What is Appropriate Summer Work Attire?
Learn what’s not OK to wear to the office during those dog days of summer.
Trent Armstrong
Listen
What is Appropriate Summer Work Attire?
What to wear, what to wear? Many struggle with that question every morning, but it’s often an even harder question in the warm summer months when all you feel like putting on is your bathing suit. That’s probably why the poorer wardrobe choices tend to come when it’s hot outside. So, what exactly IS acceptable business attire during the summer months?
Work Dress Code Etiquette
Well, unfortunately this is not a question that can be answered easily from a general perspective. Every business has a different dress code. Some businesses scoff at the “no tie” idea whereas others would not dream of wearing a tie. For the ladies, this translates to pantyhose or no pantyhose. So, let us begin by saying the best way to choose appropriate attire at work is to start with your company’s dress code. The employee handbook usually has a pretty specific description of what is and what is not acceptable to wear at work. Stepping outside of this dress code is not a good idea. Not only do co-workers take notice, but soon they make the dress code violater the main topic of conversation around the water cooler. “Did you see what so-and-so was wearing today? Can you believe that? I can’t believe no one has said anything yet!”– and that is never a good thing. This situation can lead to resentment as well, especially if everyone feels the violator is getting away with it.
Soon others will follow suit and that results in a human resources nightmare. The key is to just be wise in your decisions. Outside of the specific dress code, there are a few general rules that can be followed.
Don’t Wear Anything Too Revealing
As a general rule, work should be a place where you dress more conservatively (well, I guess there may be a few professions where this is not completely true, but I’ll steer clear of those “exceptions”). The number one summer wardrobe no-no is wearing clothes that are too revealing for work. Though summer may mean wearing less clothing, it doesn’t mean you have an excuse to wear more revealing or immodest clothing. Work is not the place to showcase anything you might remotely consider wearing when working on your suntan. In fact, as a general rule, if you plan to wear it on the beach or a hot date, you shouldn’t wear it in the office. Aside from not wearing your bathing suit to work, that generally means not wearing anything too tight or short. Drawing attention to yourself is a distraction that the workplace doesn’t need. And not only that, it’s not good for your personal career. Whether or not it’s right, people judge us based on what we wear and how we present ourselves to the world. Wearing something that’s too tight or revealing can only harm your professional reputation. Now, this does not mean you need to turn into Plain Jane or Boring Brad and fill your summer work wardrobe with stuffy clothes. You can still keep your personal style even while dressing appropriately. If you are ever in doubt, one good rule might be to imagine what your mother or grandmother would say about your outfit. Of course, this trick won’t work if your mother is about as conservative as Cher.
Take Note of What Your Coworkers Are Wearing
Even the strictest dress codes often become relaxed in the heat of the summer. If you’re not sure whether this means you can wear your favorite flip flops to work, take your cues from your coworkers, preferably your boss or the more senior management. If you notice your boss or your boss’s boss baring their toes, then you can take that as a good indication that your new beach shoes won’t draw the ire of Human Resources. If however, your boss shows up in 120 degree weather still wearing his faithful dress shoes, then you should probably stick to your more formal footwear, too. This doesn’t mean you can’t wear your flip flops on the way into work or when you’re relaxing outside on your lunch break. Just keep a more work appropriate pair of shoes at your desk so you can change when you’re on the clock.
Summer Clothing That’s Never Work Appropriate
Unless you work in a very laid back environment, certain clothing is never work appropriate, no matter how high the mercury climbs. Guys should never wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. Women can get away with wearing dressy shorts but should never wear casual tank tops or strapless dresses. The one exception to that last rule is if women pair strapless dresses with a sweater that covers the shoulders and back. One last note for the ladies: bra straps should never be visible, so if the straps of your dress are too thin to disguise your bra straps, throw on a sweater when you’re in the office.
And for our guy listeners, your shirt should be low enough and your pants high enough in the back to cover your underwear. Productive members of society–and those who wish to improve their opportunities at work– should never improve the visibility of their under-garments.
Who to Address About How You Dress
The rules and dress codes are established for a purpose. Inappropriate clothing does not belong in the work environment. If you feel that your company’s dress code is unfair in any way, the best way to handle it is to calmly address your concerns with the Human Resources department. Try not to talk about the issue with other co-workers in an effort to round up the troops as this may lead to a bigger problem. And not to sound like the HR guru, but the old saying provides a pretty good conclusion on business wear– “If you have to ask, don’t wear it.”
Administrative
Thank you for listening to this episode of The Modern Manners Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Polite Life. And thanks to Derek Norton of The MannersCast for guest writing this episode. You can find out more about the guys of The MannersCast at mannerscast.com.
There are transcripts of this and all my other episodes at manners.quickanddirtytips.com where you can also find a link to my Facebook group. Come on over, become a fan and join in the discussions. And don’t forget to tell a friend about your Modern Manners Guy. If you would like to make a comment or suggestion email manners@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email.
The Modern Manners Guy is a part of the Quick and Dirty Tips Network.
Woman in Dress image courtesy of Shutterstock