The festive season is over, and now is business as usual. Looking good at work is important if you want to be taken seriously.

Not only should you look good, but you should also dress appropriately for the office environment. Follow these steps and you’ll soon be climbing the corporate ladder, in stylish shoes no less.

When you are starting a new office job, one of the hardest things to figure out is the dress code. Most office jobs give out a dress code to their employees that is vague at best.

Often times the dress code will point out obvious items that one should not wear, but only say that business casual wear for the office job.

The office setting can be one of the most difficult to dress for when clear guidelines in the form of a dress code is not given. One person’s idea of business casual can be another person’s idea of too casual for work.

To make sure that you don’t err on the side of proper clothing attire for your office job follow these steps on how to dress for an office job guide

Choose bottoms that are of a dressier material. Slacks or skirts that are made of linen and silk as well as other dressier fabrics are great.

You should always stay away from denim and stretch material that can be seen as sweats or workout clothes. Skirts and slacks should always be of a proper length. Skirts should come to the knee or longer.

Slacks should usually be full length and not cropped or walking shorts unless your company has given a clear okay in the dress code to wear these for your office job.

Pick a top to wear with your skirt or slacks that has a color and preferably some sort of sleeve. The material of the top is not as big of an issue when it comes to dress code as long as the shirt has a color.

Office jobs would prefer to see someone come into work in a cotton polo shirt than in a plain cotton T-shirt. For women, if there is no collar on the shirt then it should be of a dressy material like silk or linen.

There are some office jobs that will change their dress code during the hot season to include sleeveless top option and they will clearly spell this out to you when and if they do.

Wear shoes that have a heel under 3 inches or a non rubber sole on them to make sure that they are dressy enough for the dress code of your office job. Don shoes that are both comfortable and appropriate for the office environment. Dress flats are also acceptable.

A good leather handbag to match your shoes will compliment your look. Also accessorize. Wear only one pair of earrings and keep your rings to a minimum.

A simple pendant or broach will add some flair while keeping your look polished and professional.

Suits are ideal in the office but more so a pinstriped suit for formal work environments. You can dress more casually by pairing slacks or a skirt with a blouse. The blouse shouldn’t be low cut or too tight.

A button-up blouse is also acceptable. Long gone are the days when conservative colors, such as blacks, browns and grays are the only ones used to be worn in offices, any other color is now okay but they shouldn’t be too bright.

If you want to add a little color in a black or grey suit, wear a pastel colored shirt underneath. Every woman should at least both pinstriped trouser and skirt suit to complement your office wear collection.

Men

Men unlike women, they are not complicated in anything they do or wear. Below are a few tips for men.

1. Wear a business suit in professional office environments, even if you’ll end up taking the tie and jacket off before the day is over. Wear a white, button-down shirt under your suit. You can wear slacks and a sweater or a button down shirt with a tie in more casual environments.

2. Add color and flare with a silk tie. While you should stick to subtle tones of gray, black and brown for your general attire, a colorful or ornate silk tie is a great way to bring a splash of color to your look.

3. Slip on some fancy shoes. You should wear lace up dress shoes that are well-polished. Your socks should match your shoes. Even though most people won’t see your socks, you don’t want to get caught wearing white athletic socks with your suit.

4. Accessorize. Wear a simple watch that isn’t too large or flashy. Carry a leather briefcase in either brown or black and make sure your belt matches your shoes.

5. Shave. There’s nothing more unprofessional than a scruffy face, so make sure your face is smooth before that big meeting.

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