Yvonne: Hello – this is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - 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 decided 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 guidelines 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 colonial 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 Stern from thecapital, Kiev…David Stern, BBC reporter, KievUkrainian government workers have received their wardrobe marching orders. Goneare the flashy, provocative 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 'subdued' 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 - scents with sharp aromas should only be wornin the afternoon, it suggested. They should also avoid short, tight skirts and outfits 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 outfit 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 reminder 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! |