Nicola Thorp, who was sent home for not wearing heels at PwC, says response shows importance of reforming dress codes

A petition started by a woman who was sent home from work for not wearing high heels has been signed by almost 110,000 people in less than 48 hours.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Nicola Thorp. Photograph: BBC News/PA

Nicola Thorp, 27, said she reported for work as a receptionist at a PwC office in central London last December wearing flat shoes, but was told she had to have a 2-4in heel. After refusing to buy a pair of heels as directed by a supervisor, she was told to go home without pay, she said.

Thorp’s petition, entitled Make it illegal for a company to require women to wear high heels at work, was posted on Tuesday night and by Thursday afternoon had passed the 100,000 signatures needed to trigger a response by the government.

“It’s still legal in the UK for a company to require female members of staff to wear high heels at work against their will,” the petition states. “Dress code laws should be changed so that women have the option to wear flat formal shoes at work, if they wish. Current formal work dress codes are outdated and sexist.”



Thorp said she had been overwhelmed by the response. “It shows it is an important matter and it is a step in the right direction,” she told the BBC. “It has opened up a dialogue for women to talk about how they feel at work and how they’re dressed.” She said it meant a lot that many men had also signed the petition.

Portico, the agency Thorp was working for, said she had signed the appearance guidelines. But the managing director, Simon Pratt, said the company had now changed its policy. “All our female colleagues can wear plain flat shoes or plain court shoes as they prefer,” he said.