A parliamentary telling-off and how to get Zoom dress code etiquette right
It’s been almost a year in this strange alternate reality, and we’re still finding our way. So spare a thought for Jonathan Gullis, the Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent, who was shut down in the House of Commons for his slovenly appearance over Zoom. In a debate yesterday, Deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing - in a move worthy of internet heroine Jackie Weaver - took one look at Gullis’s nondescript sweater and deemed it unworthy of such an official set-up.
“We now go to….no, I don’t think we do go to Stoke-on-Trent, the honourable gentleman has to be dressed as if he were here in the chamber,” said Laing. A while later, presumably after a frantic scuffle with the ironing board and fiddle to perfect the Half-Windsor, Gullis appeared suitably chastened in shirt, tie and grey suit jacket. Our parliamentary Miranda Priestley gave her sartorial nod of approval.
“I observe that the honourable gentleman is now properly dressed. Lest anyone should be confused, when people are participating virtually then they are appearing in this chamber, the Chamber of the House of Commons,” she said, a veritable Anna Wintour of the Epping Forest constituency.
“Therefore it is absolutely imperative that everybody taking part in these debates should be dressed in a way that they would be in the House of Commons.” Ouch. Gullis, like an errant schoolboy reprimanded by matron, ventured that “the jacket is now on”.
You can’t help but feel a degree of sympathy for the MP. Professional Zoom dress codes have been the subject of lengthy debate these last 12 months. Last April, as we were first finding our feet with his digital set-up, a Florida judge (quite rightly) lambasted a lawyer who appeared shirtless on camera.
And while Laing has authority to lay down the law in the House of Commons, technically there’s no hard-and-fast rule on wearing ties in the House. They are customary, rather than compulsory - former Speaker John Bercow instructed that ties were not necessary in 2017 during a particularly sweltering summer. That said, a decree of decorum is appropriate if you’re presenting to a chamber full of MPs in one of the highest offices in the country.
It’s easy to forget, of course. We’re spending our days in sloppy leisurewear (I write this in a winning ensemble best termed ‘Stig of the Dump chic’), but switching on the camera requires a degree of consideration. After an entirely unscientific poll of various city friends, stylishly inclined colleagues and fashion professionals, here are the rules.
Consider the context
Is it a Monday morning meeting with the board of directors, or a Friday afternoon catch-up with your colleague-come-drinking-buddy? Gullis adopted a wardrobe worthy of the latter, when the former would have been more appropriate. Sweaters are fine on work Zoom calls, but take into account who you’re speaking to and whether you’ll look truly authoritative and on-point in front of the MD while wearing a jumper you did the weeding in.
If in doubt: collars for colleagues
One lawyer friend at a Magic Circle firm implements this rule: when on work meetings where he’s visible, wear a shirt with collars. It might feel incongruous to your working-at-home arrangement, but it’ll make you feel more polished and put together. Another, more free and easy approach is a grandad collar variation - it has the uprightness of a proper shirt but without the buttoned-up nature of a more traditional, collared version.
Should you wear a suit?
Again, it’s all about context. If you’re an academic broadcasting to a wide audience, appearing as a pundit on the news, or an MP talking to parliament, wearing a shirt and blazer shows a sense of respect. This doesn’t have to mean suiting up in your best Savile Row tailoring - brands have become adept at creating blazers and jackets in soft-fitting, casual materials, as a halfway point. Hamilton & Hare’s neat jersey jackets are smart enough for digital dalliances and are British-made, to boot.
Waffle-knit cotton blazer, £175, Hamilton & Hare
A tie, I would hazard, is a formality too far, but if it makes you feel pulled together then by all means adopt one. Sometimes it’s the psychological effects that matter, rather than the fine points of appearance.
Consider a Zoom groom
We’re all a little shaggier around the gills these days, and perhaps Gullis’s bearded appearance didn’t help to convince his front-row critic. My partner has now taken to referring to my unruly wire mop of hair as ‘the dead badger’, so I know a thing or two about the toll of lockdown grooming - or lack thereof.
Keep hair under control as best you can with some strong-hold gel, and if you’ve grown a beard, keep it neat and trimmed rather than bushily ragged. Our societal re-emergence might be some weeks away, and until then, Tom Hanks in Castaway floating into view on camera won’t inspire confidence.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.
Sign up for the Telegraph Luxury newsletter for your weekly dose of exquisite taste and expert opinion.
