Working Wednesday: Summertime Office Wear

The Human Resource Departments must really like the time when temperatures rise outside. It means the water cooler talk turns to what is acceptable clothes to wear in the office. I think H.R. may be the ones who turn down the thermostat so people have to wear winter clothing in the summer, thus avoiding the whole discussion altogether! Are you lucky enough to have doors to the outside close to your desk?
If you are, you can get those rare few weeks in the Spring and Fall, when there is no need for HVAC and you can enjoy what Mother Nature intended - fresh air. Better yet- do you have windows that open? You indeed have a true gift in "office world".

Back to the topic of what to wear during the summer. Men usually have it pretty easy when it comes to dress codes. They may participate in the summer discussion, however, when footwear is discussed.
Can one wear sandals to work? If so, are flip flops and thongs permitted? Can you wear sandals but only if they have straps over the instep, around the ankle, and don't make any noise as you walk down the hall?

And what about the length of a woman's pant leg? Try and define "capri" and "cropped". I looked on-line for some ideas of what each one was and they were all different lengths, even in the same catalog! Even though one could argue they are casual wear, they are longer than skirts. Ah, the dilemma of it all!

I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to summer attire. My pants are ankle length year round. I think it just looks more professional. I think of the others as beach wear, though I have seen others carry it off
very well. I do wear sandals, painted toes always, but no thong or flip flop type.

Manufacturers get one thing right --skirts and dresses.  Now that is one I wish they would have in the stores all year. It is getting harder and harder to find skirts during the winter season. I like to mix up my wardrobe and not wear slacks everyday. Though I would accept a uniform to wear --nice slacks with a golf shirt. A high school did that one time. The students expressed their individuality by wearing crazy socks. Now I like that!