Bare Shoulders in a Professional Work Environment - Asset or Liability? (2024)

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Starla West

A colleague asked how I felt about bare shoulders in a professional work environment. Here are the thoughts I shared with him:

(Prior to forming an opinion, make sure you read this blog post in its entirety.)

In a professional environment where the dress code is Smart Casual, Business Casual, or Business Professional, bare shoulders are a potential liability for two reasons:

1. Bare shoulders fall into the same category as excessive cleavage, exposed midriff, bare legs and feet – all of which have the potential to create distractions for colleagues and clients. If others can't stop looking at our sexy shoulders or the excessive amount skin hanging from our upper arms, they certainly aren't paying full attention to what we are saying and the business we are trying to conduct.
2. Here in the United States and in many other cultures, the exposure of skin is a tool we use to attract others – romantically and sexually. The more skin we expose in the workplace, the more opportunity there is for it to be misinterpreted by others as a mating call.

When getting dressed, I always ask, "Will the additional exposure of skin today work against me?" There are times when the answer is YES, and there are times when the answer is NO. If in any way I suspect my bare shoulders or legs will serve as a distraction for others and therefore make it more difficult for me to accomplish whatever I am trying to accomplish, I will simply cover them up and save my bare shoulder or leg-look for another time.

However, there ARE times when employees within a professional environment engage in activities like a company picnic, outdoor charity event, leadership retreat, etc. This is when a Casual Dress Code that allows for tank tops and spaghetti straps might be appropriate. It is always best to contact the event organizer for the preferred dress code so that we don't show up too casually dressed and create an awkward environment for everyone involved, including ourselves.

The above said, it is important to note there ARE fashion-forward industries where bare shoulders are perfectly acceptable - art, film, photography, advertising, fashion, merchandising, entertainment, event planning, etc.

Individuals who work in these industries may have an authentic personal brand that allows them to OWN a sexy and trendy bare shoulder-look. My advice here is just don't put it out there willy nilly. Instead, make the bare shoulder-look intentional and OWN it.

Lastly, if you work in an extremely hot and humid climate, it is at your employer's discretion as to whether or not it will allow bare shoulders in the workplace. In some cases, the bare shoulder-look in these climates is much more common and acceptable than in climates where the heat and humidity are unbearable for only a short period of time throughout the year.

This brings me to my final thought - especially for those individuals who feel they should be able to dress however they want...

Our choice of clothing is a physical expression of our authentic inner self that delivers rapid-fire messages about who we are on the inside. The colors we choose, the detail and construction of the clothing and our fabric selection all come together to tell a story about who we are on the inside. If we want to work for an employer who supports our preferred style of physical expression, it is always best to choose a career and work environment that are compatible/in-sync with our authentic inner self.

• Professionals who gravitate to a TRADITIONAL style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like accounting, banking, finance, government, insurance, law, real estate, etc. and naturally gravitate to a business professional dress code.

(BOSS HUGO BOSS)

• Professionals who gravitate to a SPORTY style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like construction, engineering, graphic/web design, information technology, sports-related work, outdoor-related work, etc. Here's an example of how a female with a sporty style can incorporate her more relaxed look into a business professional dress code.

(Ann Taylor)

• Professionals who gravitate to an ELEGANT style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like corporate law, dignitary work, executive business, international business, public speaking, special event planning, etc. These individuals don't have much difficulty dressing appropriately within a business professional dress code.

(St. John)

• Professionals who gravitate to a CREATIVE style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like acting, beauty (hair & makeup), design, entertainment, journalism, modeling, night club work, etc. where their creative spirit and talents are celebrated. Here's how a creative can dress appropriately within a business professional dress code, yet maintain her unique, innovative and imaginative appearance.

(Agnès B)

• Professionals who gravitate to a ROMANTIC style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like counseling, health care, education, hospitality, ministry, social work, etc. Here's an example of how a romantic can stay true to her style and still "fit in" within a business professional dress code.

(Kay Unger)

• Professionals who gravitate to a DRAMATIC style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like cosmetology, entertainment, high fashion, interior design, marketing/advertising, public speaking, etc. Here's how a dramatic can incorporate her strong, powerful, sophisticated and bold look into a business professional dress code.

(Zac Posen)

• Professionals who gravitate to an ALLURING style of dress often find themselves working in such professions like advertising, architecture, fashion design/retail, music industry, theatre, etc. These industries allow them to wear more "daring" clothes that create feelings of excitement and electricity. Below is an example of how an alluring individual can maintain her magnetic and sensual look when dressing for a business professional dress code. (Someone with an alluring style is likely to replace the slacks below with a pencil skirt - either in black or in the same print as the camisole.)

(Dolce & Gabbana)

At the end of the day, my advice boils down to simply this...be aware of the emotional response your appearance elicits from others. Savvy and sophisticated business professionals proactively manage their appearance so they always elicit a positive emotional response that works FOR them – not against them – in the workplace.

What thoughts and/or questions do you have? I would love to hear them!
Starla