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dress code

American  

noun

dress codes plural
  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

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Example Sentences

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In 2022, another protest movement followed the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.

From Barron's Jul. 1, 2026

Naomi Osaka has long been renowned for dazzling crowds with her on-court outfits - but making that compatible with Wimbledon's strict dress code required special inspiration.

From BBC Jun. 29, 2026

Islanders had to follow a dress code, and risqué challenges were off the table, said ITV America Chief Executive David George.

From The Wall Street Journal May 24, 2026

In a statement to The Times, Komrosky said he thought the photo of the polo players was “inappropriate and their attire didn’t align with the district’s dress code administrative regulation.”

From Los Angeles Times May 13, 2026

“The dress code isn’t for them,” Em said.

From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead

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