Rules For A Relaxed Office – The 4 Things You Need To Know
May 5, 2015
By Brian Maynor
Dressing for work can be a struggle any day, but there are particularly more grey areas when the weather heats up.
During the spring and summer dress codes relax a little, but there is still a fine line between what’s acceptable to wear to work and what isn’t. Take peep-toed pumps for example; they are a classic summer shoe, but should you wear them to work? Or what about short-sleeve polo shirts? With so many different kinds available how do you know which ones pass the appropriateness test? Fortunately there are four rules that will help keep your wardrobe professional even if it is relaxed. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Banish the word ‘casual’. Work is a place for professional dress. How that is interpreted varies, but you should still think of it as professional. Casual clothes are for the weekends and time-off. Jeans may be perfectly appropriate in your workplace, but they shouldn’t be the same jeans you wear to clean the house. To maintain your professional standards you should always invest in your work clothes and view them in that light.
2. Pull it together with accessories. Sometimes accessories are the only way to distinguish between a weekend outfit and a workday one. Along with statement jewelry, shoes are powerful accessories. Both of them blend, polish and complete your look by transforming pieces into an outfit. Jeans and an oxford look very different when worn with sneakers than they do when worn with dress shoes or heels.
While peep-toe pumps and sandals may be in a grey area, flip-flops are not. No matter how relaxed your workplace these ‘shoes’ are not professional.
3. Maintain your polish. No matter how casual, relaxed or laid-back your professional space is, one thing it should not be is sloppy. Professionals are effective, authoritative and polished, which means maintaining your grooming practices and your clothes. Whether you wear blue nail polish or a full beard, but they should still look neat and clean, as should your clothes. If something is stained, torn or scuffed fix it or leave it at home.
4. Expectations trump all. That means knowing and understanding your audience. When dealing with people, the number one rule to remember is that we like and respond better to people who look like us. Following these rules will help you look relatable but one or two rungs better than your audience.
Whether you call it business casual or not, dressing for a relaxed professional environment is not easy. There may be a lot more options to personalize your style, but there are also a lot more ways to get it wrong.
Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.
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I am always curious to hear about your weekend wardrobe dilemmas and help make your work wardrobe pull double duty. Email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected]. Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
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