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Anonymous User
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business casual for females

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:16 pm

I am a female working at Bracewell Giuliani in Texas for 6 weeks this summer. The firm is "business casual" and I am trying to figure out exactly what that means.
I want to wear dresses most days, but I'm unsure what styles/cuts and colors are appropriate. Are sleeveless dresses OK? Do they have to touch the knees or is a little above OK? Can it be a bright floral print? Obviously they should be non-cleavage showing and not too tight or too short (what is too short?), but I'm hoping they could also be somewhat fashionable as well.

can someone post some examples of appropriate dresses?

are these just completely inappropriate? style/color wise?

http://cdn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/ ... el=1&ver=9

http://cdn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/ ... el=1&ver=1

http://cdn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/ ... el=1&ver=1

http://cdn.is.bluefly.com/mgen/Bluefly/ ... el=1&ver=1

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: business casual for females

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:28 pm

I find the first one a little wedding-y - in part it looks sort of shiny, but also the cut/length. It looks too social for work for me. I would also probably put a cami under the wrap dress (though that depends on where it would fall on you). The cut of the others is fine - I personally am not so into the prints, but that's personal preference.

(Caveat: I don't know anything about that firm or the law firm culture in Texas, or fashion in Texas, or even probably much about fashion at all. I live/work in a pretty casual part of the world, for reference.)

I do wear a lot of sleeveless dresses/shirts to work, but always with a cardigan or blazer - mostly because otherwise I'd freeze to death, even in the summer.

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okinawa

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Re: business casual for females

Post by okinawa » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:28 pm

The first one is a little too short imo, and the third too low cut. I think some bright colors or patterns are fine, but if you could wear it to a picnic, it's probably not appropriate. You want to look professional, and while that can absolutely be stylish, you want people to remember your work, not your outfit.

Also remember that offices are typically kept uncomfortably freezing during the summer, so you may want to rethink wearing so many dresses. I can't imagine wearing a sleeveless dress and not absolutely freezing in any of the offices I've worked in.

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