Office Etiquette: What to Wear on Halloween

Is your office letting you dress up for Halloween? If so, remember your manners. Office etiquette dictates that you still remain professional, even on holidays. Do:

Get creative.
Have fun selecting and designing your costume. Celebrating Halloween is one of the few special days on the job employees get to participate in. So, get creative. Add a few extra swirls and accessories to your outfit. Tape candy to your hat. Spruce up whatever you wear and usher in all of the fun you can on this day.

Minimize gore.
Are you into gory, scary movies? Don't bring this element to work. Part of any office etiquette is to consider how your actions affect others. Your more sensitive co-workers who may have strong religious beliefs will get upset seeing a peer walking around wearing a bloody axe on his head or "666" sign on Halloween. Consider their feelings too and stay out of human resources.

Be conservative.
For some reason, certain people (women) think Halloween is an excuse to sport around short hemlines, super tight pants and low cut blouses. Unless you work at Playboy, all of these things are a no-no on the job. Your inappropriate behavior might not earn you a one-on-one with your boss, but your actions will impact your career. When that new position opens up, your ability to make good decisions will come under question and you might be passed over for an opportunity.

Avoid certain tees.
Be smart and mindful of office etiquette by not wearing an offensive t-shirt on Halloween. What kind of statements should you avoid? Think of your t-shirt as an e-mail and don't don anything that discusses politics, sex, race or religion. These three topics are hot buttons that rile up most people and make them emotional.

Rely on fairy tales.
Want to win the office costume party? Mimic a classic character out of a fairy tale like Goldilocks or Prince Charming. These types of costumes bring you back to your childhood and endear other people in the same way. They also spark a lot of conversation because most people can relate to them.

Obey company policy.
Make your day memorable (in a good way) and abide by office etiquette by obeying company policy. Read all of the e-mail sent to you by the boss regarding the rules of what you can wear and what you can do on Halloween. Then, plan your outfit and day around these guidelines. You can still enjoy the day.

Ready to celebrate one of the most popular days of the year? Employ these tips and celebrate Halloween with your co-workers without any troubles.