Summer dress:
Is it too hot for the office?

Linda Lou Moore
Guest Writer

It's Summer. It's Hot!

So when dressing for the office, you wear: (A) shorts, (B) cropped-tops, (C) flip- flops, or (D) none of the above

If you answered "none of the above," you're aware that dressing for business is not the same as cooling off in the backyard.

Dress speak

Business dress can be defined by the term "DRESS SPEAK."

This phrase is used to express how clothing translates into a personal statement. Your dress can convey the following:

Your professionalism
Your level of sophistication
Your intelligence
Your credibility

Dress that can be considered distracting in a professional setting can be:

Anything that is too short, too tight or too sheer.
Dirty or wrinkled clothing.
Garish or faddish items such as multiple piercing and tattoos.

Customer complaints

Many customers and business patrons talk about unprofessional dress.

Consider some of the complaints.

Shorts. You may have the sculpted legs of Michelangelo's 'David', or the gorgeous gams of Daisy Duke, but shorts in a business environment may cut your career short.

Cropped-tops. Short or abbreviated tops that show the midriff can be distracting. Whether you have flat abs, or even think you do, don't show your abdomen at the office.

Sheer or see through shirts and tops. Summer and sheer seem to go together, but not at the office. Seeing a man's chest hair or a woman's undergarments when trying to conduct business, draws one's attention from the task at hand. Save the sheer for after hours.

Low-cut necklines, strapless tops, and tank tops. See above.

Low fitted pants and short skirts. Oops, bending over when wearing these can be awkward and embarrassing.

Flip-flops. No matter how comfortable, flip-flops and accompanying dirty feet don't convey professionalism. Save the flip-flops for casual dress or the beach.

Business dress

Even though the heat and humidity of summer can be miserable, dressing comfortably and professionally for the office doesn't have to be difficult.

Your appearance should reflect respect for you and your job. The clothing that you select should be appropriate for:

Your profession
Your job title
The occasion

The three A's

With the relaxation of dress codes, dressing for business can be confusing.

Following the three A'S can help you feel confident and self-assured, no matter the temperature.

Business clothing should be:

A = Appropriate
A = Affordable
A = Attractive

The dog days of summer have arrived. Even though it is hot, you can still look cool and professional when dressing for this season.

Quote of the day: "Summer has set in with its usual severity." Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Linda Lou Moore is trained and certified by The Protocol School of Washington, D.C. She offers customized individual and group etiquette programs for children, teens and adults. She may be reached at P.O. Box 145, Paragould 72451 or at manners@grnco.net.

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Summer dress: Is it too hot for the office?

Summer dress:
Is it too hot for the office?