What’s the right work attire to choose when it’s hot outside? Leave the Daisy Dukes and flip-flops at home to present a positive professional image and avoid making a fashion faux pas.
Most of us have heard the advice that you should dress for the job you want. We’ve also been raised to believe that it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. But somehow those lessons are forgotten when the weather heats up. Which means that, in warmer months, workplace fashion faux pas can run rampant.
The dress code varies from office to office, and some organizations allow more casual work attire during the summer. However, fewer do than in the past: A recent OfficeTeam survey found that 29 percent of employers relax their dress codes in the summer — and that’s down from 57 percent five years ago. It may be that fewer companies are encouraging casual summer attire since dressing down is now the norm throughout the year.
You need to be familiar with company policies, and you should also pay attention to the unofficial dress code. Observe what coworkers wear, including your manager and others in supervisory roles. In general, if you’re not sure whether something’s appropriate to wear to work, it probably isn’t.
In most business settings, you should avoid these 11 fashion faux pas: