As those warm spring days turn into the hot and humid days of summer, office dress codes tend to relax a little. Some companies allow for "jeans day" on Fridays. Others will permit sleeveless garments to be worn. However, when it comes to pants, which length is appropriate for work? Find out if those capris, cropped pants, or shorts you have been eying can be worn at work.
Cropped Pants Are Office Appropriate
I can give a definite yes to these. Cropped pants are an easy summer option for office wear. They fall somewhere between mid-calf and the ankle. Some styles have a straight hem others may feature a cuffed or gathered hem. For the office the safest bets are the straight and cuffed hem cropped pants. Gathered hems can look a little "sporty". While sporty is trendy for the season, it is not ideal for many office settings.
Style Guide: Liz Claiborne Twill Cropped Pants ($27, JCPenney) and Clean Front Crop Pant ($54, Avenue)
Sometimes You Can Wear Capris. Sometimes You Can't
Capris are pants with a hemline that falls between mid-calf and knee. The longer capri lengths are better suited for office. Look for a slim fitting capri. The most popular capris are the denim variety. You can still wear you favorite colored denim capris to work, just make sure you hide the "jean details such as rivets and that infamous fifth pocket with a long top. Also, stay away from "washes" and "rinses" as they will definitely look like jeans.
If you are tall, chances are it will be hard for you to find capris that fall at the appropriate length. More than likely, capris on you will look like long-shorts or Bermudas which typically are not allowed in office settings. So my long-legged lovelies, be sure to try on those capris before adding them to your office wardrobe.
Style Guide: Slim fit twill capri ($49.95, Lane Bryant) and Chaps Straight-Leg Sateen Capris ($55. Kohl's)
Shorts Are Tricky
Definitely, cut-offs and regular shorts are out of the question for the office. However, some offices may allow long shorts or Bermudas for summer. Another short option that can be worn at work -- as long it falls at the appropriate hem-length -- is the skort. The garment that looks like a skirt but is really a pair of shorts is a great way to wear shorts this summer. The trick to wearing the skort in the office is finding one that falls at the same length your dress code allows for skirts. A lot of offices allow a skirt to be as high as two-inches above the knee. I recommend not going any higher than that with your skort.
Style Guide: Dockers Plus Size Skirt, Cargo Scooter Skort ($52, Macy's) and Croft and Barrow Floral Skort ($40, Kohl's)
If your office dress code becomes relaxed for the summer you might have more options than you originally thought. There are options within cropped pants, capris, and shorts that fall in line with many office dress codes. Before you try out any of these styles refer to your office dress code to make sure you stay within guidelines when you go shopping.
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