Dressing down, for dress down staff

FIRST the dotcom boom went bust, now its laid-back style has gone out of fashion in the City. Staff at Deutsche Bank have been told to smarten up after some of them began appearing at work in distressed denim, figure-hugging T-shirts and trainers.

While dress-down Friday will continue, blue denim, sports clothes, crop-tops, Tshirts and baggy clothes will be banned. Clubbing gear will be out and for good measure, shirts will have to be tucked in.

In line with the growth of e-commerce, City firms had relaxed their insistence on stiff collars, pinstripes and ties. But Deutsche's chief operating manager Mark Ferron said 'casual business dress' has been taken to extremes and 'business wardrobes' should be rebuilt. He added: 'We feel there has been a significant shift in sentiment over the past 18 months among our clients regarding dress code.'

Ferron warned that should staff fail to comply, even dress-down Fridays would be ditched. By way of encouragement he reminded staff they are eligible for discounts at a number of retailers. A spokesman for Deutsche Bank said: 'We are a global investment bank, not a sixth form college.'

Trade and risk adviser Christina Gmad, 24, said: 'It's wonderful that people here have the choice of dressing more casually. But for me it doesn't make much of a difference because I dress fairly smartly every day. You never know when a customer will come into the office so it's best to be on the smart side.'

Tammie McNiece, 24, who works in IT at the bank, said: 'The dress-down policy is great. I love business casual. It's easier to buy things for, and you can be in fashion. Suits are just so uncomfortable, especially on hot days like this, and what I wear has no bearing on my work.'