KEY POINTS:
A giant red cape, thigh-high leather chaps, mini skirts and wacky platform shoes are some of the most sought-after and commented-upon fashion items this winter. But imagine what your boss would say if you turned up to work tomorrow wearing any of that lot - plus a plaid
leotard underneath.
Probably something along the lines of, "You'll need to put a skirt on under that belt, Miss Jones."
So how do you look slick, professional and stylish all at the same time? Where do current trends fit into your working wardrobe, bearing in mind there are different dress codes for every office? And what does corporate casual mean?
Well, every industry has its own interpretation. And generally speaking there are some things that will never be acceptable in most workplaces - apart from Showgirls where it's desirable to show a lot of flesh and any interesting piercings you may have acquired.
In general though, there seem to be two important rules of the working wardrobe.
The first says that fashion shouldn't distract from the business at hand. That is, there's nothing wrong with making a stylish statement with your clothing but it needs to be appropriate for the industry in which you're working, which means it shouldn't take anyone's mind off the job.
That is why belly piercings, mini skirts and tight-fitting singlets are often discouraged. Apparently people can't work when continuously confronted with the obvious allure of the opposite sex. Though, interpretations of what's appropriate and utilitarian and what's distracting can be highly subjective, depending on whether you work in a steamy cafe, an air conditioned courtroom or a building site in the hot summer sunshine.
The second rule of the working wardrobe is about sending out the right message. Many protest they don't care about fashion and they just put on what feels comfortable. However, there's no doubt in the minds of experts in popular culture, that in our society clothes can, and do, send out subconscious messages about your job, your lifestyle preferences, your income and so forth. In some jobs, that message is all important.
For instance, if you're a lawyer or an accountant, you want your clients to trust you. A sober blue suit says "trust me, pay me, I know what I'm doing".
A mini skirt or an ACDC T-shirt may appeal to certain clients - but there are others who would be more than a bit worried that you're not going to be able to get them off that speeding fine or represent them adequately to Inland Revenue.
In general, it seems that anyone who is serious about their career might do well to think about their sartorial message. That's besides being good at your job.
So if you aspire to building site manager, you better be wearing some seriously practical overalls. Or if you aspire to the position of creative director of an advertising agency, your T-shirt should really be marked with a groovy, street-wise brand and your jeans should be the right shape, even better if they're designer-expensive.
And so, on to the next question: how fashionable can you be and still look professional?
The answer lies somewhere in the middle of a spectrum that has a model in thigh-high leather chaps and a big, red cape posing ferociously at one end and an old fashioned secretary wearing a cardy and sensible shoes at the other.
Some seasons don't throw up much that can be adapted to the office - what do mismatching bohemians wear to work?
But this year, where there's been an emphasis on tailoring, muted colours and a lot of ladylike dressing, professional followers of fashion will find a lot to their liking.
"Dresses are de rigeur at the moment and something like a coat dress or shirt dress works just as well as a suit," says Viva fashion editor, Ana MacDonald. "Adding a jacket makes them even more formal. A full blouse is also easy to wear if you keep your bottom half slimline, with a pencil skirt or cigarette leg pants."
Other trends that translate effortlessly to the office, MacDonald says, include tweeds, cropped jackets, high waists, layered knits and touches of bright colour. In fact a cropped jacket could be seen as the perfect example of how to look trendy in the office.
Too short, and it's a groovy bolero. Too long and its a trendy, oversized parka. But hoist the hem somewhere just above your middle, and its flattering, chic and professional.
"It's just nice to shake it up a bit. You can look corporate but you can always add a little bit of edge too."
Anna Stevens
Portfolio Recruitment, which specialises in finding graphic designers, ad agency personnel and other creative types.
"It really depends what agency you're going into - some agencies can be really corporate. On the whole though, Mac operators and graphic designers can get away with a T-shirt, jeans and a pair of trainers. That's the creative industry for you. On the whole it's pretty fashionable - advertising agency staff are right up there."
What about wearing some thigh high leather chaps to work?
"I'm not sure what they are but they sound scary. I wouldn't advise anyone to wear those especially if they're applying for a job.
Michelle Boag
Legal Personnel, specialising in staff for lawyers' chambers.
"On the whole I'd say it's quite conservative. People still expect their lawyers to be in suits and their receptionists to be well-groomed.
"It really depends on the firm. In the super-corporate firms they expect fairly conservative dressing. That means close-toed shoes and an old fashioned suit.
"Meanwhile in a more suburban law firm there is often a much more relaxed dress code. It would also depend on the niche the law firm was in."
What about wearing some thigh high leather chaps to work?
"You wouldn't see them on a lawyer unless they were a senior partner. I definitely know some lawyers who could get away with it just as they could get away with wearing a mini skirt to work."
Patti Gwynne
Director of PMG Services, business and professional coach.
"My recommendation to my clients is to dress in a stylish way, but not in an overwhelmingly [fashionable] way. I'm a great advocate of asking questions and I'd advise my clients to find out what they can about a company's dress code before they go for an interview - like if they have an opportunity to have a phone conversation ask what the appropriate dress code is."
What about wearing some thigh high leather chaps to work?
"It's about respect really for yourself and for whomever you will be coming into contact with. If that's your style outside of work, that's your choice. But if you wear it to work you have to be aware that it might offend other people."
