Make up, hygiene and more!

As a whole, apparel doesn't have to mean physical clothing. Dictionary states that the word 'apparel' also means 'superficial appearance; aspect; guise.' With that, make up is certainly one of the biggest issues within girls but I would honestly like to touch base on hygiene as well.

For make up, you have to have that same mentality as per quoted earlier:
"If you can see yourself using it at a club, bar or to a formal event, AVOID IT"
If you haven't heard the expression before, you'll hear it here now... you don't need to 'cake on' your make up in order to impress someone. Small amounts in thin layers is perfectly fine, but don't overdo it. Bold colors are usually the spring/summer trends, which is perfectly fine, but putting massive amounts on your face to make it stand out too much isn't professional.

Here's an example of what's a definite no-no:

As pretty as she is and as nice as her make up looks... that same checklist needs to go through your head:

Can I wear it to a bar?
Can I wear it to a club?
Can I wear it to a formal event?
If you checked yes to any or all of the above just by looking at her, which you can, then you certainly shouldn't wear it to work.

Now here's another example of someone else:

What do you think as you go down the check list? I would say none because of the simplicity of the look, which is perfect for the workplace.




Now for the most important part, hygiene. No one likes a person who smells really bad or really strong. The stench of poor hygiene wreaks havoc amongst the workplace, especially if you share a small room with a lot of your co-workers. No one will want to come near you too much, as nice as you are and it's certainly a distraction to others. At the same bathing yourself with cologne or perfume doesn't help your cause either. Sinuses starts acting up and the same things will happen within a room full of people. It really becomes a distraction to everyone... so much that most work places actually hand out clothing guidelines with good hygiene as a must as well.

Keep in mind, if all else fails, always look at others around you or....
ASK SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE!!

Accessories for Men & Women

Men doesn't have too many selections to accessorize with but certainly wearing ties, bow ties or cufflinks can make a difference to an outfit. Some may find it too formal and some may think it's more of a fashion statement. It all depends on your working environment and how your co-workers dress up as well. There's many ways on how to tie a tie and it's all personal preference, here's a quick video on how to tie the popular knot -- the Windsor Knot:

As for the women, think of it this way... If you can wear your necklaces, bracelets or earrings to a club or a formal event -- that might be a sign to NOT wear it to work. It's as simple as that. No need to be "blinging out" at work with all the sparkles and diamonds... better yet, don't pull a "Lady Gaga". You can be creative but there's a line between what is good and what is TOO much. There's no need to impress people and gather unwanted attention. Simplicity is key and creates a more professional image. Prim and proper will get you far without trying too hard.

Here's what NOT to wear -->
All of the above. Meat is not an accessory and all those diamond jewellery is certainly unnecessary for work either.

Shoes for Men

Believe it or not, there's more to it than just your average dress shoes. It's important that you wear comfortable footwear because face it, you'll be wearing them the whole day until you get home. Depending on your workplace, certain types of shoes must be worn, if not, then a guideline on what types of shoes is usually laid out.

Waiters
Having a service job means you'll be walking and standing all day. Comfortable shoes is a must and will also protect your back from standing long periods of time. With that, restaurants normally mandate that employees wear black leather shoes, so choose a pair with non-slip grip with cushion inside to avoid slipping in case of accidents.

Construction
Construction jobs mean heavy duty work and your safety is of importance. Your shoes must be durable and should have a safety feature, whether it's steel-toe shoes or support all around. I would suggest a pair of shoes with insulated and waterproof leather with steel-toe protection feature, so that in case of an accident, your foot doesn't become severed.

Office
Choosing work shoes for office jobs is really easy. There's no standards as long as they're clean. Some work places even lets you wear running shoes as long as they're neat and clean... Just don't pick one with flashy colors. Black leather is always safe. Loafers and Oxfords are usually the popular ones to wear at work because they're comfortable and formal with still keeping that simple look.

Shoes for Women

When it comes to shoes for women, I'm sure most of us has a closet or two dedicated to shoes alone -- if not a closet, then at least owning more than 15 pairs. From flip flops to "pumps", we'll cover it all on what type of shoes qualify for your job.

High heel shoes gives the confidence in women that would typically generate positivity or even smartness. In addition to that, I believe that wearing heels also gives that 'attitude' that women needs in a male-domination world (although that theory is beginning to deplete slowly as we speak).

