Maybe you think this goes without saying and I wouldn’t disagree except, for me, it definitely does not go without saying. In fact, I have to say to my cleavage every morning “No, you are not coming to work today. See you later.” For me, life is a constant battle again cleavage and avoiding it is not always as simple as a lot of people probably assume it is. In spite of this, I maintain a 0 tolerance policy towards cleavage in the workplace.
Obviously, one way to avoid cleavage is to not wear low cut tops. This does go without saying but, for me, looking appropriate is often more complicated than simply not buying my work clothes at Frederick of Hollywood. I can have cleavage in a top that you would look at on the hanger (or even the mannequin) and never, ever in a million years think of as a “boob shirt”. On me, everything’s a boob shirt. Crew necks are boob shirts. Turtlenecks are boob shirts. A burqa would probably be a boob shirt too.
So, when it comes to a top that isn’t really low-cut (i.e. it is work appropriate) but I could still have cleavage in it if I sat the wrong way or inadvertently yanked it down slightly, my trick is to wear unlined bras so that I don't have to worry about it. I have exactly 2 unlined bras. One is by Calvin Klein but I got I got it at TJ Maxx for $15 four years ago and the other is from Target and I got it for $10 three years ago. I’m not interested in spending any more time money than this on the necessary evil that is unlined bras. I definitely do not like them but I have found them to be a wardrobe necessity.
The downside of unlined bras is that “the girls” sit much lower on your chest than they do when you’re wearing a lined bra. Unlined bras also lack the shaping ability of lined bras. The upside (at least in the workplace) is that there is pretty much no way to have cleavage in an unlined bra. If I wear an unlined bra, I do not have to worry that my cleavage is going to suddenly show up at work like a mentally deranged relative and ruin people’s opinion of my professionalism.
While it isn’t always simple for me to avoid it, I do feel like it’s necessary to make a point not to have cleavage in the workplace and I will go to great ugly-bra lengths to do so.
2. Heels = Yes.
I was very alarmed when I recently learned that in the legal profession heels are often considered a no-no for basically the same reason that I consider cleavage a workplace no-no: they’re apparently considered inappropriately provocative. Frankly, I think that’s absolutely ridiculous and somewhat offensive (if the men in your office are so repressed that they get hot and bothered by a high heel, I think that’s their problem, not yours.) But, more importantly, I just do not think that flats have the same potential for professionalism that heels do.
Heels are obviously not always automatically more professional than flats: a 4” pink leopard print pump probably does not look professional but, in general, a basic pump is my go-to where work shoes are concerned.
I wear flats every now and again (I have some pants that are cut too short to be worn with heels) but, if I wear flats, I do so knowing that I am going to look at little more slouchy that day. I would not, could not wear flats on a day that I had a meeting and I would never wear flats to an interview (by the same token, I wouldn’t wear heels higher than 3” to an interview either).
This outfit is representative of something I would wear on a normal weekday. Everything I am wearing in this picture is from Ann Taylor LOFT, with the exception of my glasses (Vogue) and my shoes (Ralph Lauren).
3. Nothing too tight or too baggy.
Work clothes need to fit properly. On the weekend, it’s your prerogative to wear jeans as tastelessly tight as you like. The same cannot be said of dress pants. And dress pants that are noticeably too big are equally problematic as dress pants that are noticeably small. The only thing worse than dress pants that are too tight or big is dress pants that are too long or too short. Basically: dress pants need to fit you correctly. If they don’t fit you correctly, get them altered. It’s a must.
In addition to fit, shape is important. Hanging cardigans were big this past fall. In a nice material and color, I like them as something to wear to dinner. In a more casual material or color, I like them as something to run errands in. I have a couple hanging cardigans but I would never wear either of them to work. The same goes for tunic tops, kimono-style tops, caftan dresses, and gaucho pants. Regardless of how currently trendy these items are or aren’t, I don’t think they should ever be worn in a work setting. Work clothes should be structured. Regardless of how thin you are, a skintight top is not something you should be wearing to work. Baggy or billowy clothes also look sloppy in a work setting - and I say this as someone who is very partial to billowy tops in my non-work life. When it comes to work tops, I generally want to be able to characterize it as "form-fitting" but not as "tight".
4. (Most) shirts should be tucked in.
This was a hard one for me to wrap my head around. When I first had an internship in a professional environment, I did not tuck my shirts in. I felt like tucking my shirts in was uncomfortable and made me look heavier than I was. I quickly realized that this was something I had to get over. Tucking a shirt in does shorten your torso, which is never as flattering as elongating your torso. However, I eventually realized that it does not actually make you look heavier. Even if it did make you look slightly heavier, this would definitely be counter-balanced by how much more professional you look with a tucked-in shirt. As for the comfort aspect: yoga clothes are meant to be comfortable, work clothes generally aren't. If you really need to be comfortable, you should take Kate's advice and wear a knit dress that day.
Tucking shirts in is now one of my cardinal rule of dressing for work. I think it looks a lot more professional and pulled-together. The exception would be if I were to wear a sweater, a wrap top, a top with a fitted bottom or anything else that is obviously not meant to be tucked.
This is an example of something I would wear on a day that I have a meeting. My dress is by Calvin Klein, my blazer is from The Gap, and my heels are by Jessica Simpson.
5. Always accessorize.
I don’t literally always accessorize because sometimes (read: a lot of times) I’m rushing in the morning. But I do believe that accessories have the ability to make or even save an outfit.
For me, looking professional often goes hand in hand with looking pulled-together and that's where the accessories come in. If your outfit is well accessorized, I think you automatically look like you knew what you were doing when you got dressed even if a 4-year-old could have put together the rest of your outfit.
Accessories need to be appropriate but, when done correctly, they are a nice way to add a touch of femininity and personal style to your work look without letting those elements overwhelm your look.
In both of the above pictures, I am wearing a set of three slim silver bangles from Banana Republic, and silver French Knot earrings that my parents gave me for Valentine's Day.
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