Office Dress Code

[KAJ]

I am curious if Singapore's professional workplace culture has progressed to accept LGBTQ professionals and the acceptable office dress code policies. Are women wearing men's suit and tie for business professional dress code in the office hired during job interviews and accepted in the office culture? Please share your thoughts and experience!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Women sometimes wear pants suits to the office but rarely do men wear dresses or skirts.

[BBCDoc]

My company is open to professional dress for all, but due to Singapore climate, hardly anyone wears suit and tie.

As SMS states, shirt and pants are fine for the few LGs we have. While I support traditional Batik, no guy has worn a sarong yet.

We should get in a Scotsman to see if kilts are tolerable...though I suspect there will be HR issues on the underwear side of things..


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[KAJ]

LOL. Yes I am only referring to women wearing men’s suits or professional apparel only and not men wearing female apparel (even that is not accepted in the States). My question stems from past experience more than 10 years ago when I interviewed for a temp position at a bank and was shocked when the interviewer mentioned ladies were only permitted to wear pants on Friday and have a skirts/dresses business professional dress code Mon-Fri. I left the interview and got a job as a bartender right after then moved to US for college and got a job with my CPA. I’m curious on acceptance of female professional dress code as I miss Singapore and am considering moving back but I am afraid of the discrimination.

[TropicalExpat]

LOL. Yes I am only referring to women wearing men’s suits or professional apparel only and not men wearing female apparel (even that is not accepted in the States). My question stems from past experience more than 10 years ago when I interviewed for a temp position at a bank and was shocked when the interviewer mentioned ladies were only permitted to wear pants on Friday and have a skirts/dresses business professional dress code Mon-Fri. I left the interview and got a job as a bartender right after then moved to US for college and got a job with my CPA. I’m curious on acceptance of female professional dress code as I miss Singapore and am considering moving back but I am afraid of the discrimination.

I rarely see women wear suits in the CBD. I don't think any of the big international firms should have any issues.
It's the local ones with older bosses that you might have issues with.
With regards to moving back, I don't know what longer term members here would think but in my experience (and I am not LGBTQ so take it with a big pinch of salt) is that most people (especially younger), really don't care about orientation these days.
Don't expect a pride parade though!!!!
The other question to need to ask if what you plan to do if you get married - the legal system does not recognise same sex unions so things like healthcare etc I believe may be problematic - more experts on legal matters should weigh in

[KAJ]

I am not active LGBTQ circle but I do want to be able to at least be comfortable of what I am wearing. That said, I have only ever worn men’s apparel and so that is my specific issue, regardless of whether it is business professional, business causal or just casual. Like I’ve heard of some who have gone to lengths to buy men’s looking female apparel or “boyfriend’s shirt” or even alter and custom order men’s apparel to make it a bit more feminine, or some sort. I am just not that kind of gal who needs that. I fit men’s apparel sizes and look just fine . So curious if the current workplace culture is more acceptable now.

Regarding same sex legal protection, I doubt we will ever see Singapore legalize same sex marriage or provide some sort of legal protection due to our neighboring countries and their strong religious stance as we politically and in terms of natural resources, depend heavily on our relationships with them. Unless ASEAN countries as a whole starts legalizing, perhaps there may be hope. But that’s just my opinion. So while I agree that is a still a significant issue I should consider in moving back, my mother is in her golden years and I am thinking of going back to be close to her.

[PNGMK]

You won't have a problem wearing slacks or trousers in an MNC. Jeans are a bit too casual for some work places.

I can't speak for the bigoted, badly run, racist, one-eyed, biased SME's though.

[KAJ]

That is what I am afraid of, because Singapore mainly comprises of SMEs because they make up 99% of the domestic companies. I reckon getting back to public accounting with one of the big 4 should not have much of problem (crossing fingers as I wore suit and tie for over 2 years at EY in the US) but all the other job offers are from domestic SME firms which is what I am a little afraid of. Do you have or had any female co-workers who wore men’s apparel at the work?

[PNGMK]

I have female co workers who wear all sorts of things and I have nothing to say about it as I have no interest in explaining my views to HR. I can't recall the last time I saw one in a bikini tho(or maybe I can on the Danwood Ice but she might have been from a load of hookers that the toolpusher smuggled on board back in the 80s and those days are long gone!) and I see women in suits (normally power types) and in overalls (oil field) and in miniskirts and in pants and in crop tops and in dresses and in saris and in cheongsams and in baju. Also if you're butch you're in good company here as there is a little bit of "we didn't have a boy so she is going to be the man of the family" thing here like there is in Thailand which allows girls to be men so to speak.

I mean half the women here don't have any A or T anyways and basically look like teen boys.

Don't over think it lah.

[Addadude]

It depends on the type of company you're joining. If it's in the creative field, what you wear won't be an issue. If you are in a client-facing role, you just have to look smart. If it's in banking you might have some issues depending on the bank. As PNGMK pointed out, most international (Western) companies are reasonable. If its an Asian MNC or a local SME you might have difficulties however.

[PNGMK]

Even then most of the people in SME's and MNC's are not that well dressed. I mean some of them wear pajamas to work still.

[sundaymorningstaple]

My former MD wore cargo shorts, flip-flops & a photographer's vest. The only time he put a shirt on was if potential clients were coming to the office. Pants? IF he wore them, they were jeans instead of the cargo shorts. Pretty hard to create a dress code with him around.

[TropicalExpat]

I've seen ladies working in offices of MNCs in sportswear, so I think it really depends on the firm.

[newtosingapore2020]

I am thinking of a job in Research in banking. Do you know if you have to wear suits still? In London, most people don't wear suits, but I hear in Asia, it's still more common to wear suits. Is this true?

[PNGMK]

I am thinking of a job in Research in banking. Do you know if you have to wear suits still? In London, most people don't wear suits, but I hear in Asia, it's still more common to wear suits. Is this true?

No. At least not in most banks but maybe Coutts when servicing the Queen on her visits to her dominion every few decades (i.e. maybe, just maybe in private banking - in the front office of retail they wear some sort of uniform usually).