You’re spending 40 hours a week there, you might as well look good, right?
We spend most of our day at work, which means that we dress up for work more than we dress up for parties. I don’t blame you for trying to look hot, but you must know that there’s a thin line between professionally sexy and just cringe-worthy sexy at the office.
9 Fashion Faux Pas To Avoid When Dressing Up For Work
You could’ve been committing these work fashion faux pas, but at least we can put at end to this right here and right now. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand if you’re guilty, what matters is that we move past those mistakes and help you land the right kind of glam for work. So, are you guilty of these?
1. Your skirt is a tad too short.
If you’re thinking twice about wearing that skirt because you feel that it might be too short, there’s a good chance that it probably is. You’re going to the office, not a party so use those short skirts for a night out instead.
Aside from thinking it’s too short, how else would you know? If you can’t bend easily to pick up something without worrying about flashing your behind, then that is too short my friend. HOWEVER, if you really, really need to wear this skirt, like it’s the focal point of your look, go ahead but make sure to wear thick stockings underneath.
2. Keep the spaghetti in the pantry.
There’s really no reason to wear spaghetti straps in the office even if it’s scorching hot outside. The rule is, the thicker the straps, the better… which also means that you should just wear sleeves. I know that this should be common knowledge, but seriously, there are women who didn’t get the memo and will need some reminding.
Never go to the office wearing a tube top or strapless dress unless you intend to wear a blazer or sweater over it. BUT, just make sure to keep the blazer on throughout the day.
3. To see is not to behold.
In the workplace, distractions are minimized as much as possible. So, if you plan to wear a sheer or transparent blouse with your bra or camisole peeking through, please don’t. You’ll be a walking distraction. Although I know some people get a kick out of the incessant staring, it is SO unprofessional and your boss won’t appreciate it.
4. Too high to be fly.
Work heels are a favorite among career women. The higher the heels, the greater you feel! And of course, the higher the heels, the sexier you feel too!
However, if your pumps are making you move slower, it may be best to take it down a notch. I know your pumps are fabulous, but honey, if it won’t get you from point A to B in a jiffy, then you better ditch it. You’d want to wear shoes that you can move around easily, efficiently and comfortably. The last thing you’d want is to get your boss mad because you’re doing things too slow (of course, you can’t tell him it’s about the heels).
On the other hand, if you really like to wear those pumps, I suggest you bring flats with you and leave it under your desk. If your feet are tired, you can switch to your flats while in the office so you can be as mobile as you want. Then when it’s 5pm, you’re ready to strut out of the office once again.
5. Function over form.
Remember, you always have to dress comfortably at work. Yes, you want to look great, but you shouldn’t sacrifice your comfort. Similar to the problem of wearing high heels, you’d want to move around as much as you can. If your boss wants you to pick up something two blocks away, you better be ready to do that.
If you find yourself pulling your skirt, tugging your top or constantly moving your clothes here and there, that obviously means that what you’ve put on doesn’t fit you right. Rather than being stubborn and pushing forward, wear a comfy number. Your comfort level will shine though.
6. Less is more.
Ooops, wait a moment. I don’t mean less clothing is better at the office… what I actually meant to say is less is more when it comes to makeup. Leave the heavy makeup for your weekend parties because for office looks, natural and subtle makeup is always best!
Heavy makeup at the office can also be distracting to the people around you. They’ll probably be wondering why there’s such a need to do full-coverage makeup when you’re stuck within the four corners of the office all day. Plus, you may come across as high maintenance to your boss, colleagues and even clients you’ll deal with. So yeah, less is more!
7. Fix the undies.
This is something we may neglect to observe. Sometimes, when we love our look, we fail to really check how our undies work underneath. It will be a shame talking to your supervisor only for your bra straps to be showing. Horrible.
So before leaving home, check if your undies are in place and in tact. Bend over, stretch, do what you have to do to check if everything is good to go. Even if your underwear is sexy, it’s best to keep it under your clothes where it really should be.
8. Keep it pro.
Let’s say neon colors are trending this season, would you consider wearing neon pants to the office? Of course not! Regardless of what’s trending in the fashion world, your first priority is to always look professional and office chic!
No boho looks, no kiddie looks, nothing too fancy, colorful or sexy. Just keep it simple because that usually works best. And by the way, this goes the same for your accessories, keep them at minimum. You really don’t want your glaring gold-plated earrings to be the thing your boss looks at when you talk to her.
9. Left your umbrella somewhere.
Tell me, is there any good reason why you would come to the office? And when you do, there’s not even a drop of rain outside? No, there’s no good reason for this because you’ll just show that you can’t wake up an extra hour to dry your hair and you don’t care if you come to the office looking like you just came out of the shower.
If you’re like me and you dread waking up early in the morning, do what I do — wet my hair at night and just style in the morning. Trust me, it makes morning life a lot easier!
I admit, I’ve done two or three of those work fashion mistakes… but what matters is I’ve changed for the better and I’m sure my boss and co-workers appreciate it too! Now, it’s time for you to make the change.
So ladies, which fashion mistake are you guilty of?
Planning to do some shopping? Here are work fashion must-haves to get:
