What to wear to work

[Gleam]

Should a young woman of 25 (who is not in a "support role" like a secretary, but is also not an executive in a conservative company) worry about her footwear being too sexy? I never even thought about it until the CEO of JPMorgan was criticized for wearing heels that were "too sexy." There are no other women to look to, and the men wear suits 90% of the time, complete with ties.

I generally favor covered platform pumps, such as these. Would they be considered too risque to wear with a suit or sheath dress? (Source: Saks.com)

 

[Halcyon]

I'm 24 and it a similar position work wise (and also in Chicago) and I feel that my coworkers respect me a lot more when I wear flats. I think high-heels are almost always too sexy no matter how conservative they are, but I also think it depends on your hight. If you're shorter in the first place, maybe people will notice less.

I also think it's a Chicago thing. My brother works in NY and he says women wear higher heels at his office, but Chicago is a less fashion-forward city so I don't think you can get away with that.

 

[softgrey]

the younger you are, i think the more you need to tone it down to be taken seriously....
your age (and lack of experience) are already working against you...

i think those heels are way too high for any work environment actually...
unless you work at a fashion mag and even then...they are too conservative...

i'd say a max of 3 inch heels are best...and not so spikey...
spikes are simply not meant for work...they should be saved for play..

those shoes look like they belong on a p*rno of some fantasy of what a sexy secretary would wear...
...way too 'playboy' imo...
all you need is a tight pencil skirt and a white shirt (don't forget the glasses)
and the fantasy is complete...
now i know why you hate tights!
they dont' go with the rest of the fantasy...


....

 

[lafindesiecle]

I'm 24 and it a similar position work wise (and also in Chicago) and I feel that my coworkers respect me a lot more when I wear flats. I think high-heels are almost always too sexy no matter how conservative they are, but I also think it depends on your hight. If you're shorter in the first place, maybe people will notice less.

I also think it's a Chicago thing. My brother works in NY and he says women wear higher heels at his office, but Chicago is a less fashion-forward city so I don't think you can get away with that.

This is probably true, I think regionally it varies a lot and the style of your city and industry definitely completely change what is work-appropriate.

I work in uber laid back digital marketing / music but like getting dressed up so am always in super high heels -- but usually with jeans, so it's fine. The rest of my office is in like, hoodies and old jeans. But my office is across the street from the Alexander McQueen store and the Standard hotel, and Rag and Bone's offices are downstairs, you know? In context, my wearing 6" heels ain't no thang. In a more conservative office, a different city, or even a different neighborhood of this city, things would be way different.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Should a young woman of 25 (who is not in a "support role" like a secretary, but is also not an executive in a conservative company) worry about her footwear being too sexy? I never even thought about it until the CEO of JPMorgan was criticized for wearing heels that were "too sexy." There are no other women to look to, and the men wear suits 90% of the time, complete with ties.

I generally favor covered platform pumps, such as these. Would they be considered too risque to wear with a suit or sheath dress? (Source: Saks.com)

I think the first pair is perfect, and the last pair definitely too much.

aris is an executive and works in Europe ... you may want to take a look at some of her choices. She probably owns that first pair you posted I'm certain she would wear them. I don't know her age, but I'm sure she's over 25.

I love wearing heels to work, I definitely feel more powerful. I like Mary Janes, and the style tones things down a bit. For interviewing and certain meetings I have a very plain pair of black kid pumps (Jimmy Choo Glaciers), 90mm, but otherwise my heels are usually always 100mm, no platform. I am 5'5" and feel I can use the boost

I do not work in a super-conservative environment, and I see no problem with expressing my personality at work. Actually I think it can help sometimes ... if you're fairly serious & brainy maybe it can help to take the edge off that

 

[lafindesiecle]

... if you're fairly serious & brainy maybe it can help to take the edge off that

this is SO true -- i was thinking about this after reading this post, and I definitely do get a little sexed up for business purposes, but I think it's because I know my personality is so reserved/professional/direct that I think it helps rather than detracts. At 5'10" I will tell you that when I show up at an interview or at a meeting and shake hands with a (male) client and look down my nose at him from my 6'3" height with heels, I love it, and I feel powerful and intimidating and impressive. and if part of that has to do with some weird attraction/gross old men being intimidated by young women over 6 feet tall, well, you know what, I'll take that as a benefit of the crappy patriarchy. Gotta work with what I have. The contrast between being a just a little bit sexy (ie, stilettos, but no cleavage, etc.) and extremely professional/in-control to me feels MORE powerful than being straight-up frumpy.

Besides, the best part of clothes is the effect they have by how they make you feel -- if wearing high heels makes you feel professional and smart, you're gonna act professional and smart. That's the whole power of fashion, no?

 

[aris]

I think the first pair is perfect, and the last pair definitely too much.

aris is an executive and works in Europe ... you may want to take a look at some of her choices. She probably owns that first pair you posted I'm certain she would wear them. I don't know her age, but I'm sure she's over 25.

I love wearing heels to work, I definitely feel more powerful. I like Mary Janes, and the style tones things down a bit. For interviewing and certain meetings I have a very plain pair of black kid pumps (Jimmy Choo Glaciers), 90mm, but otherwise my heels are usually always 100mm, no platform. I am 5'5" and feel I can use the boost

I do not work in a super-conservative environment, and I see no problem with expressing my personality at work. Actually I think it can help sometimes ... if you're fairly serious & brainy maybe it can help to take the edge off that

Ha! fashionista-ta
Thank you for that compliment!
you are quite right, I'm way over 25, and yes, that gives me some advantage. When I was young professional I used to wear clothes that looked more like male business suits, but now I can get away with more "sexy" styles. I always wear high heels, even though I'm 5.8, but the rest of my clothes are pretty conservative, below the knee skirts with jackets or pant suits - always in black, navy or gray, no colour - white or cream shirts and some colorful scarves, mostly Hermes, and bag that is structured Scarves were my thing to cheer up my suits. One day recently I went to a board meeting with all the directors and out of 20 directors we have 10 ladies, 6 of there were with scarves!!!LOL!
My suits are usually Jil Sander, Dolce&Gabanna, Ralph Lauren and Paul Smith jackets.
I'm trying now to break the JACKET style and wear cardi, but always feel underdressed.
There are some nice knitted jackets - from DVF which are quite comfy, especially is you need to wear a coat on top in the winter.

