Equity Bank is one of Kenya’s largest commercial banks. It also ranks among the best lenders in East Africa, having a presence in Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo, South Sudan and Rwanda.

As a corporate entity, they have a dress code that all employees are expected to follow. This code emphasizes a professional and polished appearance tailored to individual body types.

Equity Bank provides a guidebook on attire, designed to complement employees’ presentation and ensure a professional appearance.

“On a day-to-day basis, your image needs to be consistent with your vision, values, and goals; your verbal communication, non-verbal communication, environment, message, skills, talents, and experience,” read a statement to the staff.

Female Staff Dressing Code

According to a guideline document reviewed by a local publication, Equity Bank expects its female staff to dress according to their body shapes.

Those with hourglass or ‘figure 8’ shapes are advised to wear “cross-over or bias-cut clothes.” Meanwhile, women with triangle or inverted triangle shapes should opt for “well-defined and constructed garments” for the lower body and avoid shoulder pads and excessive details above the waistline.

Women with rectangular shapes should wear clothes with a slight flare at the waist or structured pieces. Oval-shaped women are advised to use shoulder pads, choose softer fabrics, and wear longer jackets, coats, and knee-length dresses or skirts.

Regarding shirts and blouses, the guidebook stipulates that female staff should wear blouses with either of the following materials: cotton, silk, satin, jersey tops, blended tops, chiffon and cotton camisoles. They must have ruffled, scooped, high, round, U or V necklines.

The guidelines also suggest colours for different attributes such as passion, creativity, compassion, comfort, confidence, patience, fearlessness, commitment and innocence, among others.

Clothes should be in line with the following colours: black, dark grey, navy blue, dark purple, dark green, maroon, dark brown, light brown and light grey.

In the workweek, the ‘transformational woman’ should choose well-fitted skirt suits, trouser suits, or dress suits, paired with appropriate accessories.

Expecting mothers are encouraged to maintain style and elegance with relaxed maternity dresses, skirts, and trousers, along with matching jackets, all in the designated colours for mood.

On Saturdays, women can now loosen up their outfits with more relaxed looks such as khaki trousers paired with a plain blouse or branded shirt, formal skirts and structured dresses.

From Monday to Friday, female staff should adhere to Court Shoes/Pumps/Mary Janes. On Saturday, they can wear Peep Toes/Sling Backs/Low Flat Shoes.

Accessorizing with silver, gold, or pearl jewellery and timepieces is recommended. Hair, suits, and eyewear should be kept minimalist, using silver, gold, black, or brown tones.

Light grey, dark purple, dark blue, dark grey, black, dark brown, maroon and light brown handbags are encouraged to make bold image statements.

In black tie events, women should be in long gowns and sparkly jewels that maintain the ‘formality of a dignified professional’. They should also use neutral colours in makeup styles, light lipstick shades, matt foundations and neutral polished nails to match skin tone.

The types of clothing that can very easily annoy and disappoint Equity Bank include Ballet flats, Crocs, Sneakers and Sandals.

This is coupled with large, loud and distracting prints on clothes, bags and jewellery. They have also discouraged wearing undergarments visible through the outer clothing.

Male Staff Dressing Code

The guidebook advises men to select attire based on their body shapes. For those with a V-shaped physique, slim-fit shirts and suits are recommended.

Men with an H-shaped body should opt for straight-cut shirts and European regular-fit suits for work. Those with the O-body are advised to seek American or relaxed-fit shirts and suits.

Tall, thin men should be in clothing that helps build a masculine silhouette. The guidebook requires this to be completed by wearing well-fitted single-breasted fit suits or waistcoats paired with ties with diagonal stripes and well-fitted.

On the other hand, short men should wear pinstripes or thinly spaced chalk stripes in dark shades. Heavily-built men should be in double-breasted suits having light material. They must also have dark colours with vertical pinstripes.

Athletic bodies should be in Italian cut or custom-tailored styles with deeper necklines. Equity Bank requires that they be in single-breasted, double-breasted or three-piece suits having black, dark blue, dark grey, dark brown or light grey colours.

The guidebook suggests fabrics like heavy cotton, wool blend, and gabardine. Pants should be flat-front for V-shaped bodies, single-pleat for all shapes, and double-pleat for H and O shapes.

Male staff should wear well-fitting shirts and ties, ensure trousers fit at the waist without needing a belt, and have the pants fall just above the shoe’s sole.

On to the shoes. They should be formal leather shoes in black, brown or tan with matching belts that should have plain metallic buckles. Equity Bank expects male employees to be wearing dark-coloured calf-length socks.

The guidebook dictates that the only visible jewellery on a professional man should be a wristwatch and a wedding band. An activity band in black or dark brown is also acceptable.

All else must be suit accessories for example cufflinks, lapel pins, and pocket squares. Eyewear must be small in solid, neutral colour frames.

Some of the things Equity Bank frowns at regarding the male dressing code include sneakers, sandals, crocs and any other casual-looking wear that goes against Equity’s reputation as a trusted brand.

They do not also allow denim, large branding and tee shirts. This is in addition to overpowering deodorant, colognes and aftershave. Male staff are also not allowed to walk around with wallets bulging in the back pockets or chew gum in public.