Pinstripes to polo shirts: UK workplaces embrace casual dress as new normal 

The suit-and-tie is slipping out of favour in British workplaces as more employers adopt relaxed dress codes that reflect broader cultural change, hybrid work and shifting expectations among younger generations. 

According to data from job site Indeed, 3.3 per cent of UK job postings in July 2025 mentioned “casual dress”, a 10-fold increase since the pandemic. The trend, which spiked during lockdowns, has stabilised at elevated levels, a signal that casual dress has become embedded in workplace culture, rather than it being a temporary adjustment. 

The data show casual attire is most referenced in personal care, marketing and media roles, and least frequently in healthcare, where uniforms dominate, and in tech, where casual dress is so entrenched it rarely needs to be stated. 

Regionally, Northern Ireland leads the way, with 4.7 per cent of job listings referencing casual dress, followed by the North-West (4.2 per cent) and East Midlands (4.0 per cent). London sits lowest at 2.3 per cent, a reflection of its concentration of financial and professional services roles, where formal business wear remains more typical. 

While still a small fraction of total job listings, analysts say the figures reveal a clear cultural shift. Once synonymous with professionalism, formality has been replaced by a focus on authenticity, flexibility and comfort, particularly in roles where employees can dress for their day rather than adhere to rigid codes. 

The pandemic blurred boundaries between home and office, making formality feel increasingly out of step with hybrid working. The rise of remote work introduced new norms, with employees dressing up only for meetings or client calls. Millennials and Generation Z, now the two largest cohorts in the workforce, have reinforced the trend. Both generations value individuality and authenticity, and many of their leaders, particularly in tech, have redefined what professional success looks like. 

From 2020 to 2023, mentions of casual dress were highest in “high-remote” roles, but by 2025 the balance had shifted. “Low-remote” occupations, including care, education and personal services, now reference casual dress more often (3.4 per cent), suggesting the cultural shift has spread beyond office-based roles. 

The move towards informality is not just about clothing. It reflects a deeper reappraisal of workplace culture, one that prizes psychological safety and inclusivity over outward displays of hierarchy. 

The demographic data underscore that shift. Millennials now make up 29 per cent of the UK population, with Generation Z rising rapidly. As these groups move into management and leadership roles, their influence on workplace norms, from communication styles to clothing, is reshaping expectations of what professionalism looks like. 

While suits are unlikely to disappear entirely –especially in client-facing sectors, such as law and finance – the data suggest a new equilibrium has been reached. Smart casual,not corporate formal, is now the default in many industries. 

The report concludes that even if employers succeed in drawing more people back to physical offices, the casualisation of workplace dress “is here to stay,” mirroring broader societal shifts towards flexibility, authenticity and wellbeing at work.