[Priya]

Dress your way to success

Don’t bite your nails worrying about what to wear to work.

Dressing up for the corporate world is very much different from dressing up for campus. While in college you may have adorned yourself in the latest fashions, the corporate world says otherwise. Conservative is stylish.

You could follow this general overview of acceptable business casual attire. Items that are not appropriate for the office are listed, which tells you what is generally accepted as business casual attire and what is generally not accepted as business casual attire.

No dress code can cover all contingencies, so employees must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you experience uncertainty about acceptable, professional business casual attire for work, please ask your supervisor or your human resources staff.

Slacks, pants, and suit pants: Slacks that are similar to dockers and other makers of cotton or synthetic material pants, wool pants, flannel pants, and nice looking dress synthetic pants are acceptable. Indecent slacks or pants include jeans, sweat pants, exercise pants, shorts, bermudas, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as bike clothing are not meant for the office.

Skirts, dresses, and skirted suits: Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that are split at or below the knee are decent for office. Dress and skirt length should be no shorter than four inches above the knee, or the length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are not office wear. Mini-skirts, skirts, sun dresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are again not meant to be worn in the office.

Shirts, tops, blouses, and jackets: Casual shirts, golf shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, and turtlenecks are acceptable. Most suit jackets or sport jackets are also acceptable attire for the office, if they violate none of the listed guidelines. Inappropriate attire includes tank tops, sweat shirt, midriff tops, shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans, halter-tops, and t-shirts unless worn under another blouse, shirt, jacket, or jumper.

Footwear: Boots, flats, clogs, conservative athletic shoes, sneakers, dress heels, and leather deck shoes are acceptable. Wearing no stockings is acceptable if the look is appropriate to the outfit. Flashy athletic shoes, and shoes with an open toe are generally not acceptable in office. Closed toe and closed heel shoes are more suitable.

Jewellery, makeup and perfume: Jazz up your suit with a tasteful (and trendy) brooch or classic piece of jewellery. But jewellery should be in good taste and kept to a minimum, with no visible body piercing other than pierced ears. Body piercing (in nose, tongue, eyebrows) are generally unacceptable in a corporate environment.

Hats: Hats are not for office. Head covers that are required for religious purposes or to honour cultural tradition are allowed.

Dress codes differ from office to office, but you can’t go wrong with these tips. Proper dress codes are always welcome in an office and help create a good impression.