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8 Reasons Qantas needs to review its strict new dress code

Comfort and practicality are usually at the forefront of your mind when dressing for a long-haul flight, but if you want to hang out in the business lounge, you might want to think twice before slipping on your favourite pair of thongs.

Thongs, shirts that show off your belly button and T-shirts with offensive slogans and images have always been on the banned list by Qantas, but they haven’t been overly strict until now.

So just how practical is the newly enforced dress code?

1. Dress shoes are not practical for walking long distances

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Most airports have marathon walks between the business lounge and your departure gate, so unless you’re wearing your favourite pair of thongs, it’s likely your feet will go on strike.

2. Walking in heels takes skill

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Not all females were created with equal amounts of grace, balance and coordination in shoes that are not thongs.

3. Just standing in high heels requires coordination and balance

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When you’re more comfortable wearing thongs, squeezing your feet into lounge-appropriate footwear may result in face-planting.

4. Uncomfortable footwear causes airport meltdowns

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Travelling is stressful enough without the added anxiety of not being allowed into the business lounge just because you’re wearing thongs.

More:Please stop telling me what I can’t wear in my 30s

5. Dress shoes are not designed for running

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Dress shoes are likely to impede your speed, particularly if you are running late for your flight.

6. No-one wants to smell someone else’s feet

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Hands up who wants to sit next to someone on a plane whose feet have been stewing in socks and pantyhose because they’ve had to meet the lounge dress standards? Thongs allow your feet to breathe and lessen the chance of foot odour permeating the aircraft.

7. “Smart casual” can have different connotations for different people

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Depending on your standards, smart casual could extend to a pair of designer thongs to dress up a pair of sweatpants. Just because you think you’re dressed for success, doesn’t mean the Qantas staff will. Whether you meet the dress code is up to the discretion of staff.

8. The dress code cramps personal style

Image: GirlsHBO/Tumblr

If you want to cut loose in the exclusive Qantas lounge, you won’t be allowed to wear beach attire, singlets, tank tops or tops that show off your belly.

What do you think? Does it bother you to see people wearing casual footwear while they travel?

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