hi i am to lead a discusion on dress codes for the office, i need help, especilyy ladies office wear?

Question

we will be discussing the kinds of attire that can be worn to the office, eg kinds of shirt, skirts, suits, trousers etc and the type of colours and colour combinations suitable for the office and the occassions to wear them. hair styles, rings ear rings shoes and other foot wear suitable for the office. thanks

Answer 1

Attire in the Office - From Casual to Professional


There are three forms of attire found in most American Offices. They are:

Casual
Business Casual
Business, or Professional

Casual Attire is normally considered the comfort clothing that you wear on a daily basis. It’s what you’d wear to a department store, to school or to visit friends. This clothing is more than what you’d wear to the beach or a sporting event, but is common enough to feel comfortable wearing all day.
Please note that it is rare that you’d ever wear casual clothing to the office unless your company has adopted a casual dress code. Other than that, you would most likely only be allowed to wear casual dress on special circumstances. I’ve been allowed to wear jeans on moving days, or short sets at office gatherings in the park, but again that usually only occurs once in a while and hardly ever on a regular work day.

Casual clothing is comprised of the following:

Suitable Articles of Clothing: Jeans (pants or skirt), T-shirts (no offensive or inappropriate wording), Short sets, Capri pants, Sneakers and Sandals.

Appropriate Material/Fabrics: Most fabrics that are machine washable can be called casual wear fabric. They include: Denim, Cotton, Khaki, etc.

Business Casual has only become a standard in offices within the last few decades. Prior to the nineties, professional attire was the only clothing allowed in the office. However, after case studies began to support the wearing of business attire based upon higher productivity due to the comfort of the workers, companies began to allow a business casual dress code for their employees. Today, doctors and even teachers may be found performing their job function in business casual clothing.

Still, it is easy to tote the line between business casual and casual. In my office we receive emails at least quarterly which remind us what appropriate business attire is. There are many benefits to a business casual dress code such as the decrease in clothing expenses and comfort, so I would encourage you not to abuse your company’s business casual policy. While most companies will define what they feel is acceptable business casual attire for their employees, here are is a guideline if ever this is in question:

Suitable Articles of Clothing:
Women:Slacks (dress pants), skirts (mid-calf to about two inches above the knee), blouses, shells, cardigans, blazers, casual dresses
Men:Slacks (dress pants), button down shirts, polo shirts (short sleeved shirts with a collar), blazers.

Appropriate Material/Fabric: Cotton, Khakis, Rayon, Polyester, Wool, etc. *Under no circumstances would Denim be considered appropriate for Business Casual.

Professional wear, also known as business attire, is a long lost art form that is seen only in the most formal of business environments. Today, we see professional wear worn by lawyers, judges and most workers in finance.
You would wear professional wear when attending meetings in a conference hall or board room, when going on an interview where business (or business casual) attire is worn, or when meeting a high ranking official, such as the mayor or governor.

Suitable Articles of Clothing:
Women:
Business Suit (pants are acceptable in a liberal atmosphere)
Slacks (or skirts) with coordinating blazer or sport coat
Business Dress
Pantyhose/Stockings
Dress Shoes (usually made of leather)
*Beware of clothing with ruffles or asymmetrical hems.

Men:
Business Suit (jacket and pants)
Shirt (Button Down in coordinating color)
Vest (Optional)
Belt and/or Suspenders
Dress Socks (socks should match the suit)
Tie
Dress Shoes (usually made of leather)

Appropriate Materials/Fabric: Cotton, Linen, Wool. When shopping, ask a sales person for help in deciding whether or not the material used is appropriate professional attire. *Stay away from colors that would be considered flashy or bright.

If ever you are faced with a decision on what dress codes should you adhere to when visiting and office, you can not go wrong by calling the office and asking what attire would be appropriate to wear. Nevertheless, if you are going on a job interview where the position is requires working in an office. Professional wear is never a bad option!

Answer 2

Different office environment have different dress codes. A manufacturing environment might lend itself more to the business casual dress code of dockers and golf shirts whereas a corporate office would its employees to wear more formal attire such as dresses and suits.

What is the atmosphere in the office? Why is this discussion necessary? Is sexual harassment an issue or professionalism? These are the questions you should ask yourself and respond with the appropriate recommendations. I believe the internet has many resources for this issue.

Answer 3

I work for a large corporation and we have a dress code but during the summer months due to the heat wave the south gets we get to wear sandals and no hosiery. The way that we explain to our employees what is acceptable or not is by having a fashion show. It is fun, keeps everyone's attention, and keeps people from having the excuse of not knowing what you meant. You could also have handouts by printing clothing styles from magazines showing your employees what is acceptable.

Answer 4

Personally, I believe that as long as the woman isn't showing any cleavage and She still looks presentable that its ok. The "professional attire" has evolved so much, that wearing what use to be acceptable years ago, is a little bit old school.

Answer 5

NO Spaghetti straps, tank tops, see-thru, daisy duke skirts, plunging necklines, flip flops, gators, and shoes that show all the toes. They are a NO NO in any decent office. :)

Answer 6

I would start with something simple and let it evolve. Just say something like "professional attire"