I was dress-coded by my boss and told to ‘cover up’ now there’s a man in the office… my outfit wasn’t an issue before

A DRESS-coded woman has detailed how her boss ordered her not to wear a certain frock to work due to a MAN joining the team.

Lindsey Nicole says she was told to “cover up now that we have a man in the office”... despite the dress being a weekly feature in her work attire since February.

The 25-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) to detail the incident after being shocked by her manager’s request.

“So my boss told me to ‘cover-up’ now that we have a man in the office,” she wrote.

“I have worn this dress once a week since I started in February.

“It has never been a problem.

“My office code is business casual.

“What is wrong with this?”

The long floral dress features a burnt-range base colour.

And despite having a dip for cleavage, it goes below the knee and has capped sleeves.

Lindsey added that her office had previously been mostly women before the new male hire started.

The now-deleted post on X sparked fierce debate, amassing more than two million views and thousands of comments.

Social media users were divided on just how “work friendly” the frock is.

A number of women described the dress-coding incident as “misogyny” and questioned why “the onus is on women and not men to have some self control”.

“I know they aren’t mad about two inches of titty line,” one supporter wrote.

“If this dress is such a distraction for that male employee then maybe he needs to be the one policed on his behaviour.”

Five workwear essentials

By Clemmie Fieldsend

Fabulous Fashion Editor Clemmie Fieldsend shared the five workwear essentials everyone should have.

1. WHITE SHIRT

A good white shirt is so versatile. Great for wearing on their own or layering underneath knits and transforming plain jumpers by adding cuff and collar detail, as well as wearing open over plain tops.

2. WIDE LEG TROUSERS

They've become a wardrobe staple over recent years as they are comfortable, flattering and will elevate your workwear. Look out for styles with pleating or darting.

3. PRACTICAL TOTE

for a day at work or on your commute you'll need all your essentials with you, cram them all into a sleek and stylish tote bag in a neutral colour like black, brown or beige so it can be used with all of your outfits.

4. TAILORED BLAZER

Even if worn with torn jeans a tailored blazer will instantly make you look polished and smart for work. Black will be the most useful and look for silhouettes with structure.

5. SIMPLE LOAFER

Whether you like delicate or chunky, a flat and comfortable shoe is essential for everyday use and can look just as dressy as a heel.

But some armchair fashion critics argued that the dress wasn’t appropriate for work because “it shows too much cleavage”.

“The dress isn’t business casual as business casual has more structured clothing,” one claimed.

“Also, you have too much cleavage showing.

“Plus, you look extremely casual - very cute for brunch, but not cute for work.”

There were also nuanced arguments thrown into the mix.

One debater penned that their “knee-jerk reaction is that they don’t think the dress is business casual” but added they were “concerned” she’d been told to stop wearing it because of a man’s presence.

Another added: “It’s just unfortunate because for women with large breasts, that means covering up to their neck.

“And for girls who are smaller on top… well, they can wear whatever.”