Looking around, not just in my office, but also en route this morning and in the Victoria Station area morning and lunchtime, there is a very high proportion of men wearing black, dark grey, navy etc suit-type trousers. I don't understand it. One of my colleagues, who is out of the office today, wears light white cotton trousers on hot days, and I think he looks entirely appropriate, despite being somewhat overweight. I could not bear to wear any of my trouser suits today, not even my summer suit, (which has a nylon lining, which will have to go, I think). I am currently wearing a beige cotton skirt and a blue tee-shirt. I don't think I would wear them if I had a meeting, but my female colleagues are dressed similarly, or in cotton dresses, except for one black woman who feels the cold. Our admin bloke is even wearing a tie.
It's not like we have a dress code here, just, as auditors, you tend to dress a certain way. Throughout my career I have often dressed down in the office, especially in the summer, but my managers have always been able to trust me to dress appropriately for meetings. Ten years ago I had a meeting with some terribly senior chap who was popping in at half eight en route from Cheltenham to Whitehall. I decided to wear my thoroughly gorgeous red suit with black velvet collar and cuffs. Afterwards, my manager said he knew what I would wear. I must have pulled a face, because, hurriedly, he said, "No, no, I mean, I knew you would want to create a professional impression."
