Too Much Skin: 10 Taboos for Workplace Attire WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS 1

Learning Objectives Be able to identify the difference between professional work attire and inappropriate attire for work. Assess your own dress habits for work. Be able to identify appropriate and inappropriate dress habits of others. Make associations between image and impact at work. 2 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Pre-test – True or False 1.Showing some skin can help you win the bosses approval on an important project. 2.Low-rise pants are okay because they are in- fashion. You don’t want to look out-of date if you are going to be taken seriously. 3.Belly shirts are best left for the gym, beach or nightclub. 4.Men’s chest hair went out with the 70’s. 5.Flip-flops are okay on Fridays, because that is commonly dress-casual days at most offices. 3 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Too Much Skin TV, movies and magazines reveal how “in” bare skin is….however even if it’s true that bare skin helps TV and movie ratings, the office is a different deal. Baring too much skin at the office says, “I’m a novice, unprofessional and hoping people will not notice I have no real skills.” If you don’t want your image to be put on the line, avoid the following office attire don’ts: 4 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Plunging Necklines Non-verbal messages can say a lot about you. Once you get the reputation of dressing like Brittany Spears, it may be hard to shake that reputation and ever be taken seriously. Button up or wear a tank or camisole under that shirt to cover the cleavage. 5 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

See-Through Shirts & Short Skirts WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS Do you want people to pay attention to what you say, or what they see through your shirt? What image do you want to leave them with? Your professional perspective or a different perspective? Wear a suit coat, t-shirt or camisole underneath sheer fabrics and lengthen that mini- skirt.

Open-Back Tops and Dresses Can you tell when you have been overexposed to the sun? You can feel that burn… Being overexposed at the office can have just as much of a harmful effect. These may work in the ballroom, but not at the office. Slip on a sweater or jacket and go from overexposed to professionally composed. 7 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Men’s Chest Hair You may forget it’s there, but how much more will others remember that sight over what you had to say. You may want to button your shirt an extra button before your co-workers start worrying that the next thing you’ll do is ask what their sign is. 8 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Post Test 9 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS 1.Showing some skin can help you win the bosses approval on an important project. False 2.Low-rise pants are okay because they are in- fashion. You don’t want to look out-of date if you are going to be taken seriously. False 3.Belly shirts are best left for the gym, beach or nightclub. True 4.Men’s chest hair went out with the 70’s. True 5.Flip-flops are okay on Fridays, because that is commonly dress-casual days at most offices. False

Assessment Pick a large company and find out what their policies are concerning work attire. Write down key points. Interview 3 adult workers on their views of professional attire versus inappropriate dress at work. To prepare for this, you should write out 5-8 questions on the topic. Interview 1 person under 30, 1 person over 30 and one person over 40. Interview at least one manager or administrator, and two others in different positions. Record their responses. Write a 1 page company policy for “Company X” on work attire using your research and surveys. You will be assessed points as follows for each portion of the assignment: 20 for company profile, 40 for interview assignment, 40 for company policy on work attire. 10 WORK-BASED LEARNING VIRTUAL CAMPUS