Suit up Stylishly in the Workplace

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Long gone are the days of the stuffy pants suit, shoulder pads up to here and a sea of gray, black and navy. Today’s workingwoman has so many options when it comes to dressing professionally and stylishly that it can be hard to know where to start. Whether you’re considering revamping your entire office wardrobe or just looking to add more stylish pieces to an existing closet - we’re here to help.

It’s important to first consider the type of office setting. While colorful slacks and a cute cloche hat might work at an art gallery, your boss at the bank might send you home for a wardrobe change. For casual or creative workplaces, you may be able to take more liberties with your wardrobe, while you might have to get creative to inject some personality into your style if you’re clocking in at a more traditional office environment.

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What Not to Wear: The Work Issue

On that note, no matter where you work it’s imperative to understand what NOT to wear to work. There are exceptions for all of these, of course, but for the most part you don’t want to get caught strutting to your cubical or the boardroom in any of these faux pas.

  • Flip-flops - Unless you’re a lifeguard or high school swim coach, just don’t do it. Toes do not need to be seen under the harsh glare of the fluorescent lights.
  • Shorts - You might want it to feel like you’re on vacation at work, but shorts are usually a big no-no. They scream “casual” and it can be too tempting to wear them more “Daisy Duke” than “Department Head.”
  • Mini-skirts - Even if you can still pull them off, some co-workers may be offended or even get the wrong message from a skimpy skirt.
  • Crazy holiday attire or anything else that might be called “cheesy” - There’s a time and a place. Christmas morning with the aunts and uncles? Sure. In your next big meeting? Not so much. Introducing religion as a talking point at an important client meeting is not recommended. Also, you want people to respect you, right? Rudolph antlers are not the thing to wear when your boss pulls you into his or her office for an impromptu review of your work.