Sleeve lengths in the office
Question from a consultant who had recently trained with me
Sara is a 30-year-old accountant who is single but would love to meet a mate.
I did her colours a couple of months ago which she has really taken on board and she is wearing some lovely colours now - looks fab in cream and the light Spring colours. She says she is getting lots of compliments, which is a good sign.
Her style session revealed she is a Natural / Classic which Sara seemed fine with and agreed with. She wears no jewellery, not even a watch and no makeup either. At work she dresses in a lovely coffee brown suit which she wears with a short-sleeved t-shirt!
Considering her profession should she wear a 3/4 or full-length sleeved top or does it not matter? She is not in touch with the general public at work, just her colleagues.
My answer
Accountants, lawyers, bankers, and serious promotion-minded office workers need a minimum of three-quarter sleeves. You still need to create the right impression around your colleagues for them to respect your professionalism (or not, as the case may be).
Short sleeves are for casual wear; when you wear them in the office you are saying that you do not take the job seriously.
A round neck top is great for when she wants to be more approachable, especially to change in to when she meets friends (and a potential boyfriend?) after work.
However, at work when she wants to be seen as authoritative or to be taken more seriously, then a V neck would be useful. However, as a Natural, Sara may feel a bit rigid in such sharp angles so I would suggest she try a soft cowl neck; this can often form a perfect balance between the two contrasting looks.
As a very strong Dramatic personality myself, I find the cowl softens what could be read as a very sharp look when I wear a V neck. Conversely, Naturals will find a cowl is a softer way of demonstrating a more authoritative look rather than a definite, sharp V neck. Also, this will help Sara look more feminine and is something she could wear both to work and to meet friends. Adding a touch of colour under her brown suit will also make her more feminine."
If YOU would like to learn more about adding styling to your colour, fashion or image business, check out the contents of my Ladies’ Style course.
