Keep Your Cool
Office Summer Fasion Guide
By Jamie Busen /
busenj@reporternews.com
July 16, 2006
Yes, it's an oven out there. But
during the day, leave your tube tops, miniskirts and flip
flops in the closet.
First impressions count. And even though the weather begs
for us to shed some layers, folks need to remember that if
they have a job, they need to dress for it.
''That first
impression is a long impression,'' said Colleen Rickenbacher,
a speaker and author on etiquette in Dallas. ''It's very hard
to change what you've just created in that person's mind.''
The temptation to come into an office in a tank top and
shorts is there.
But don't do it.
Sandy Dumont,
corporate image consultant and author of ''Tattle Tale
Looks: What does your message send?'' said it's hot where
she is in Virginia.
''No matter where you live and no matter how hot it gets,
you must always dress to impress,'' she said. ''It is
tantamount to hurling an insult at a person if you do not
bother to dress professionally. It sends out the message that
your comfort is more important than he or she is. It says,
''You don't matter much to me.''
Dumont said hot-weather attire doesn't give one a
competitive edge.
''You need a state-of-the-art appearance to outclass the
competition. If you look ordinary, it will be assumed that
your products or services are ordinary. Professional attire
doesn't have to be uncomfortable,'' she said.
For women, all you need is a jacket, because it will make
a black skirt or pants look like a suit when worn with a
jacket.
Lightweight cotton jackets without collars and with short
sleeves are cool and comfortable. Wear them with a little
spaghetti strap top, and the jacket can be removed in the hot
car on the way to an appointment. Jackets announce that you
are a serious professional. You will be treated with respect
and given deferential treatment.
Sleeveless attire makes you look too casual or collegiate,
and if you are in a competitive field, you will lose ground.
At Tittle Luther Partnership, a local architecture firm,
employees don't have a dress code they must follow but they
dress conservatively for their clients, said office manager
Charlotte Tutt. She said employees don't normally wear suits
unless they are attending a meeting. Usually in the summer
they wear khaki slacks and short-sleeved sports shirts, she
said.
Some businesses require employees to wear suits year round,
such as Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home.
''Summer doesn't change for us,'' said office manager Stacy
Appleton.
The serious nature of the funeral business also requires
employees to wear dark-colored suits, which can get quite hot
in the summer. Appleton said sometimes jackets come off
indoors.
Rickenbacher said that in the past five to 10 years, more
offices were in business casual mode. But in recent years,
she's watched offices go back to business, possibly because of
the abuse of the codes.
She sees offices get a little more relaxed after Memorial
Day and through Labor Day.
''Business casual means for men, a nice pair of dress pants
and a shirt or khakis and a golf shirt,'' she said. ''For
women it's Capri pants, provided they aren't skin tight.''
As an etiquette person, she finds women in sleeveless tops
''very distatesfeul, I don't care how hot it is.'' She advises
if women go sleeveless, they at least tie a sweater around
their shoulders. Sometimes those shirts can be distracting to
others, and some people are exposing skin who just shouldn't -
attention to bad spots is never good.
Dressing simple clothes up can be easy, Rickenbacher said.
Make sure your clothes are tailored, wear a pair of sandles
with a bit of a heel and wear nice jewelry. A nice sweater set
and a skirt can really make a difference.
Men are easier, she continued, because their styles don't
really change.
''Men's dress pants are still dress pants, the look is
basically the same,'' she said. ''They need to match their
shoes to the belt and make sure they have a good-looking
leather belt and good-looking shoes.''
Open-toed shoes mean no socks or nylons. If your office
allows open-toed shoes, make sure your toenails and shaped and
polished.
''Wear a dressier sandal with more straps and make sure
they are definitely leather,'' she said. ''No flip flops.
Rubber defeats the whole business of being in an office.''
If people are going to expose their legs, do so with care,
Rickenbacher continued.
''A little tan would be nice,'' she said. ''Legs should be
the right size and shape to go bare.''
Rickenbacher said that dressing nice tells people you took
the time to get dressed for them.
''You have to be perceived that you are serious about your
work,'' she said. ''It all comes down to you.''
Staff writer Sidney Levesque contributed to this
report.
OK, Bill and Milton from the movie ''Office
Space'' are showing you what not to wear to work. Reporters
Jamie Busen and Sidney Levesque offer their advice ...
Jamie says:
Don't wear a short-sleeved dress shirt with a tie.
Make sure your tie isn't too short.
Never wear white socks and dark shoes.
Don't wear open-toed shoes and nylons.
If you are wearing sandals, make sure you aren't wearing
socks.
Don't wear tennis shoes with an otherwise nice outfit.
Sidney says:
No flip-flops, spaghetti straps, skimpy skirts, shorts,
T-shirts, tank tops, midriff baring blouses, men wearing
sandals - with or without socks.
Men might want to ditch their ties and button-downs for
collared polo shirts and trade their wool slacks for khakis,
depending on how formal their business is. Some businesses
require a coat and tie year-round.
Just because the weather is reaching Hades temperature
doesn't mean you can show up to work dressed for the beach or
a summer barbecue.
People wear jeans on casual Fridays, but I would steer
away from jean skirts in the summer. Just a little too casual.
Dress for Success to do a lot better
than Milton
Beat the heat
Black only attracts the heat. Brown is still dark and can
be accented with blue, pink, oranges and lime greens.
T-shirts, tube tops, tank tops - don't do it. Shirts
shouldn't advertise your favorite music group or beer. And
make sure you tuck in your shirt.
You can't go wrong with cotton. It's cool, comfortable and
doesn't wrinkle as much. People love linen, but the first time
you sit down for the day, it's ruined with wrinkles.
Know your style
Make sure you wear clothing that complements you. Not all
trends fit all body types. Find the styles to match your
figure.
Find a trusted friend or a known retail person to tell you
what works and doesn't work for you.
If you have to think twice about it in the morning, it's
not the right outfit.
Put out your clothing the night before so you have at
least an idea of what you are going to wear.
The little things
Don't wear your hair up every day in a ''potato chip
clip.'' Get a nice style that fits your face. Don't ever come
to work in wet hair. Pulling your hair up every other day or
so is fine, but don't do it every day.
You can upgrade any outfit with pretty jewelry. However,
don't overload yourself with tons of it. The right pieces can
upgrade your outfit tremendously. You don't want to be plain.
Bring a stylish sweater or other layer of clothing to
throw on in chilly
offices. |
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