What’s Too “Fashion” For Your Office?
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Here’s maybe a fun question — what things feel “too fashiony” for your office? Barrel pants, blazers draped over shoulders, cutesy sheer socks with dresses, cape blazers, sweaters worn in unusual ways like backwards or diagonally… are they appropriate at your office? Do you wear them?
We’ve talked about ways to style a cardigan as a layering piece, and I joked about how NOT to wear a suit (based on images like the one above, from Me + Em) — but we haven’t really talked about it in the broader sense.
Years ago, I remember talking with a friend who was pretty senior at a very conservative law firm, and at the time she was going off about joggers, which at the time were pretty new to the scene. “I don’t care if your joggers are Theory, don’t wear them to work,” she said. It’s from this conversation (and discussions here) that I developed my “wait for a trend to be mainstream for 5 years before wearing it to a conservative office.”
That said… trends move a lot more quickly these days… and there are very few truly conservative offices anymore.
So let’s discuss — what styling trends will you not wear? A gallery of some ideas we’ve discussed before…
For my $.02, I’d try the sweater worn diagonally, the sweater worn backwards, and I do wear the blazer over my shoulders, but more for nights out. The blazer tied around the waist and some of the looks with sheer socks is where you lose me. Which of these would you actually wear to work? Which would get an ‘Okay, Brenda, what’s going on?’ call from HR at your office?
Very interesting! At work especially now that I’m at a higher level I want to show my style but also not come off as too cutesy. I work in public health so it’s a little different from law or finance.
I wouldn’t do:
– blazer tied at waist
Might do:
– boots tucked into trousers (maybe if needed for the weather)
– knee high socks with skirt (I don’t love it with the heels but maybe with boots)
– blazer worn on shoulders (seems uncomfortable / hard to maintain)
– extremely oversized blazer (not against it but wouldn’t look good on me. also see: not trying to look like a kid)
Would do:
– cutesy sheer socks
– dramatic blazers (I like this a lot actually, and it works well for my role)
– bright monochrome outfits (Saw a lot of these at my last conference! As well as sets in more muted colors)
– sweater worn diagonally
– sweater worn backwards
– barrel pants
– unusual neckline for blazers
Absolutely yes, do wear or see, and well-received (but not all at once)
– Unusual necklines
– Dramatic jacket, though probably not the *full* train pictured
– Bright monochrome
– Jacket on shoulders (I do this constantly bc I get hot but since others have theirs on, I don’t want to just ditch it)
– Diagonal sweater
– Backwards sweater (but fully buttoned, not as shown…)
– Barrel pants though most are more subtle than the pictured volume
Nope nope nope:
– cutesy socks unless it’s just a peep when wearing full length pants – with a skirt, nope nope nope
– dress pants tucked into boots as pictured (riding boots over jeans fine for casual)
– knee highs with a skirt (waaaaaaaay too schoolgirl costumey)
– blazer tied at waist (tbh more out of “wtf that would ruin the sleeves” than it being too wild per se)
I’m here for the dramatic blazers of all types, but “a sweater worn diagonally” or backwards just seems odd.