Office dress codes can be stuffy, and it does not help when mercury at the workplace is surging amid the summer heat.

To battle the 30 deg C heat, call centre worker Joey Barge, 20, pushed the boundaries by going to work in a pair of smart shorts, instead of abiding by the office dress code of wearing suits.

He tweeted a photo of his outfit of choice on Monday (June 19) before he reached his office, and wondered if it would be allowed, the Mirror Online reported.

At 8.47am, he shared a picture of his outfit and wrote: "If women can wear skirts/dresses at work can I wear smart shorts like so?"

He soon got an answer - he was sent home from work to change into something more appropriate.

In a bid to strengthen his case, he posted a screenshot of the weather forecast - temperatures were set to hit 30 deg C in London that day.

Mr Barge told The Mirror: "The office is so hot and I sweat so much and feel uncomfortable.

"I'm fuming. A quarter of the office are wearing vest tops and skirts or dresses."

Not wanting the heat to get to him, he decided to take a different approach.

Mr Barge took to his mother's wardrobe and found a dress to wear to work, assuming he would be sent home again.

The dress flashes the same amount of leg as Mr Barge's smart shorts, the Mirror noted.

His tactic worked somewhat.

He later tweeted photos of himself in the office and a shot of an email which read: "Due to the extremely warm temperatures currently, it has been agreed that... gentlemen in the office are permitted to wear 3/4 length shorts."

But they have to be black, navy or beige, the email stated.