In the official dress code for a San Diego business called Five Points Capital, visible thong underwear is banned [source: Armour]. This seems to indicate that at least one woman has, at least one time, shown her G-string at work.
Granted, it was probably an accidental result of the low-rise jean trend, but that brings us to a good point: If your low-rise jeans reveal thong underwear when you sit down, either don't wear those jeans to work or wear a very long top. An exposed bottom can make some people uncomfortable and other people drool, neither of which is ideal in a workplace.
Some other business-casual no-nos besides exposed undergarments include:
- Short shorts
- Mini skirts
- Skirts with high slits
- Halter tops
- Strapless tops
- Anything skin-tight
- Anything see-through
- Anything midriff-baring
- Torn jeans
- Flip-flops
- Worn sneakers
- Exposed cleavage
- Old T-shirts or ones with offensive images or giant logos
- Baseball caps
- Spandex
If there's a question in your mind about whether a look is "business casual," ask yourself a few questions:
- Would I wear this to meet my boyfriend's mother for the first time?
- Would I wear this clubbing?
- Would I wear this to sleep?
- Would I wear this to do yard work?
- Would I wear this to a costume party?
If the answers are yes, followed by four no's, there's a pretty good chance the outfit is "business casual." When in doubt, it's a good idea to err on the side of caution.
Or, just ask human resources, your boss or your supervisor for a copy of the dress code or, if there's nothing official, at least advice on what's expected. A girl's gotta eat, and fashion is a silly reason to get fired.
For more information on business casual and related topics, look over the links below.
Related Articles
Sources
- Armour, Stephanie. "'Business casual' causes confusion." USA Today. July 10, 2007.http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2007-07-09-business-casual-attire_N.htm
- Business casual attire. Virginia Tech Career Services.http://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/BusCasual.htm
- Chensvald, Christian M. "Five Rules of Style for the Business-Casual Workplace." BNET.http://www.bnet.com/2403-13068_23-212795.html
- Lorenz, Kate. "Business Casual Tips for Summer." CareerBuilder.http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-707-The-Workplace-Business-Casual-Tips-for-Summer/?ArticleID=707&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=98a7b696a8df4e18a8c658a6ad5ed686-324371914-ww-6&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_business_casual
- Student Perspective: What Exactly is "Business Casual"? University of Oregon Career Center.http://career.uoregon.edu/blog/students/2009/03/student-perspective-what-exactly-business-casual
