To shorts or not to shorts? That is the question.

With the UK on the brink of yet another period of 30+ degree summer weather this week, office workers up and down the nation stand faced with difficult decisions to make around their choice of workplace attire.

As summers get warmer and attitudes towards what is or isn't acceptable begin to change, Ipsos polling shows that most now consider tailored shorts are perfectly acceptable in hot weather spells, though flip-flops remain firmly off limits.

Style experts have told a BBC report that the key lies in balancing professionalism with comfort through smarter choices such as lightweight layers and fabrics.

With hot summers increasingly becoming the norm, employment lawyers are encouraging employers to consider greater flexibility, making sure that dress codes remain reasonable, practical and, above all else, fair for all staff.

Polling data

Previously in top spot on the office taboo list, more than 3 in 5 adults in the UK now believe that shorts are acceptable in the UK during hot weather. 59% say that short skirts and dresses are acceptable for women, compared to just 20% who declared the opposite.

But despite a softening on the shorts issue, British adults polled maintain strict boundaries when it comes to athletic wear, open-toed shoes and casual headwear.

Over half said that flip-flips are unacceptable workplace wear (64% for men and 58% for women). 56% think that tank tops or vests are unacceptable for men in the office.

These results came from an Ipsos sample of 1,126 online British adults aged 18 or above. 

Comfortable but professional

Fashion designer Amanda Wakeley said to the BBC: "Natural materials such as linen, cotton and lightweight silk are generally more breathable than synthetic fabrics.

"Loose silhouettes, lighter colours and clothes that skim rather than cling to the body can also help."

Stylist Clare Chambers added: "(I recommend) an outfit has one structured item like tailored shorts, some contrast through colour or texture and a focal point such as jewellery or a belt.

"Look at how senior colleagues interpret the rules and, when uncertain, arrive slightly smarter rather than noticeably more casual."

Legal considerations

Employment lawyer Sarah Tahamtani told the BBC: "(dress codes should be) reasonable, proportionate and capable of justification.

"During extreme heat, employers should consider whether existing requirements remain practical and whether greater flexibility can be introduced."

Employers would also be well advised to consideer employees with disablities, medical conditions or other vulnerabilities that may be worsened by increased temperatures.