Work Appropriate, Yes or No?

Fashionistas, I’m kicking off the week asking you all to weigh about a question that we all battle with on occasion: is it work appropriate?

I’m sure you’ve all experienced this at least once: putting an outfit together one more with particular items that you aren’t sure if it’s okay for the office. I know when I go shopping, I buy items I think maybe could be work wear, but the answer is not always obvious. It all just really depends on the ensemble! Some items though…..they will just never work.

What are your thoughts on…..

Sequins

Sometimes I’ve gone back and forth on this but then I came to realize, heck yes! Why NOT wear sequins to work? As long as you’re not rock a sequin encrusted glam dress or ballgown, I think sequins are a great way to spice up any outfit, and bring some playfulness to the workplace.

I personally have a ton of black sequin skirts I wear to work and have a ton of fun with. The black keeps the sequins subdued; if they were silver and gold, that would scream New Year’s Eve too much.

I also recently acquired a bright pink sequin skirt and I’ve worn it to work once. It did receive a ton of comments, which left me thinking that rocking it was maybe not the best choice. What are your thoughts here? Can the pink skirt work?

Sequin tanks under cardigans with a pencil skirt and trench would be super cute, too. On the metro last Friday, I saw a girl rocking this very look and it inspired me!

Knee-High Heeled Boots

After much thought, I’m totally on board with wearing heeled knee-high boots to work. If worn with all tight garments, they might look a little too sexy. However, with a nice modest blazer, high-waist skirt, and a nice blouse with a collar or boat neck…you’re all set. Even a dress could work, as long as it’s not too sexy or attention grabbing. I think a nice simple striped dress with quarter length sleeves and a nice comfy chunky infinity scarf?

In any outfit, however, you should wear a pair of tights. That way, you won’t be showing any skin and your legs will stay warm during a cold fall brisk breeze.

To give you a visual example, the blogger look below hits the nail right on the head on how to rock these in an outfit. Tights, check! Simple and chic blouse, CHECK! I would probably go for a skirt that’s a bit longer, though. Too much leg is showing for work, in my opinion. Don’t you just love her coat?

Form fitting skirts

With a long blazer, or an over-sized cardigan: yes. By itself without any covering on the backside: eh….probably not. Being on the tinier side, the only kind of skirt that fits me well and comes in a good length, is a super tight form fitting one. When I first entered the workplace, I had a mini panic attack because very few of my skirts could work on their own with a dressy top. It looked too much like I was going out to the club.

Then, I found my special sauce. Over-sized cardigans, sweaters…anything that covered my behind. It’s virtually the same formula you would use when wearing leggings. Just cover the butt, and you’re good to go!

Lately, I’ve been also experimenting with high-low collared tops, and they’re doing just the trick as well. A nice tight skirt can also add some length to a shift dress that might seem to short! I do that all of the time, that’s for sure and it makes some of my shorter dresses workplace friendly.

Garments with low backs

And finally, we will end this post with a flat out No! 😉

No matter how hard I try to convince myself this can work……..I can’t seem to get on board. Low-backed items are a bit inappropriate and too seductive for the office. A woman’s back is a sensual and sexy part of the body, so letting that body part out at the office is a big no-no.

Keep your low-back dresses for after work on a fancy date night.

I will say this — when I saw low-back items, I’m talking about a dress that shows half way or more than half way down your back. I am guilty of wearing tops that show a teeny bit of back, and I think that’s okay depending on the type of dress code you have at work, for my office is a tad more lax.

However, when I did wear my item that showed some back, I rocked a scarf to draw attention away from my more exposed area.