In sharp contrast to the dress-down spirit of the age, workers have been told that wearing the wrong clothes could affect the financial performance of one of Britain’s oldest banks and that they could be ordered down the high street to buy an instant costume-change at their own expense.

It is not quite a return to the wing-collar and pinstripe suit as worn by our best-loved branch manager and chief cashier, Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson of Dad’s Army, but it is nonetheless a lurch in that direction.

In a memo to staff seen by The Times, Carla Stent, the chief operating officer of Barclays Asset & Sales Finance, has banned, among other things, denims, shorts, flip-flops and strapless tops. Sportswear, logo-bearing T-shirts and trainers are also out.

The strongly worded memo upbraided bankers at the unit’s offices in Churchill Way, Basingstoke, for falling sartorial standards. “Please be aware that if you choose to ignore the dress code . . . you will be asked to remedy the situation that day,” it said.

Ms Stent conceded that the changes would represent a “significant change in policy” for some employees.

She added that repeat offenders would be disciplined by their line managers. “We want to be seen as a professional and successful financial services environment. It is important therefore that all employees dress in an appropriate manner at all times,” she said.

Male staff will be required at the least to wear pressed trousers, collared shirts and either blazers or sports jackets. Women, meanwhile, must wear blouses, non logo-bearing T-shirts (provided that they are worn under a jacket), casual skirts or smart trousers.

Ms Stent also cleared the way for line managers to raise the bar by inviting them to set higher standards as they see fit. “Employees’ appearances contributes to customers’ and visitors’ impressions,” she wrote.

Employees who are meeting customers or interviewing potential employees are asked to wear suits and ties — or dresses, suits, and blouses, if female. The division, which employs 960 people, arranges loans to help medium-sized companies to buy heavy machinery and office equipment. The unit won a customer care award in 2002 and claims to serve more than 23,000 clients from small businesses to major companies listed on the stock market.

Ms Stent said that the new dress code would apply every day of the week, but added: “I am pleased to be able to advise that the monthly charity ‘dress choice’ day will continue.” The memo added that on such days, only non-ripped denim would be allowed.

The move brings the division into line with more than 5,000 staff at Barclays’ new head office in the Docklands. They were told in June that anyone venturing on to the 30th floor, which is reserved for client meeting rooms, had to wear formal business attire at all times. Elsewhere in the building staff are allowed to wear smart casual clothes only if they do not come into contact with visitors.

Ms Stent was visiting a satellite office in Hastings yesterday and was unavailable for comment. A spokeswoman for the bank, who declined to describe what she was wearing, would say only that it was up to the heads of different parts of the business to set specific dress codes.

Barclays, which is run by John Varley, a dapper dresser best known for his stiff-collared shirts and three-piece suits, employs more than 59,000 staff in Britain.

Until recently Cazenove, the blue-blooded investment bank that counts the Queen among its clients, barred workers from wearing white socks and permitted only partners to wear patterned shirts.

But the invasion of Wall Street firms in the City has brought with it relaxed standards of dress, with most banks allowing traders and other staff to wear open-necked shirts and chinos.

FROM THE MEMO

• The minimum standard of dress is business/smart casual with individual business or functional area having the freedom to set a higher standard
  
  
• If you have arranged to meet a customer, regulator, or are interviewing prospective employees, please adopt the business attire dress code, which is a prerequisite of a professional financial services environment
  
  
• Suit, collared shirt and tie for men; suit, blouses, smart T-shirt style top, skirt, trousers or dress for women

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