Congresswomen Protested The House’s Outdated Dress Code With Sleeveless Friday

“In the sweltering, D.C. heat, congresswomen on both sides of the aisle united to exercise their right to bare arms. No, that was not a typo. Their stand for a modernized dress code in the House of Representatives was spurred on when a number of political reporters were not permitted to enter the House lobby due to wearing sleeveless shirts and dresses.

The procedural terms themselves are up for interpretation. For the U.S. House of Representatives, it requires that members “dress appropriately.” This is elaborated upon by reminding male members to wear a “traditional coat and tie;” however, female House members are only asked to wear “appropriate attire.” In the absence of anything more specific, this has come to mean refraining from wearing sneakers, open-toed shoes, and anything sleeveless.”