Rules are meant to be broken, especially in the fashion world (if you know how to do it correctly). Office fashion has greatly evolved over the last few decades, and there are quite a few rules that are outdated. Before you start discarding all the professional fashion guidelines you’ve ever known, make sure you know the rules well enough to break them. Otherwise, its going to look sloppy. As always, take your own office’s dress code into account before you attempt to discard any of these rules.
"Your shirt must be tucked in."
If someone asked you to picture a typical businesswoman, you’d probably envision a woman wearing a classic pencil skirt, a tucked-in button down, and a blazer. Would you believe that the tuck is actually not the most flattering style? Consider only tucking the front of your shirt into the pants/skirt for a more sophisticated look, or even leave it completely untucked. Just make sure your shirt is long enough so that it will not show your stomach when you lift your arms up.
"Short-sleeves are a no-no."
Wearing a sleeveless top used to be unheard of at the office, but the times are changing. If you do decide to skip the sleeves, your tank top still needs to be office-friendly, not beach-friendly. This means no spaghetti straps, racerbacks, or skin-tight tank tops. You can, however, wear tank tops where your entire shoulder is still covered in fabric. Loose sleeveless tops look more professional than form-fitting ones, and little details, like ruffles or buttons, add that classy touch.
"You must wear pantyhose."
A skirt without pantyhose? That probably goes against everything your mother’s ever taught you about dressing appropriately, but we’re sad to say (not really) that pantyhose are no longer a must. When you’re wearing a knee-length skirt and it’s the middle of summer, skip the hose! Trust us, nobody will notice.
"Everything has to match."
Your work outfits don’t have to be expertly matched in order for them to look professional. The age of crisp black suits and white button-ups is over, and the dawn of bold colors and patterns in the workplace is here! Don’t go too overboard with the extended range of colors; work your way up to pattern mixing if you don’t have much experience. Wear a bold red blouse with your pants, then once you’re comfortable with that, move on to patterns, like polka dots and florals.
