Not one size fits all: Parliamentary dress codes in the Commonwealth

Above: Quebec MNA Catherine Dorion, who was removed from the chamber for wearing a hoodie, Nelson Mandela wearing a Madiba shirt and Jawaharlal Nehru wearing a 'Nehru collar shirt.'

This blog article was written by Oz Russell, Communications Officer at the CPA. Views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of the CPA as a whole. 

Article posted on 25/03/2025.

At any Commonwealth gathering, the range of clothing choices is likely to be as diverse as the Commonwealth itself – from suits of various forms and colours designed for different climates, a riot of tie patterns and colours, different religious clothing and shoes ranging from heels to brogues to sandals.

The rules governing what elected representatives can wear in Parliaments, however, are far from settled. In the Commonwealth with its internal political and cultural diversity, Parliaments have increasingly seen their dress codes challenged. Almost all of these codes have clear provisions against political slogans or statements on clothing, but Members of Parliament can still push the boundaries of Standing Orders and established customs that are frequently subjective, vague or even contradictory.

Standing Orders and established customs

Standing Orders and rules on Parliamentary dress codes are often vague and are liable to change as fashion in the wider world shifts. In the UK Parliament, there is no specific Standing Order that outlines a dress code. Rather, it is at the discretion of the Presiding Officers (the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Lord Speaker) to remove those deemed to be wearing informal clothing, particularly men without jackets or ties. In 2017 the then Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon. John Bercow loosened the provisions for tie-wearing, partially in response to the heatwaves in London at the time. The current Speaker, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle reversed course however, changing the guidance to say that male MPs are "expected" rather than "encouraged" to wear a tie.[1]

Other Commonwealth Legislatures have more specific provisions. In Australia, Members of Parliament must “dress in a formal manner in keeping with business and professional standards.” What exactly this entails has evolved on a case-by-case basis. Members can now wear tailored ‘safari’ suits without a tie and can wear hats when not speaking but have been warned not to wear any form of sportswear and to refrain from removing their jackets within the Chamber.[2]

In the Canadian House of Commons, Members of Parliament must wear contemporary business attire to be recognised by the Speaker. Veterans are permitted to wear military uniform, and kilts are allowed on certain special occasions (namely Burns Night) but at all other times, male Members must wear jackets, shirts and ties.[3]

Dress codes for women

Whereas formal dress codes for men tend to amount to a standard template of Western business wear – shirt, jacket, tie – for women the requirements are frequently less defined. Often the only provision is that the women’s dress code should equate to “the equivalent level of formality to men’s.”

In 2018, Québec politician, Hon. Catherine Dorion wore Dr Marten boots in Parliament, and in 2019, she wore an orange hoodie in the Chamber. In response to claims that she was not respecting decorum, Dorion stated “It’s supposed to be the people’s house, so why can’t we look like normal people?”[4]

In March 2019, a group of women MLAs contested the dress code of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and its prohibition of sleeveless shirts, claiming a “Right to Bare Arms”, a phrase that would spread rapidly in Canadian politics.[5]

Post-colonial formalwear

In other contexts, political changes can lead to an evolution of what counts as formal wear, particularly for new Parliaments looking to establish and celebrate their identity after independence. The ‘Kaunda suit’, named for Kenneth Kaunda, the first leader of independent Zambia, became popular across Sub-Saharan Africa throughout the 20th century. The suit, which was partly inspired by the suits of Mao Zedong, consists of a single-breasted safari jacket with short or long sleeves and patch pockets. Kaunda suits were later banned from the Kenyan Parliament for this reason, with Kenyan Speaker, Hon. Moses Wetang'ula referring to them as “Mao Zedong coats.”[6]

In the Caribbean, the ‘Kariba suit’ was designed to replace colonial dress codes. It was a formalised version of a safari outfit worn without a tie, to suit the warmer, more humid climate of the Caribbean. It reached the peak of its popularity in the 1970s, particularly in Jamaica where Prime Minister, Hon. Michael Manley wore one when meeting Queen Elizabeth II. By 1981, however, when Hon. Michael Manley’s political party lost power, the Jamaican Parliament no longer considered the Kariba a form of proper Parliamentary dress.[7]

Nelson Mandela’s Madiba suits – silk, high-collared and colourful – often took inspiration in their patterns from traditional South African motifs, while their form was inspired by batik shirts, a symbol of independent Indonesia.[8]

In India, the formal wear known in the West as a ‘Nehru collar shirt’ became popular after independence. It is based on traditional Mughal court dress, and consists of a long shirt, sleeveless jacket and a high collar. As a projection of Indian cultural identity, it was more commonly worn when Indian leaders met with foreign leaders and ambassadors.

