Woman left fuming as boss says denim shorts are 'inappropriate' for office

Daily Record

08-05-2025

Lauren Rita, who works in sales, shared an image of her outfit on social media after her boss told her off for wearing the long denim shorts to the office - and people were divided.
A young woman was left stunned after her boss deemed her long, white denim shorts unsuitable for the workplace. As the temperature rises throughout spring and into summer, many people will struggle with the heat at work, especially those required to wear a specific uniform in the office.
Wearing lighter clothing is a great solution, but some summer staples like flip-flops, shorts, or vest tops might be considered unprofessional. Recently, Lauren Rita, a sales industry employee, was taken aback by her boss's reaction to her outfit.
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Lauren wore a black bodysuit, white denim long shorts from Primark, a black bag, glasses, a gold necklace, and had curled her hair.
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The London resident, who works a 9-5 job in the sales industry, couldn't understand the issue with her stylish look and took to social media to ask if her boss's comments were justified, reports the Mirror.
Lauren posted on her TikTok page @laurenrita, saying: "My boss said these shorts were not suitable for work, is she wrong?"
People rushed to share their divided opinions - while many do not see a problem with the outfit, others agreed with her boss, and some noted it depends on your job role and work place rules.
"Shorts are inappropriate for work, unless you're a postman," one user commented. "They are SHORTS, not appropriate," another user added.
One commenter showed support for office protocol, posting: "Girl. Office has an elegant and professional dress code. It's not picnic in the park. Shorts are so wrong. Maxi dress / maxi skirt/ wide linen trousers all summer long."
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Another person chimed in, saying: "Anything shorter than knee-length is not appropriate for the office," while someone else noted that workplace norms can differ: "In a corporate office they wouldn't be appropriate, but completely depends where you work. There are plenty of offices where they would be appropriate."
A Swiss woman weighed in with her opinion, saying, "It looks absolutely fine to me."
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A second endorsement from a Swede followed, as they said: "In Sweden this would be perfectly fine. I mean they're casual, but I wouldn't say they're inappropriate."
Others pointed out that it may be Lauren's boss who specifically has a problem with them, instead of it being company policy. One insisted: "You need to ask her what specifically makes them unsuitable. If she doesn't have an answer, they're suitable."
"She's jealous," suggested another.
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Someone shared their personal experience of unwarranted critique, posting: "I've had this happen to me working in a café. Plain normal jeans on. Pulled me aside and everything. It's 100 percent jealousy. Keep wearing them."
Discussions around shorts being acceptable attire in the office have persisted over time. These days, some companies have adopted a more casual stance toward traditional business dress.
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Nonetheless, the acceptability of such outfits remains heavily dependent on the specific sector you are employed in.
Moss, the renowned UK men's fashion label famed for its selection of suits, has offered guidance on the appropriateness of shorts in the workplace. On its website, it advises: "The job you do definitely has a bearing on what you wear for work. If there's a safety issue with you wearing shorts, or your workplace still requires you to wear a suit and tie, then it's probably a no."
The brand further explains that dress codes can vary greatly across different sectors, saying: "Certain industries have different standards when it comes to workwear, and your company may want to keep it more on the formal side."
Moss also highlights the importance of choosing the right type of shorts, adding: "The type of shorts you wear matter too. Gym shorts, sleep shorts or very short shorts? Probably not, unless your workplace dress code is really relaxed."