No chewing gum! Inside Equity Bank’s revised dress code for male staff

Male staff employed by Equity Bank are expected to dress in a certain manner to bring out an image of a” professional, put-together look.”

According to an Equity Bank guidebook in Nairobi News‘ possession, men are expected to dress for their body shape, whereby those with a V shape should wear slim fit shirts and suits while those with H body shapes should wear straight shirts and European regular fit suits.

The O-body type must wear American or relaxed-fit shirts and suits.

Below are some of the dos and don’ts outlined by the bank for their male staff:

Do’s

1. Tall, thin men should dress in a style that helps build a masculine silhouette. Ties with diagonal stripes and well-fitted garments such as single-breasted fit suits and waistcoats will achieve this.
2. Short men should wear pinstripes or thinly spaced chalk stripes in dark shades to elongate their bodies.
3. Heavy-set men should wear well-cut double-breasted suits in light material to camouflage the tummy area. They should also wear dark colors in vertical pinstripes.
4. Athletic men should wear Italian cut or custom-tailored styles with deeper necklines.
5. During the week, they are expected to wear either single-breasted, double-breasted or three-piece suits in black, dark blue, dark grey, dark brown, or light grey. The recommended prints are heavy cotton, wool blend, gabardine, polyester/cotton twist, high-quality wool, and herringbone wool.
6. Their pants should be flat-front trousers for V-shaped bodies, single-pleat trousers for all body shapes, and double-pleat trousers for H and O body shapes. They are expected to fit well at the waistline without a belt, and the length should fall just above the shoe’s sole.
7. Male staff should wear perfect-fit shirts and match them perfectly with their ties.
8. They should wear formal leather shoes in black, brown or tan and match them with their “simple, elegant with plain metallic buckles” belts. They should also wear dark-colored socks that are calf length.
9. “The only visible jewelry on a professional man should be a wristwatch and wedding band. An activity band in black or dark brown is also acceptable. Everything else should be suit accessories such as cufflinks, lapel pins, and pocket squares. Keep eyewear small in solid, neutral frames,” added the document.
10. Man bags should be simple and structured in black, brown, or tan.

Don’ts

1. No sneakers, sandals, and crocs, as well as overly casual items that go against representing Equity Bank as a trusted brand.
2. No denim, large branding, and tee shirts.
3. No overpowering deodorant, colognes, and aftershaves.
4. No bulging wallets in the back pocket.
5. No chewing gum in public.