How To Dress For Your Work Environment

For those of you who are unsure of the typical in-the-office etiquette on corporate to causal swag, this post is for you! What makes an outfit acceptable or not isn’t what is physically being worn, but how people perceive you when wearing a certain item.

Corporate Attire

A 2-piece dark suit in a classic cut with pinstripes or another simple pattern is your safety, go-to outfit. Accompany your suit blazer with a white, crisp dress shirt. Traditional patent leather shoes are a solid wear for men and patent leather pumps for the ladies. You can never go wrong with neutral colored makeup and neatly styled hair.

Business Attire

Similar to corporate attire, a 2-piece blazer and dress pants also works under this dress code category. The exception? Throw some flair out there with colorful prints and patterns! You can use a wide range of styles here so go for it!  Shoes and makeup should remain neutral, unless your outfit is neutral, then spunk it up with some eye-catching shoes and a belt. Jewelry and nail polish is also a nice personality popper, still trustworthy to sport in a conservative work environment.

Business Casual aka Smart Casual Day

Big question when it comes to casual Friday! Let me lay down the law ... jeans are appropriate as long as holes, tears, stains or any other demeaning spot is obviously noticeable, as well as the condition that clients are absent from the office. Cardigans, vests, and flats are also allowed.

Note that women and men have different style guidelines to follow … like how men can wear shorts and women probably should avoid wearing shorts, even if allowed. Under some circumstances, shorts may quite possibly be appropriate if they are on the longer, baggier side, with stockings or leggings underneath to hide all visible flesh.

It is a good idea to see if your company has a strict dress code policy and if you are still unsure, it never hurts to ask! When it comes to your professional image, always be play the safe hand as you only get one shot to ruin your reputation.

Fun fact: If you work at an advertising agency, anything Star Wars related might earn you some brownie points on your higher rank’s personality!

Tumblr The New Social Media Platform

For years, Tumblr has been the social media outlet for photo-interested college students and creative users. With call-to-action pieces being implemented in blog posts, along with other web-based content, Fortune 500 companies are taking advantage of this social medium.

Tumblr is just now being tapped into as social media specialists are looking for new ways to differentiate their company’s audience, especially as Generation Y and the Millennials take over where their company’s posts are being displayed.

Tip: Since Generation Y and the Millennials evolve as social media does, let them take the reigns and see how your company progresses. Take a chance to come out ahead.

Here are some benefits to Tumblr and why the big guys are reaping the benefits of this less unexploited social site:

Blogging alternative:

Not every company operates a written blog, even though they should. Sometimes, people are too busy to write or are not comfortable with their public voice, so they prefer a photo blog instead! Since Tumblr is photo-based, companies manage their image and increase impressions by posting detailed, interesting, or beautifully designed images instead. Your consumers will retain the same message without having to read a description, and a photo always lasts longer in a person’s mind anyways.

Tags are still tags, no matter where they originate

Tumblr uses the same basics to connect as all other social sites. You can still tag, which shows up in Google search results. This is the primary component to finding other’s blogs to follow and directly why users are able to discover one another. Pay attention to tags that are trending and used most often.

Operations are a-go Captain

Each user can follow, like, tag and post, as well as install tools to make operating the site easy. The trick to being “popular” on social media sites in interaction! Follow people you have not yet discovered, reply to posts you favor, and post often to boost your traffic. You can also view and monitor traffic via Google Analytics!

"Tumblr is one of the most visually appealing and user-friendly platforms out there, so it was an effective way to build our community online," says Lucy McIntyre, VP Communications at Andre Balazs Properties. McIntyre also helped to set up a Tumblr account for The Standard Hotel, who’s blog is packed with content from guest bloggers, downloadable music, and product pictures, reports Mashable.

Try something different to stand out. Worst-case scenario, your name appears more frequently in Google search results!