Dresses in the workplace are having a resurgence and are becoming more appropriate and popular. Work dresses need to have a collar and cuffs, or work well underneath a professional jacket that has a collar. Collars convey authority, which is a wonderful thing for a woman’s office dress in the workplace.
Let’s start at the top for your work dresses – choose a neckline that is flattering for Dressing Your Body Type, but stops short of showing cleavage. Sleeves are always a great debate. A sleeveless sheath is perfect underneath a blazer and great for happy hour, but will become a point of discussion if you spend a regular eight hour day at your big law firm showing your pretty arms. The hem length should hit right at that sweet spot – like the neckline, too short of a skirt and we convey the wrong message. The current office dress trend is for knee length and lower, minis are out of style.
Tailoring is important in work dresses – not too tight lest we look and feel like sausages waddling around, and we certainly don’t want to look like we’ve dressed in a burlap sack for the day. Be prepared to tailor your work dresses so they fit you like a glove. If you're looking for more tips on office dress, please visit our Career Wardrobe.