Indigenous dress

Indigenous Parliamentarians too have sought to challenge the default Western dress codes in their Legislatures.

In 2020, Hon. Jamie Battiste, a Liberal MP from Canada, wore a beaded Mi’kmaq medallion instead of a tie. When another MP raised a Point of Order to question the neckwear, the Speaker confirmed that it was appropriate.[9]

In New Zealand in 2021, Māori Party co-leader Hon. Rawiri Waititi was removed from the Chamber for wearing a traditional jade pendant in place of a tie during question time. When removing his tie, he stated “I will adorn myself with the treasures of my ancestors and remove the colonial noose around my neck so that I may sing my song.” The next day, the Speaker allowed him to speak without a tie.[10]

The formal dress worn by the Speaker in the Chamber can also reflect cultural traditions. Recent Speaker of New Zealand’s House of Representatives, Hon. Adrian Rurawhe wore a traditional Māori kahu huruhuru, (feather cloak) whilst in the chair in acknowledgement of his own heritage and the fact that he held the seat for the Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate from 2014 to 2023.

These factors can sometimes interact in confounding ways. In the Northwest Territories in Canada, an MLA wore a Mickey Mouse tie with a Dene vest in the Chamber. Attire that is considered formal attire in other cultures is acceptable under the clause for Indigenous, traditional or cultural attire in Legislative Assemblies, but another Member raised a complaint as they deemed the tie offensive to the dignity of the Dene vest. Ordering the removal of the tie however would be in violation of the dress code, so the Speaker left the question open.[11]

Conclusion

A dress code that evolves through different cases within the Chamber and allows the Speaker discretion in updating Standing Orders over time is likely the most effective means of resolving conflict, so long as Speakers are cognisant of gender, religious and indigenous concerns when drafting Standing Orders. Even a warming climate and changing clothing standards in the private sector might affect how strictly ‘jacket and tie’ wearing is enforced.

What is clear however is that there is no one size fits all approach to creating Parliamentary dress codes; as the strength of different political movements and figures shift, and as long as dress codes in Parliaments exist, Parliamentarians will continue to push at the limits of Standing Orders and established customs.

References:

[1] “Commons Speaker tells MPs to smarten up as he warns of consequence if they don't” (Daily Mirror, 2024)

[2] “Dress and conduct in the Chamber” (Parliament of Australia, 2024) https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter5/Dress_and_conduct_in_the_Chamber

[3] “Chapter 13, Rules of Order and Decorum” (Parliament of Canada 2017) https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure/procedure-and-practice-3/ch_13_2-e.html

[4] Coghlan, J., & Hackett, L. J. (2023). Parliamentary Dress: Gendered Contestation of the Political Uniform. M/C Journal, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2963 (Original work published March 14, 2023)

[5] “Maintaining gender norms through legislative assembly dress codes” (Canadian Parliamentary Review, Autumn 2022 1) https://www.revparlcan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/45n3e-whole.pdf

[6] “Fancy Wearing a Kaunda Suit? Not in Kenya’s Parliament” (The New York Times, 2023)  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/africa/kenya-kaunda-suit-parliament.html 

[7] “The rise and fall of the Kariba suit” (The Gleaner, 2023) https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lifestyle/20230910/rise-and-fall-kariba-suit

[8] “Fancy Wearing a Kaunda Suit? Not in Kenya’s Parliament” (The New York Times, 2023)  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/africa/kenya-kaunda-suit-parliament.html

[9] “The pandemic puts Parliament’s stuffy men's dress code to the test” (Macleans, 2021) https://macleans.ca/society/the-pandemic-puts-parliaments-stuffy-mens-dress-code-to-the-test/

[10] "New Zealand Parliament relaxes dress code after Māori MP tie row" (Al Jazeera, 2021) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/10/new-zealand-parliament-relaxes-dress-code-after-maori-mp-ejected

[11] “Maintaining gender norms through legislative assembly dress codes” (Canadian Parliamentary Review, Autumn 2022 1) https://www.revparlcan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/45n3e-whole.pdf

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