Now I was on a business trip in very conservative field in Zurich, Frankfurt, London, Madrid and Paris and I noticed that the style is quite relaxed for women. London especially - I"ve seen a lady wearing flared gray skirt and pink flower and pink stiletto shoes. I never ever seen in the offices I visited women wearing flat shoes, this is totally unprofessional - maybe they change once in the office, but no flats at all in the office.
here I attach a D&G suit you can wear with high heels, just add a nice button down shirt for more business look, pict mytheresa.com
these are my favorite suits, although I'm really tired from them now..

 

[lafindesiecle]

^^ it made me happy that out of your 20 directors 10 are ladies... i'm one of 3 women in my entire company! (and i'm the tallest person in the company too most days -- 5'10" and also always wearing heels.)

 

[reverie]

I work in a technical environment presently, so I have the advantage of wearing whatever I want to work. At the very least I'll wear jeans, t-shirt, and some decent shoes. But it's nice that when I want to dress up, I can, and I don't have to stick to a certain set of rules. Like at my last job, I had to wear a certain shirt, and I always had to wear pants and close-toed shoes. So boring. :-/

 

[aris]

^^ it made me happy that out of your 20 directors 10 are ladies... i'm one of 3 women in my entire company! (and i'm the tallest person in the company too most days -- 5'10" and also always wearing heels.)

LOL -
I actually prefer working with ladies. Sometimes there is a bit of tension between them, so for Christmas I organized the a little team building party - only for ladies - I reserved the best hair studio for the evening after work, asked only for male hair dressers, ordered Champaign and we had our hair and nails done, it was such a fun.

lafindesiecle, I'd like to see some of your outfits for work.

 

[GreatOrion]

I work in a technical environment presently, so I have the advantage of wearing whatever I want to work. At the very least I'll wear jeans, t-shirt, and some decent shoes. But it's nice that when I want to dress up, I can, and I don't have to stick to a certain set of rules. Like at my last job, I had to wear a certain shirt, and I always had to wear pants and close-toed shoes. So boring. :-/

Yes, that is indeed one of the advantages of a technical environment, not only for ladies.

I also enjoy this freedom to wear what I want in most situations. The only time I have to stick to certain rules is when representing the company at congresses or similar events, but even then I have enough freedom to be individual .

 

[Nemova]

I have a question: wearing peep toes to work - yay or nay? (I should add that I'm a press agent at a prestigious university, and I sometimes deal with directors, who also happen to be scholars. I'm a journalist, so no suits for me. Jeans are totally OK but I mostly wear formal, wide-legged ones, and boot cut only on casual fridays. I would define the environment as mostly business casual, except for the directors and male managers, who are 80% of the time in suits.)

 

[ChrissyM]

^^i think peep toes sound appropriate if it's business casual and you can wear jeans

 

[Lovey]

when I worked in a corporate environment I wore peep toes often. I think theyre fine. Although my boss was shoe obsessed so cute shoes always won you some points with her.

 

[lafindesiecle]

lafindesiecle, I'd like to see some of your outfits for work.

i usually am wearing black jeans and some sort of basic shirt with heels and an excess of accessories... i often go out after work too (i worked in the music industry until about 3 months ago, and a lot of my social life still revolves around it) so a lot of stuff can go either way. it really doesn't matter what i wear -- i just try to keep it 'not too sloppy' and 'not too trashy.' rules for myself are basically always heels, no jeans that aren't black, no t-shirts, no sandals, no shorts, no 'too much skin up top' shirts, and thick tights and lower heels if my skirt is short.

excuse all the mismatched pictures... i post in WAYWT a lot and mostly if it's on a weekday, i probably wore it or some variation of it to my office.

picture was taken before i went out that night; had worn the same thing but with a more conservative tank underneath for work.

was probably wearing a basic loose black silk blouse like the one above under the coat; i have about 2309812039 of them.

 

[lafindesiecle]

^^ maybe i should make a rule to wear those blue heels less often too haha

 

[Nemova]

^I was about to say that you're rocking those shoes. You really know how to make them work with the outfits. I'd say keep on wearing them a lot.

 

[aris]

exactly my thoughts love the blue shoes!
Fab outfits! Thank You for sharing!!!!
Love the black silk tops! what brand are they?

 

[lafindesiecle]

I have a bunch, it's the one thing I buy too much of -- the plain black one there is just from Zara, and the grey one on the bottom was Sunshine + Shadow's line for Urban Outfitters. A lot of the other drapey black shirts I have are from Oak (oaknyc.com). Also have a lot of basics from APC, Acne, + that Alex Wang "T" collection.

I'm still quite young (mid-20s) and am honestly still transitioning from a "college" wardrobe to a "working" one.... If I could afford it, there'd be a lot of Helmut Lang, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Alex Wang, Yigal Azrouel, Haider Ackermann... but for now it's honestly a lot of H+M and Zara

 

[Sav_]

I need help guys!

I just got a job as a Realtor's assistant and I have no idea what to wear. She says some days business casual, some days professional. I'm just struggling to find pieces that are true to my style and will work


I would really appreciate any advice, or hear from people who are in a similar line of work