Here are 3 tips or guidelines to typically abide by when it comes to wearing heels or shoes in general:

1. Observe what your co-workers are wearing, especially to those who's position you want to get into next ;)
2. Don't give up your own style in order to "fit in" because everyone is entitled to their own flare or 'pizzazz' as long as it's not too eye-catching. You don't want to stick out (negatively) like a sore thumb.
3. If you're still unsure, you can try this little trick. Try dressing conservatively with them at first and slowly switch over, experimenting on what might be too 'loud' within your workplace.

Obvious-but-must-be-stated-rules:

→ 'Blacks' and 'browns' are always safe colors when it comes to any type of shoe. In some countries, sandals are even accepted as long as they're in leather or synthetic -- not fabric or canvas! If your company allows sandals, try to avoid strappy sandals because it tones down the professional look ten-fold. Lastly, as much as you love them, flip flops and plastics are a definite NO in most cases.

→ Don't wear pumps or closed shoes if temperature doesn't allow it. Example: If you're wearing a jacket (even in hot weather), don't wear sandals.

→ Don't wear socks with sandals (although it apparently may be the new spring/summer trend of 2012) but always wear socks with runners and boots. Try to avoid socks made out of synthetic material because they don't absorb sweat well at all! It gives off a funky smell mid-day and can be damaging to the skin as well.

→ Some colors I suggest you stay away from would be yellow or deep red. Anything that sets too much attention towards the shoes, distracting fellow co-workers is a no-no. I think that anything extravagantly bright or showy like gold and silver are not suited for the work place in general.

All in all, like I always say -- ALWAYS ASK TO BE SURE!

What do you think is good enough for YOUR workplace?

1....2....or 3?

What Is Too Casual?

What is too casual? Many people may have different definitions on what is considered too casual based on their workplace, but most places, they would consider it to be clothes that are not conservative and improper for work.

Whether it is ripped, graphic, too revealing or too much, you have to think of it this way... can I wear this clubbing? Can I wear this to the beach? Can I wear this to the gym? If any of those questions were answered "yes", then we may have a problem.

The main idea of dressing up into "work clothes" is to literally "dress for success". If you want to climb up the corporate ladder, wearing clothes that's appropriate for the position will certainly get you somewhere.

Here's a great and quick YouTube video on what not to wear in the office:



She explains what is too casual in a comedic way, but certainly easy to remember.

Casual Work Pants for Men

This all comes down with what your company is comfortable with, whether they're okay with jeans or not. Obviously, the safe bet is to wear dress pants that doesn't sit lower than the bum (as much as we love that style in men... not!). After you have asked your boss or human resource whether or not you are able to wear jeans and they have agreed that it's fine, you're lucky and safe to do so.

In this picture here on the right side, is shows how NOT to wear your pants. Honestly, as obvious as it sounds, lots of guys still wear it this way.

Try and keep it neat and tidy without any tears/rips or designs. Nothing flashy and keep it simple -- the darker the better.

How do YOU wear your pants?









How low do you wear your pants?

Say YES to:

Wouldn't you rather wear these instead?






Here's a great quick video on how to wear a men trouser:

Casual Work Pants & Skirts for Women

Pants are very flexible with women in the case of dress pants or corduroy whether it's long or cropped. It can be any dark or neutral color and can be used in all occasions within the workplace (meetings, every-day or meeting with clients). Jeans on the other hand are optional for some companies and sometimes allows the employees to wear them as long as they're dark and appropriate -- ALWAYS ASK TO MAKE SURE! Most workplaces has a dress-down Friday event where you are given the opportunity to wear Jeans. Some companies uses that as a casual day environment and some can even ask to give a certain amount for donation to stimulate the company in being a part of a bigger cause whether if it's helping the company and environment buy solar panels or donating the money to a charity. Take advantage of it, but do not go over board by wearing ripped jeans. As much as you would love to be trendy, keep it casual and professional... after all, you're still at work.

Here's a quick video on how to find pants that fits well:


Skirts can be fairly tricky because some can be comfortable with wearing them and some would rather opt out because they're not used to that type of skirt within a professional field. The ideal of an appropriate skirt allowed is usually anything within 1 and a half inches above the knee and anything below the knee is perfect. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work, taking professionalism too lightly. I know that some women aren't comfortable in wearing below the knee skirts because of the inaccessibility and lack of room to walk around with. The trick to that is look for a skirt with a slit in the back of the skirt -- it give you that allowance to maneuver around without looking like you're struggling to walk. A slit to the back is fine but a slit to the front is not -- keep that in mind!

The first part until the 1:10 minute mark on this quick video gives quick tips on wearing a skirt within the business field: