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dress code

American  

noun

  1. a set of rules specifying the garb or type of clothing to be worn by a group or by people under specific circumstances.

    a military dress code; The restaurant's dress code requires men to wear jackets and ties at dinner.


dress code British  

noun

  1. a set of rules or guidelines regarding the manner of dress acceptable in an office, restaurant, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"They will talk about her choices, her morality, her dress code," she says, explaining that this increases the harm caused to women and discourages victims from coming forward.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Abiding by the sartorial pecking order has become more complicated as the financial industry’s dress code has gotten even more casual since the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

It might also help to ask your colleagues if there is an unwritten dress code.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026

The dress code was eclectic and appropriately L.A.: hyper-curated and nonchalant.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The school’s strictly enforced dress code required that all student avatars be human, and of the same gender and age as the student.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline