit”