SavvySugar -- It Makes Sense.

Ask Savvy: What Should I Wear to a Job Interview?

SavvySugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:30:45 -0700

Q: Dear Savvy,

I have an advanced degree in Science and Engineering and am currently job hunting. I keep seeing and hearing conflicting reports about what to wear to my interviews. Any advice?

A: Office attire seems to be a common theme this week — the Project Runway contestants certainly had some interesting and varied ideas of what attire is appropriate for a college graduate entering the working world. Some of their creations may have passed once you've been established as an employee, but figuring out what to wear on an interview is more pressing because it's all about making your best first impression. See my tips for interview appropriate attire when you

I'm Asking: Do You Recall Your First Day of Work Outfit?

SavvySugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:29 -0700

Your first day at a new job can resemble your first day of school — the familiar nervous butterflies and thoughtful wardrobe choices included. With more than half of you admitting that you judge your co-workers by how they dress, taking care in making a first impression at work would only make sense. Do you recall what you selected for your first day on the job?

Brilliant or Baffling: City Clips For Your Pants

SavvySugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:30:07 -0700

Savvy says: Brilliant!Cityclips ($36) are a working girl's dream come true. We take care in building our work wardrobes and spend a pretty penny in doing so, and cityclips are the answer to saving our perfect-fit pants and hard earned cash. Held together by magnets, the clips protect your pant-hem from fraying by lifting your pant leg when wearing your commuter flats. They are even available in various fabrics to closely match what you're wearing! The item will eventually pay for itself by extending the life of your pants. What do you think of these; are they brilliant or baffling?

Brilliant or Baffling: City Clips For Your Pants

Brilliant!

Baffling!

Undecided.

You Get What You Pay For: Where to Skimp and Splurge

SavvySugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:00:53 -0700

Is there anything in your wardrobe or household that you're confident will stand the test of time? An MSN Money article called "Should you skimp . . . or splurge?" doubts our ability to judge the value of quality things, and points out that our preference for disposable goods is related to credit cards. Dayana Yochim, a writer at The Motley Fool, brings up some interesting points.

Credit cards let us instantly satisfy our retail desires. Our grandparents had to delay that gratification. They figured that if they had to save for it, they'd better get the best they could. Now retailers want to catch that fleeting desire. We're looking at pricing before quality.

The article offers some suggestions on where to skimp by purchasing items that aren't the best of their kind, and where to splurge by investing money in items that will last.

Splurges: Mattress, eight-inch chef's knife, overcoat.
Skimp: Men's dress shirts (as long as the suit is well-tailored), women's shirts (especially the trendy stuff), accent chair, table linens.

Do you agree with the article's recommendations? Where do you usually skimp or splurge?

Do You Judge Your Co-Workers by How They Dress?

SavvySugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:30:23 -0700

Old adages may tell us to "dress for success" and "dress for the job you want, not the job you have," but 49 percent of you define your work dress code as "business casual." I happen to think business casual is perfectly appropriate for most professions and when it's not companies usually create a dress code; however, it seems pretty obvious that we all judge a book by its cover from time to time. Do you find yourself judging your co-workers based on their style? Photo courtesy of NBC

Do You Judge Your Co-Workers by How They Dress?

Yes — It's natural to cast judgment based on how co-workers present themselves.

Sometimes — When the outfit is especially goofy or standout.

No — I don't pay any attention to what my co-workers wear.

Something else. See my comment below.

Do You Dress More Casually on Fridays?

SavvySugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:05:24 -0700

Here at Sugar HQ we're lucky to dress as we please every day of the week, but I didn't always have it so good. My old office had me buttoned up day in and day out, though on Fridays most employees interpreted our business-casual dress code on the more casual side. Men would wear khakis and a more colorful button-up shirt, and women might wear a sweater or a more comfortable dress than usual. There was nothing in our extensive code saying that we could tone it down on Fridays and we simply established the habit for ourselves. The majority of you have business-casual dress codes at the office, but does Friday mean you dress more casually? Source

Do You Dress More Casually on Fridays?

Yes, there's nothing that says it's allowed but I dress more casually, anyway.

Yes, my office has casual Fridays.

My office is pretty casual every day!

No, the way I dress doesn't change on Fridays.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments below.

Woman Shows Off Almost-Bare Assets at Work

SavvySugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:03:15 -0700

Last I checked there wasn't a skins option for office attire — shirts are mandatory! And pants for that matter, unless you're the woman in this video! An offended worker wrote to Slate's Dear Prudence about her exhibitionist co-worker, and they appreciated the story so much her letter was brought to cartoon life. Would you handle the situation by taking it to your boss or confronting the woman yourself, or would a co-worker flashing her assets be no big deal?

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What Is Your Office's Dress Code?

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:27:04 -0700

When your office requires a specific dress code you can end up with several wardrobes: one for work, one for casual daytime, and another for nights out. Leaving a business-casual environment (no sleeveless shirts, open-toed shoes, denim, etc.) and moving to a casual environment was a truly freeing experience for me! Not to mention the money I save from not having to buy a separate work wardrobe. What do you wear to the office? Photo copyright 2007 ABC, Inc.

What Is Your Office's Dress Code?

Formal business attire.

Business casual.

Casual. I can wear what I please!

Other. See my comments below.

Men Wear Pantyhose For One Full Work Day

SavvySugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:18:40 -0700

Unsuspecting pantyhose may not come off as headline making hosiery, but with Summer upon us everyone from The Wall Street Journal to Good Morning America has been giving them attention. Diane Sawyer challenged American men to test pantyhose for one day and the guys who got their hose on went above and beyond.

The Hollywood Handymen, Britt and George, wore theirs through a full day of physical labor and NY real estate agent Josh Fields kept his on while playing baseball. The men admitted that women have a tougher go of it wearing pantyhose than men do wearing ties. Check out their challenge in the video below.

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Poor, Unfortunate, Pantyhose: The Right to Bare Legs

SavvySugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:05:08 -0700

Pantyhose and I are not friends. We have never been friends, and I don't even like the way it sounds when I say "pantyhose." Fortunately, I haven't been forced into wearing them since childhood, and apparently I should consider myself lucky. Some offices require that women wear hose, and The Wall Street Journal did some serious investigation into the world of women and their legs at work.

They unsurprisingly found that there's a distinct generational divide when it comes to pantyhose preference, but it hadn't occurred to me there would still be a geographical divide as well. Jim Holt, president of a small financial institution in Wichita, Kansas attended a seminar and received this advice regarding women's business casual wear: "Nylon hose and dress shoes are to be worn at all times. We're not New York or San Francisco. We're the Midwest."

Here's their video of New Yorkers of both sexes weighing in on their opinion of pantyhose. Where do you stand?

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Should Dress Code Infractions Send You Home From Work?

SavvySugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:31:29 -0700

Relating to the topic of cleavage at the office, TeamSugar member ilanac13 shared how her old company handled cracking down on their dress code and said, "HR used to have to go around and monitor what people wore because clients would come to our offices all the time and there was a line that was being crossed on what was OK to see and what wasn't. They would send people home if they weren't dressed properly...or they would make you wear a long white t-shirt over your clothes which was just as embarrassing."

The white t-shirt thing seems really nutty to me! Picturing Human Resources putting XL Hanes White T-Shirts on their expense reports is a bit laughable. There wasn't a long t-shirt policy at my old job, but there were some interesting dress code related issues. Shortly after having ACL surgery, one of my colleagues came to the office in shorts because he couldn't fit pants over his large cast. They were knee-length, roomy shorts that weren't offensive to anyone, except the CEO who sent him home for disobeying the dress code — even though the guy cleared his shorts with HR before coming back to work.Between the experiences of ilanic13 and my own, it seems that sending an employee home is something that some HR departments find useful. Do you think it's an appropriate action? Source

Should Dress Code Infractions Send You Home From Work?

Yes, any time the dress code is broken there should be a possibility that the employee is sent home.

It depends on the infraction, but in really obvious cases employees should have to go home and change.

No, sending an adult home for her or his choice of outfit is humiliating, no matter the case.

Other. See my comments below.

Cleavage Could be Asking For Trouble When Colleagues Are Involved

SavvySugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:46:36 -0700

Voluptuous is definitely not a word to describe me, so the topic of sporting cleavage at work hasn't ever been an issue I've had to combat. But I've witnessed several well-endowed entry-level employees trying to figure out what's acceptable and what's not and walking the fine line between fashion forward and sexy. When you're working in a conservative environment some dress codes are strict about toe cleavage, so common sense would imply that your chest cleavage is out of the question.

When you're just starting out in your career dress code slip-ups are more expected and therefore usually easily forgiven, but as you move up the ladder your colleagues won't be so forgiving. While dress codes at the office leave little room for interpretation, there aren't any structured rules that tell you how to dress for evening events like work dinners. The Wall Street Journal recently addressed this issue, so to find out their tips on finding a happy medium just

Your Two Cents: Do You Dread Business Casual?

SavvySugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:36:48 -0700

You've conquered your interview with intelligence, charm, and a confidence-building tailored suit, and you are prepared for your first day on the job. You're picking out your outfit for the first day and are trying to create something that says "business casual" — but what does that mean exactly? It can take a few days to figure out if your office leans more towards business or casual, and a work-wear consultant describes this obscurity as "the black hole of style." Do you find yourself struggling to get it right?

Your Two Cents: Do You Dread Business Casual?

Yes, it can be so tough to nail down business casual.

I used to be thrown off by it but have it down now.

No, I'm a business casual pro. I'll tell you my go-to outfit in the comments.

Other. See my comments below.

Would You Want to Wear a Uniform to Work?

SavvySugar — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:03:54 -0700

Some people enjoy having to dress professionally every day, and dressing the part can help keep you on your game. But for some, having to put on a certain type of outfit is more uncomfortable than anything and it can be expensive to build a work wardrobe apart from your casual one. There are several careers that call for uniforms, like policewomen, pilots and flight attendants, firewomen, and anyone in the medical field. And while most uniforms aren't entirely flattering or made of the most comfortable materials, there's something enticing about not having to choose an outfit each day or having to invest in work clothes. Source

Would You Want to Wear a Uniform to Work?

Yes! Dressing up for work is such an expensive hassle.

Seems like a good idea, but in reality I'd probably be annoyed with a uniform.

No! I like dressing up for work.

Other. See my comments below.

Your Two Cents: Are Pantsuits Unfeminine?

SavvySugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:56:54 -0700

Some anchors over at Fox News seem to think that a pantsuit makes a woman unfeminine. They dislike the outfit so much that anchor Brian Kilmeade says, "If I was to run for office, I'd run on the pro-skirt platform." So much jabber over a pair of pants. Watch:

Your Two Cents: Are Pantsuits Unfeminine?

Yes, they're unfeminine. I'd rather show a little leg!

Both pant and skirt suits are unfeminine.

No, there are some great feminine pantsuits out there.

Other. See my comments below.

Fashion Tightrope: Interview Attire

SavvySugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:59:44 -0800

Whether we like it or not, our appearance is part of the overall first impression when we're interviewed for a new job. If your resume is polished but your attire doesn't mesh with the company's culture, you may be overlooked for someone with a similar resume that took time to dress appropriately. A well thought out interview outfit will not only let the company know that you're serious about the job, but you'll feel more confident knowing that you've done everything you can to make yourself a memorable candidate.

Interviewers can be more observant than you'd think and pay attention to everything from peek-a-boo bra straps to ragged socks. The Wall Street Journal featured a "Dressing to Impress" list for job seekers composed by business-etiquette consultant Ann Marie Sabath. To see her tips for dressing up and dressing down, just