Casual Is the New Corporate: How UK Offices Are Changing Work Clothes
Since the pandemic, casual dress has become much more common in UK offices—and it’s staying that way. With hybrid work becoming the norm and younger generations shaping office culture, are traditional suits and heels becoming outdated?
Work clothes are changing worldwide, a shift sped up by COVID-19 when many people swapped formal office wear for tracksuits and slippers.
Data from job site Indeed shows the UK is following this trend. Traditional suits and ties are less popular, as many companies adopt relaxed dress codes. The change is driven not just by COVID-19, but also by more Gen Z and millennials entering the workforce and the influence of tech companies.
In July 2025, 3.3% of UK job ads mentioned casual dress—over ten times higher than before the pandemic. Common phrases include “smart casual” or “dress for your day.” Mentions rose sharply during the pandemic and peaked at 4% in early 2023.
Before COVID-19, casual dress was mentioned in less than 1% of job listings—just 0.2% in early 2019. Since May 2021, it has stayed above 3%.
Indeed economists Callam Pickering and Jack Kennedy said, “The pandemic changed how people in the UK work, including what they wear. A relaxed dress code shows a lot about company culture. In a competitive job market, flexible dress rules can help attract top talent.”
Dr. Abbey Bartosiak-Ison, an expert in consumer science and analytics, added that before the pandemic, many companies focused more on profit than employee wellbeing.
Workplace Dress Changes During and After the Pandemic
“During the pandemic, priorities changed quickly. With so much uncertainty and stress, employees working from home focused more on their health, family, and getting work done than on how they looked,” she told Euronews Business.
A Trend That’s Likely to Stay
Callam Pickering and Jack Kennedy say the pandemic sped up this change in work dress, but social and cultural trends are also keeping it going.
For example, millennials and Gen Z are becoming the largest generations at work and many are in positions of influence. They prefer more relaxed dress codes compared to older workers. Tech culture, which has always avoided strict office rules, is also influencing other industries. Silicon Valley, known for hoodies and sneakers, values comfort and creativity over formal clothing.
Casual Dress Common in Certain Jobs
From 2020 to 2023, jobs that offered some remote work were more likely to mention casual dress. Even in 2025, dress expectations still depend on the type of job. Jobs in personal care, home health, marketing, media, communications, education, and training often mention casual dress.
Where you work also matters. Northern Ireland had the most job postings mentioning casual dress, followed by North West England and the East Midlands. London had the fewest (only 2.3%), with Scotland slightly higher. Economists say London’s lower number is because many jobs are in finance, where formal clothing is still expected. In tech, casual dress is so normal that it is often not mentioned at all.
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