Festive Business Attire – Celebrating The Holiday Season In Style
December 3, 2014
By Brian Maynor
Wearing a tacky Christmas sweater to the office may be an obvious faux pas, but where do you draw the line for professional festive holiday attire?
Company administrators and professionals alike are all too familiar with the business casual battle and often polices are in place to address it, and we’ve talked about appropriate holiday office party attire, so today let’s look at daily office wear.
Here’s my breakdown of work appropriate festive holiday attire and how to maintain a professional image though out the season that doesn’t completely ignore it:
1. Leave the decorations at home. There is a current divide in the professional world about personalizing your workspace. For a long time it was seen as a form of empowering employees by giving them ownership of their office, but others feel it is a distraction and decreases productivity and professionalism. If your office allows personal effects keep your seasonal decorations limited and small. Do you really need someone to tell you that toting in boxes of decorations and possibly a tree is too much?
2. Save the overt holiday attire for after hours. Iconographic shirts, sweaters, pins and other attire have no place in a professional environment. While atmospheres and attitudes tend to relax this time of year there is still plenty of work to be done and a level of professional decorum that should be maintained. Plus we all know what time of year it is without seeing walking billboards.
3. Ignoring the season is not the best idea either. Aside from being called a Scrooge or Grinch, choosing to keep all seasonal influence from your look is also a mistake. Professional advancement and credibility is all about staying relevant and current and that means embracing the ‘now’. No matter how much you love or loathe the holidays give the season a small nod.
4. Be smart and opt for subliminal seasonal outfits. To create a holiday impression you only have to think about certain color combinations, prints and patterns. Taking cues from the seasonal color palettes are a safe and effective way to create festive outfits without completely changing your look. You don’t have to pull out the candy cane earrings or a reindeer pin to be festive. Change your scarf or pocket square and call it a day.
Subtly is key when it comes to building an appropriate holiday office outfit. Making radical changes to reflect the season could set back all of your hard work from the rest of the year.
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I am always curious to hear from you and what you see in the workplace. Send your questions, comments and pet peeves 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.
