It's getting warmer, and that's a
signal to many of us that it's time to drop the jacket, undo the tie and get a
little more comfortable at the office.
But don't get too relaxed.
Just because it's hotter isn't an excuse to start wearing
flip-flops, showing off cleavage or walking around the office in bare arms. It
not only shows poor judgment about what's appropriate at work, but it can
affect your career by broadcasting that either you don't care how you look or
you don't know any better.
“The more skin, the less power,” Houston corporate and
personal image consultant Helen Perry said, referring to too-plunging necklines
or too-short skirts.
Perry said she's been hearing complaints lately from
executives at conservative suit-and-tie energy companies that female employees
are shedding their jackets and walking around in sleeveless blouses. The effect
is too revealing in a formal office culture.
“People think about comfort, they don't plan,” Perry said,
and don't spend time on the weekends paying attention to their workaday
wardrobes like shining shoes or taking their clothes to the dry cleaner.
“It takes a commitment to be well dressed every day,” she
said. Unfortunately, women have a lot more ways to shoot themselves in the foot
during the summer than men.
• • In conservative workplaces, women need a jacket,
even if it's a soft cardigan — a third piece, Perry said. A jacket is a power
accouterment and gives the wearer a finished look.
• • Houston's unofficial summertime dress code relaxed
over the last few years, making it more acceptable for women to go without
stockings, especially in a less formal workplace. (Maybe first invest in some
tanning cream and get a pedicure.).
• • It's not just the clothing. It's also the beachlike
accessories that show up at the office during the summer like big earnings and
fun shoes, said Wendy Boswell, associate professor of management at the Mays
Business School at Texas A&M University.
“It's always surprising to me when people don't notice that
they're dressing more casually,” said Boswell, who recommends modeling the
attire worn by the supervisors and managers.
Looking professional doesn't have to cost a lot, said Perry,
who recommends shopping at discount stores that sell professional clothes.
Resale shops can also be a good source and won't break the bank.
• • Remember, there's a difference between being stylish and
professional, Boswell said, a point that eludes some young employees who dress
more to imitate celebrities than to fit in at their first job.
She recalls the “Ally McBeal” short-short skirts worn by the
television lawyer that became a fashion statement and popped up at some work
events, including hers. “It was a style, but it's still a really short skirt,”
said Boswell, who adds that it's not a good idea to show too much leg.
• • Men should never wear a tie with a short-sleeved shirt.
“It screams outdated nerd,” Perry said. Ditto for athletic shoes and sandals.
Pamela McConathy, who owns the Foresight Communications
Group, a public relations firm in Houston, goes for the conservative look,
which typically includes a jacket during the summer.
“In most cases, you need to take your cues from the company
culture in which you are working,” she said. “Then, dress a step above that.
You won't go wrong.”
So what do you do if you've got employees coming to work in
see-through clothes or something similarly inappropriate? Or disrobe once they
get there?
While some managers would use the opportunity to create a
dress code, Houston human resources consultant Kathleen Kelley suggests calling
the offending employee in and explaining why the outfit doesn't work.
“You won't be able to regulate the world,” Kelley said. But
you can remind employees that if you'd wear it at the beach, it probably
doesn't belong at the office.