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TTT/advice
This is a very old thread, but this story relates well.
Summer Stylin' on the Job
By Stacy Gilliam, BET.com Staff Writer
Updated April 29, 2003 -- When temperatures rise, out come the toes and arms, and even some bellies and cleavage, ready to be kissed by the summer sun. Such exposure is fine for picnics, hot summer dates and favorite nightspots, but when it comes to the office some things are best left covered up.
Picking appropriate summer threads for the office can be trying,
particularly for women. You want to be stylish with sleeveless little wrap dresses, tank tops and high-heeled sandals. But business and career experts say you should keep in mind the culture of your work environment and the expectations of those you work for and with. You don't want to offend the "higher-ups" or your peers. More importantly, you want to keep your serious
professional image intact, no matter how hot it is.
Harriet Cole, author of "How to Be: Contemporary Etiquette for African Americans," suggests taking your dress cues from your boss and other higher-ups at your place of work. "Don't let the weather make you lose your mind," she says. " Be conscious about what you're doing." While today's fashion trends might dictate that wearing less is best, here's how not to cross that fine line between displaying hot style and a look that is "too
hot to trot":
Follow suit. Ask for a copy of your company's dress code policy. If there isn't one, ask someone your trust and whose taste and opinion you respect about appropriate wear.
Look like you mean business. You want people to be impressed with your appearance, not put off or turned on by your attire.
Save provocative clothing for evenings and weekends. If it's see-through sheer, clings in all the right places, or shows off a decorative belly button ring, it's not for working in.
Keep cleavage out of the workplace. If you have to ask someone if you're displaying too much, you probably are. Low-cut tops and snug little shirts belong in the closet during working hours.
Bare your toes. More companies are relaxing their footwear rules. If you choose to wear open-toe shoes on the job, make sure your feet are clean with trim nails and aren't ashy. Nail polish shouldn't be chipped. Try a professional look with your sandal not too strappy, heels not too high and definitely no flip flops.
Layer, layer, layer. It's okay to sport a tasteful, sleeveless dress that shows off all the weight training you've been doing. But bring along a matching cardigan or scarf. Either will keep you comfortable inside an air-conditioned office. When you head outside to lunch, peel off your layers to stay cool.
Check yourself on casual days. "Dress-down Fridays" are days employers allow
you to loosen up, not let it ALL hang out. Here's what human resources
expert, Tonya Brinkley, had to say about appropriate casual dress rules.
Shorts: "Definitely not."
Capris: "Dressier types, like a linen pair with wider legs, are suitable."
Tattoos: "When possible, cover them up in the office."
Bandanas: "Never appropriate."
Short skirts and dresses: "Do the catholic school test," Brinkley says. "Stretch your arms out downward, and your skirt length should be no shorter than the tip of your middle finger."
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