The Importance of Recognizing Acceptable Workplace Attire

You are what you wear - well, at least to the people in society that only observe your appearance. If you were a black hooded sweatshirt, ripped jeans and skater shoes, you might be seen as a "hoodlum" who's up to no good. But if you see a woman dressed in an expensive pantsuit from Ralph Lauren with a pair of heels that complement the briefcase she's carrying, you may assume she's a well-paid executive on the move. What you don't know is that she just answers the phones at a local real estate office.

When in doubt, overdress. There's nothing wrong with being overly prepared for a meeting or your interview with that new company. But if you show up in capris and a tank top, you might get passed over for that woman in Ralph Lauren.

There's a difference between positive attention and negative attention. We've all known someone that will do anything to be in the spotlight, even if it costs them their reputation (Britney Spears, anybody?), but you don't have to be one of them. Wearing a low cut blouse, short skirt and clear platform heels probably isn't a good decision, unless your line of work requires such attire. You always hear "Dress for success!" and "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." As cheesy as those may sound, they couldn't be truer. If you dress like you just fell out of bed that morning, your boss probably isn't going to look to you for that promotion, and they're probably not going to want to present you as their employee of the month.

You have to be mindful of the dress code in your company. And if there isn't one that's been set in stone or presented to you, you have to take clues from the business and the people you work with. If your boss wears a suit every day, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to, but that most likely means that you should dress nicely. If you're an artist and your boss wears overalls and a bandanna well, you get the picture.

The way you present yourself to your coworkers and your clients greatly affects their viewpoint not only of you, but of the company itself. Under the assumption that you want to represent the company well, take a little bit of time to research the proper attire maybe you'll find yourself coupling a promotion with your new tie.