Fashion for Women and Men on the Job

Summer 2006 has a definite theme, garden inspired with a tropical flare. The colors this season are vibrant and cool, enhanced by the wrinkle resistant, washable fabrics of linen and cotton.

Women will find a variety of crinkled rayon with comfortable elastic waistbands in skirts, and slacks. Just think of slacks and blouses in bright colors such as coral, lime, light olive, yellow, blue, tan or lilac. They are but a few of the vibrant, festive hews to enjoy this season.

You can choose traditional pant leg or a cropped look. The designs will use the floral animal print from the blouse onto the cuff of the pants to carry out the ensemble design. Cropped pants suites can also be found in solids,checks or stripes, just right for a stylish, but comfortable feeling in the office. Other ideas for slacks include traditional tapered leg styles with a drawstring waistband, true comfort and style anytime.

Skirts this season are the traditional A-line, circle or straight designs, with what I consider to be a wonderful twist… botanicals or floral adaptations. Think cherry blossoms on a light beige canvas of linen, this skirt is inspired by a Chinese brush painting. What about a solid ruffle-bottom skirt in an easy care blend of rayon and Tencel? These skirts are relaxed, yet stylish in a variety of colors.

Top off your skirts with a solid linen/rayon blend weave jacket of light beige or off white. Shell buttons, side vents and long sleeves are just what you need for a cooler office climate. You may want to go daring and choose a floral patchwork designed jacket in khaki, sage, coral, yellow and blue combination. Why not go all out for a textured natural cotton jacket with garden flowers on a tan linen background, this jacket sports side vents, loop and button closures?

Under your jackets you have a wide variety of easy care, cool tops… square-neck tanks that can do double duty under color matched silk big shirts or a boucle' sweaters of silk/acrylic/rayon blend that is hand washable and yes, wrinkle resistant. Other styles of tops can be interchanged with your skirts or slacks, linen weave vests can complement your wardrobe as well. Short-sleeved, button front tees in a rainbow of colors can accent any floral, stripe, plaid or textured skirt or slack.

You can even dress up the stand-by navy denim pants set with a traditional white tee or short-sleeve blouse. As a change, pop into a light blue blouse with white butterfly print or an tee with embroidered eyelet of cotton in white, blue or yellow.

Remember, you can extend your wardrobe by purchasing short sleeved tops in solids, textures, florals to mix with the solid or designed pants or skirts. Be daring and don't limit yourself to the traditional styles or colors. Today, you can adapt your color schemes to a wide pallet. If you shop wisely, you will find your choices will be just right for the office, a night on the town or a weekend get away.

Sensible footware is essential for style and comfort. Do your feet a favor and put those three inch heels in the back of the closet and forget about wearing flip flops to work. Today you can find trendy colored footware in huraache-style woven leather designs, linen look and hemp moccasins, as well as traditional leathers. Keep your heel flat or check out a stacked heel that has support but adds a dressy side to footware. You can wear sandel style shoes to work! Styles today are sophisicated, yet yield to comfort and a sensible side without looking too beachy and run of the mill.

This season, men can also feel relaxed, but stylish in cool, linen-look polyester. Try a baseball style collar, zip front jackets, for those nippy mornings or A/C forced offices or a traditional cotton blend sweater over a shirt.

Shirts with short sleeves, in cotton broadcloth or traditional Oxford are in top form. Solids, plaids and stripes with button down collars, chest pockets and back yokes are just the style for comfort. Colors include blues, green, teal, burnt orange/beige, khaki, sand, and burgundy. These shirts are machine washable, shrink and wrinkle-resistant but keep their crisp, neat look the entire day. Tropic inspired designs are cool and relaxing. Island inspired palms, seashells on vibrant solid background colors will brighten any day.

Slacks for summer 2006 are linen blend, polyester to resist wrinkles, and viscose to bring out rich coloration of blues, tan, grey, brown in solid and stripes.

Both men and women should feel confident wearing Summer 2006 fashions and take on the same relaxed theme, but respectful of the office environment. The fashions this season will define you as a person who represents your company in a style conscience manner.