Dress codes: what can you wear?

     Yvonne: Hello – this is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer¹ - and Alice is with metoday. Hello Alice!
    Alice: Hello Yvonne!
    Yvonne: Now these days, BBC staff no longer wear formal clothes for work - likedinner jackets and evening dresses.
    Alice: What a shame – it would be nice to get really dressed up to go to worksometimes.
    Yvonne: So how would you describe your BBC work wardrobe, Alice – the clothes youwear to work?
    Alice: Well I suppose it's what you call 'smart casual'. So for women, that's quite asmart skirt and blouse or dress or trousers. And for men - nice shirt, smarttrousers but perhaps no tie or jacket.
    Yvonne: So that's 'smart casual'. Now recently – the Ukrainian government decided² topublish a dress code for its workers on the official website. Alice, would youexplain for us what is meant by ‘a dress code’?
    Alice: Well here, it’s a set of written guidelines³ or rules about what people should andshouldn’t wear to work. In some cases, workers get into trouble if they don’tfollow the dress code.
    Yvonne: Thanks, Alice. But before we hear about the details of Ukraine’s dress code,I’ve a question. Alice, following its independence, an African country bannedits men from wearing the western style suit with shirt and tie. This was done toshow that the country had broken links with its colonial⁵ past – but whichcountry was it?
    Zaire, now known as The Democratic Republic of CongoRwanda orUgandaAlice: Ooh – that's difficult. I'm not sure, so I'm going to guess the second answer –Rwanda.
    Yvonne: As usual, we’ll find whether you're right or wrong later on! As mentionedearlier, in the Ukraine, government workers now have an official dress code.
    So, let’s find out what workers there used to wear - and what they’re beingasked to wear now. Here’s part of a report by the BBC’s David Stern⁴ from thecapital, Kiev…David Stern, BBC reporter, KievUkrainian government workers have received their wardrobe marching orders. Goneare the flashy, provocative⁶ styles of the country's previous administration. In, are moresubdued fashions and colours.
    Yvonne: So, the current government is trying to stop workers from wearing what theyused to by giving their wardrobes ‘marching orders’!
    Alice: 'Marching orders' – it's a military term meaning to stop something.
    Yvonne: And here, they're giving marching orders to ‘flashy and provocative’ clothes.
    Alice, what does that mean?
    Alice: Well, ‘flashy’ usually means something that's shiny, bright coloured –something that attracts a lot of attention. And provocative clothes are thoseusually worn to parties or nightclubs to help people look and feel as attractiveas possible.
    Yvonne: So, we couldn't be described as 'flashy' dressers then, Alice?
    Alice: Not exactly. We're both in grey today!
    Yvonne: So we could say that we prefer 'subdued⁷' fashion and colours – just theopposite. But there were more details about what women should wear – orrather, not wear…Extract 2: David Stern, BBC reporter, KievWomen were told what perfume to wear - scents⁸ with sharp aromas⁹ should only be wornin the afternoon, it suggested. They should also avoid short, tight skirts and outfits¹¹ thatrevealed too much cleavage. Flats were preferred to high heels.
    Yvonne: So, no scents with sharp aromas in the mornings.
    Alice: That's - no strong perfumes.
    Yvonne: Well, I can understand how women showing a lot of their chest area –revealing too much cleavage – isn’t appropriate for work, but I don't think Ilike the rule about shoes!
    Alice: It says it prefers women to wear ‘flats’ rather than ‘high heels’. Maybe that'sfor safety.
    Yvonne: That's true – could be. Well, you’ll probably be pleased to hear that men have afew rules too…Extract 3: David Stern, BBC Reporter, KieveAs for men, the advice was more basic. They should dress in trousers that break acrosstheir shoe fronts and their suit sleeves should reach the top of their palms. They shouldalso not wear the same outfit¹⁰ two days in a row, the dress code suggested.
    Yvonne: Men shouldn't wear suits that are too small for them and, they should wear adifferent outfit each day. So Alice, what’s your reaction to that one?
    Alice: I think that's difficult for me because suits can be very expensive. It is true mendon't look so good in suits that are too small - but I think I'd just say wear aclean shirt and a different tie and you'll look different.
    Yvonne: Good point. Now earlier, I asked which African country, followingindependence, banned its men from wearing the western style suit with shirtand tie to show it had broken links with the colonial past.
    Alice: And I said 'Rwanda'?
    Yvonne: Hmm – good guess but it was actually Zaire, now known as the DemocraticRepublic of Congo. And there's just time now for a reminder¹² of some of thelanguage we came across in today's programme.
    Alice: Dinner jacket Wardrobe Dress Code Flashy Provocative Subdued fashion Flats High heels Yvonne: That's all for today's “6 Minute English”. Do join us again for more!
    Both: Goodbye!

1 archer   

n.射手，弓箭手

参考例句：

• The archer strung his bow and aimed an arrow at the target.弓箭手拉紧弓弦将箭瞄准靶子。
• The archer's shot was a perfect bull's-eye.射手的那一箭正中靶心。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。

4 stern   

adj.严厉的，严格的，严峻的；n.船尾

参考例句：

• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。
• The headmaster ruled the school with a stern discipline.校长治校严谨。

5 colonial   

adj.殖民地的，关于殖民的；n.殖民地，居民

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。

6 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

7 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

8 scents   

n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉

参考例句：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 aromas   

n.芳香( aroma的名词复数 )；气味；风味；韵味

参考例句：

• Intoxicating earth aromas induced lassitude and ethereal calm. 泥土的醉人的芳香叫人懒洋洋的，感到一种远离尘世的宁静。 来自辞典例句
• Nose and elegant nose with attractive fruity, floral and citrus fruit aromas. 芳香：优雅、馥郁、迷人的柑橘属水果的果香及花的清香。 来自互联网

10 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

11 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

12 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。