The sun is out and it’s time see what advice we have for what workwear for women is acceptable , so here are a few thoughts from our cousins across the Atlantic, but this time its Canada.

Here’s some advice from various human resources departments:

Simple advice, if you would wear it to mow your lawn, or paint your fence, then it might not be suitable for the office.

Most people will tend to push the limits but the suggestion is made that, even on casual Fridays, is before leaving the house, take one last look in the mirror, and if you look in any way like you could be on your way to the beach, then you should change.

Basically save the camping, barbecue and beach outfits for those occasions and dress business-like for work. While dress codes have become more informal and casual over the years, particularly in the summer, there are standards that need to exist.

Obviously all good points, but just what are the standards? The parameters will vary depending on the work environment, but in general the rules are applicable to all scenarios. The central principle in Calgary appears to be that you should be professional, clean, presentable and reflective of your clients. The choice of clothing should be guided within areas of your customers, your office environment and those people who you work with on a daily basis. Conforming to the expected standards of your business and the segment of the economy it works with would be the general consensus, and remembering that Friday is not an excuse to look unprofessional.

Of course there are exceptions to the rules, as pointed out by various professional arts organisations that do not have a corporate dress code which allows them to be more casual and “comfortable” all year round, not just in the summer. However the trend in this area is for people to dress “sharply and with style” so too casual doesn’t tend to be a problem anyway, and they have constant external meetings with sponsors and clients which keep them mindful of more corporate trends.

However in general the advice for the ladies in summer is as follows:

Dresses and skirts should be long enough to cover thighs when seated, and if the dress has narrow straps then a lightweight jacket or a cardigan should be worn over it

No casual t-shirts, with or without graphics or slogans, No high-cut tops that reveal the navel or too low cut and revealing. It should be considered that at the office “skin is never in!” Short sleeve blouses with lightweight jacket. A suit or suit jacket is still recommended if attending an important meeting

Jeans should be OK on casual Fridays, unless specified and the dress code should always be examined for trousers and their variations such as capris as these may be acceptable in the summer. No torn jeans, jogging pants or shorts

No trainers, casual sandals or the hated flip-flops, general rule is if they are for the beach or the track then they are not for the office.

So plenty of advice from our Canadian friends, and most of it is just as applicable here, so it seems that workwear for women in the summer is the same the world over, unless you know different.