Borderline Inappropriateness: Workwear

 Hey you. Yes, YOU.

I know you get a tad bored with me telling you all about finance and money keeping tips, so today I will share with you a topic that we women held close to our heart: Fashion.

But true to this blog’s spirit of celebrating powerful and working women, I am sharing with you on appropriate work wear for that important appointment or presentation, corporate visits and whatnots.

Yes, you probably don’t need me, of all people to tell you what to wear and what not to wear because you already have your suit game all sorted out, good for you. But trust me on this one, I have seen more than a handful of women who went for important appointments in a miniskirt and almost see through tops, using Malaysia’s humid weather as their go-to excuse.

“Aiyaa, the weather is sooo hot lehhh”, overheard everywhere. Well why not, babe, you are literally heating the room with your plunging top.

 I almost fainted when I saw a woman in her late twenties going to work in a black miniskirt with transparent panels on it in the LRT last week, like she was about to break into a Nikki Minaj routine.

To all feminist out there who think that women should not be stereotyped based on their outfits, I am all supportive, but to be fair, you can’t blame others for not taking you seriously if you dress inappropriately i.e. see through clothing, plunging neck lines, too tight or too short. Girls, transparency should be reflected on your work, not your clothes.

So, what constitutes to a tasteful business/office look?

1. Clean lines.

Crisp top, and well pressed suit pants or pencil skirt should be a staple in your wardrobe. And if you must do ruffles and sequins, please don’t go crazy with them. Ruffles and sequins can make an outfit looks interesting, but too much ruffles and sequins and you may end up looking like a walking Christmas tree. How much is too much? Try this, wear your sequins and walk into a dark room, and if your sequins catches lights and reflect on the walls and ceiling like a disco ball, please change.

2.  Muted color.

Alicia Florrick (top), Jessica Pearson (below)

Have you watched Suits and The Good Wife? Both Jessica Pearson and Alicia Florrick have banging bodies, but they resisted miniskirts and see through tops altogether in favor of mute colored tops, paired with well fitted pants or skirts. Yes, they are make believe characters with million dollar budget for wardrobes, but we can all learn a thing or two from them, that is to never overexpose.

Although, you can always incorporate colors into your outfit, a splash here or there, never all in one go.

3.  Scarves.

Many muslim ladies don headscarves to work, and I understand the painstaking routine of having to coordinate your whole outfits with your tudung/headscarves. Chiffon, crepes or cotton headscarves are generally preferred, as they are light, airy, and gels well with hot local weather. On scarves prints though, whatever you do, don’t resort to icecream or cupcake prints on your head, loose the sequins shawls for weekends as well, ladies. They are distracting. Fullstop. A  colleague of mine have a penchant for girly headscarves, with cute butterfly prints, you name it, cupcake, cotton candy, hello kitty, the list goes on and on, and you can’t help but think about the new gelato shop just opened down the street as you catch glimpse of her headscarves.

4. Leave the boobs and legs at home, for your other half’s eyes only.

Look, don’t come to work if you don’t look like you want to work. Unless you are soliciting sexual advances from your male colleague, please leave your miniskirts and spaghetti tops at home. You might think you look gorgeous, you might be right, but truthfully, we all find it uncomfortable and downright irritating when you keep having to adjust you strategically cut top or pull down your skirt, all the whilst trying to sound serious discussing work.

5. Neat hair (all areas).

If you are planning to wear a sleeveless top, please spare everyone the sore sight of unshaved armpit. If you are planning to wear skirts, and you have manly legs hair, shave! There is no shame in shaving, we all have hairs, but only the one on top of your head, frankly speaking, should see the light of day. Fullstop. Speaking of hair, have them cleaned and shampooed, bunned or tied into a ponytail, or have them combed neatly, at least. Unruly hair tells people one thing: That you couldn’t care less on how you look, and that translates into them thinking that you may actually be sloppy in your work and assignments as well.

Now, I am imagining that I am having a girly talk with you over at Dottys, and that’s one topic discussed. Can I see you again for tea, soon?

Till then, babe. Toodles J