Men have it pretty simple in the sense that they will always be wearing some form of a pant and (preferably button down) shirt, but for women, there is a world of options for dressing appropriately for work. Every job has a different dress code, and typically this will be discussed when an offer is extended, in a company handbook, or simply in conversation with your superior, but how do you know if your actually meeting the standards? Follow this easy guide to make sure you’re on point!
1) BE CONSERVATIVE. This is not a party, this is not hanging out with your friends, and this is not your free time. This is work. Whether or not you are able to dress casually at work you are not able to come in looking scandalous and/or unprofessional. This doesn’t mean you should be dressing like a nun, but this does mean that you should have modest neck and hem lines, and probably shouldn’t be in something skin tight. There is a huge difference between fitted clothing and tight clothing. Always go for the former. This means that clothing fits to your body but doesn’t appear to be stretching or pulling anywhere. Necklines should generally not be cleavage bearing, and skirts should be max a few inches above the knee. I strongly suggest not wearing any skirt or dress shorter than that, but if you do, make sure to wear stockings which are more on the opaque side with it. I also generally suggest wearing close toed shoes such as pumps (or if it is cold, boots) but in the summer time, you can get away with a healed sandal as long as there is no thong between the toe, and it could be dressed up with your work clothing.
2) It is always better to overdress slightly on your first day to get the feel of the work environment. For example, if you are told to come dressed business casual, you may come to find out that jeans are okay, but NEVER come in wearing jeans on your first day. Instead, opt for something equally as comfortable but more put together; i.e. a simple, conservative jersey dress and a blazer. It’s easy, casual, comfortable, and assures you’ll look put together. After the first day, if it is appropriate to wear jeans (meaning that MOST PEOPLE are wearing them, not just one or two) then feel free to do so, but dress them up with a blouse, jacket/blazer, and nice shoes. Again, even when wearing jeans, you want to be professional. Even if it is okay to dress super casually, chances are that people will unconsciously treat you better and have a higher level of respect for you if you dress the part and look put together.
3) Tailor, tailor, tailor. I can’t stress this enough. Tailoring clothes to fit your body is one of the most important things you can do to polish your style. Have you ever seen young girl play dress up in Mom’s closet? Well I can almost guarantee that this is what you’ll look like if you don’t tailor your clothes to fit you. The general rule of thumb is to find clothing that fits well at the biggest part of you, (for a lot of women this is at the bust or behind, but could easily be any part such as shoulders or midsection) and get the rest tailored to fit the smaller sections. It is usually easier to take a garment in than to let it out, so make sure whatever you are wearing properly fits your largest part. As mentioned in the first section, you don’t want clothing to be stretched or pulled to accommodate you. Consult your tailor for suggestions on how to make a piece look its best on you. Small adjustments can make an inexpensive piece of clothing look luxurious and like it was made especially for you. A lot of retailers will hem pants for free, but another good option is a store card. Nordstrom for instance, has great store card options in debit, credit, or an actual Visa card that you can use anywhere, and one of the perks of having one of these cards is that you get $100 in alterations for free annually. Clothing is made to emphasize your best physical qualities, and retailers want you to utilize their services to make this happen.