Conference dress code at Model UN events typically falls into one of two registers, depending on the session and the conference's traditions.
Western Business Attire (WBA) is the standard for committee sessions at most conferences. For delegates this generally means:
- A suit (matching jacket and trousers or skirt) in a neutral color
- A collared dress shirt or blouse
- A tie (often required for those wearing suits in the traditional style)
- Closed-toe dress shoes
Western Business Casual (WBC) is sometimes permitted for early sessions, unmoderated caucuses on later days, or smaller conferences. This usually allows slacks with a collared shirt, sweaters, or dresses without the suit jacket requirement.
Most conferences explicitly welcome national, cultural, or religious dress as equivalent to business attire, and many delegates wear formal garments from their own traditions. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are always permitted.
Specific norms vary by circuit. Harvard's HMUN, HNMUN, NMUN (New York and other NMUN conferences), WorldMUN, and similar flagship conferences enforce WBA strictly and may bar delegates from the committee room for violations. High school circuits in North America are often slightly more relaxed, while European and Asian circuits sometimes lean more formal. Crisis committees and historical committees occasionally allow period or in-character costume, but only when the conference's policies explicitly permit it.
Practical considerations matter: committee rooms can be cold from air conditioning, sessions run long, and delegates do significant walking between rooms, so comfortable dress shoes and layers are widely recommended. Name placards, delegate badges, and conference lanyards are worn over attire at all times inside committee.
Dress code is enforced by the dais (chair and vice chairs) and by conference secretariat staff. Repeated violations can affect awards consideration at competitive conferences, since professionalism is often a scored or informally weighted criterion. Delegates should always check the specific delegate guide issued by their conference, as language and strictness differ.
Example
At HNMUN 2024, delegates were required to wear Western Business Attire during all committee sessions, with national dress accepted as an equivalent alternative.