Appropriate Business Casual Attire for Spring
Warmer Weather Does Not Mean "Time to Show More Skin" at Work
Feb 15, 2009
Far too many women see spring and summer as the seasons to show off more skin, and while outside the office, this may be acceptable, it is essential to maintain a professional, put-together image in the workplace year round.
There are a number of comfortable, fun ways to dress for spring without pushing the boundaries of an office dress code.
Begin with Workplace Wardrobe Basics
Every working woman should have the following workplace essentials in her closet:
- Three to five pairs of trousers (that fit) in basic colors like black, brown, gray or camel
- Ten to twelve blouses and sweaters in a mix of solid colors (both basics, as mentioned above, and brights), patterns, and prints
- At least one crisp, white, button-down, collared shirt
- At least one great, basic suit (that fits)
- Three to five skirts (no shorter than knee-length) in a mix of solid basic colors (as mentioned above) and prints
- Two or three blazers that can be mixed and matched with any of the skirts, blouses, and trousers
- Two or three workplace appropriate dresses (knee-length). The classic wrap dress is a great option, in solid basic colors or fun prints.
Whether an item comes from Target or Armani, the fit can make or break the outfit. As Forbes.com reported in a February 2009 piece on women's workplace attire, "Everyone knows that you should avoid clothes that are too tight or too skimpy. If your clothing is overly revealing, you may have difficulty getting attention for your ideas. But baggy clothing that's two sizes too big can be just as detrimental. If your clothing is shapeless, you'll end up looking sloppy."
Investing in a quality tailor is more important than investing in a designer wardrobe. A good tailor can make even the most basic, wholesale item look like a million bucks.
Work Wardrobe Essentials Year-Round
Instead of switching out their entire closets when seasons change, women with the basic essentials above in their wardrobes can make their collections work year-round (and save money) by utilizing functional pieces.
For example, if a woman typically purchases both one short sleeve cashmere sweater and one long sleeve cashmere sweater, buying one cashmere twinset (either a sleeveless shell with a long-sleeve cardigan, or a short sleeve tee with a three-quarter sleeve cardigan) will likely be less costly. The cardigan can be worn over the shell through the cold weather months for warmth, and the shell can be worn on its own in warmer months. A great twinset can be mixed and matched with anything in your wardrobe: the cardigan can be paired with blouses, the shell paired with blazers or light jackets.
Additionally, lightweight short-sleeved blouses that are typically reserved for warmer weather can be worn under blazers or sweaters in winter to add a punch of color to a winter look.
While some fabrics, like lambswool, may not be sensible for year-round wear, many wool blends are lighter weight and can add a polished, clean look to a spring or summer outfit.
Spring Style at Work
Even if a workplace maintains its employees dress in suits everyday, women can still add splashes of color or prints to spruce up their warm weather look. A bright pink button-down shirt on its own may be too loud for formal offices, but under a charcoal gray suit, it can add an appropriate and fun punch of color. Pin stripes come in all colors, and are a great way to add style to basic wardrobe pieces.
Prints on blouses, dresses or skirts can work, but women should be careful to avoid overdoing it. For instance, if a women is wearing a colorful floral print top, a pin stripe pant or bold colored skirt would bee too much. Pair a bright patterned top with a sleek, solid bottom, and vice versa.
For women who despise pantihose, thigh-highs are a more comfortable option to wear under skirts and dresses. Since workplace skirts should never come above the knee, there should be no giveaway that thigh-highs, and not pantihose, are being worn.
Office Footwear for Spring
Warm weather, workplace appropriate shoes puzzle many women. A good rule of thumb is that a woman should never wear a heel so high that she cannot walk comfortably and confidently from the elevator to her desk without wobbling all over the place.
Open-toed heels are forbidden at some workplaces, in which case sensible kitten-heel pumps in fun colors are a great option for spring. In workplaces where open-toed heels are permitted, the "strappiness" should be kept to a minimum. A peep-toe pump is an ideal accessory to the majority of wardrobe essentials mentioned above, and a complementary print can add sophistication to even the most simple white top, black bottom ensemble.
Avoiding low-cut tops, poorly fitting pieces, and outfits that would be better suited for a day on the boardwalk can keep spring and summer work wardrobes fun, comfortable, and appropriate for the office.
