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Ask the Image Expert Sherry Maysonave is the founder and president of Empowerment Enterprises, one of America's leading communication-image firms. Sherry conducts corporate seminars and coaches executives, professionals, and politicians in achieving excellence in communication and image. She is also the author of Casual Power: How to Power Up your Nonverbal Communication and Dress Down for Success
Skirt LengthQuestion: Is it appropriate to wear a business suit (jacket/skirt set) in a professional business office if the skirt is 3-4 inches above the knee?Crystal Answer: Yes, that length is appropriate if you also wear hosiery. A short skirt worn without legwear qualifies as social attire, not professional. A survey by “Women Work!” reports that women who have carried the bare-leg fashion trend into their workplace image have seriously hurt their careers. Bare legs are simply not businesslike. The Wharton School of Business, one of the most prestigious business schools in the U.S., says that a short skirt should be no more than 3” from the top of the knee to be considered a professional length. If you are young and have good legs (and slender knees), I think it is okay to go up to 4 inches, but no more than that. A short skirt length that projects professionalism can fall anywhere from 3” above the knee (or 4” inches as described earlier) all the way to the bottom of the knee. Avoid that no-man’s-land length where the skirt hem hits mid-calf; that is frumpy. Think knees for a short length or ankles for a long length. Wearing legwear is the key to a shorter length skirt looking professional. Hosiery (sheer and opaque) is back in vogue.
Best of luck to you,
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