What is the proper way to dress for casual day at work?

Robin Thompson, owner of Etiquette Network and the Robin Thompson Charm School, says, "First of all, it really helps if the company issues guidelines. That way, there is no question about it. But I think if you just dress one step down from what you normally wear to work, you should be fine. I like nice dressy pants or casual twill pants like Dockers. Maybe we should focus more on what you shouldn't wear. Keep in mind that when you are dressed professionally, say in a suit, you act in a more professional manner and more work gets done--there have been studies done proving this. When you have to deal with clients and you are dressed up, you feel empowered. When you are out and about and you are dressed up, you are treated with more respect and you carry yourself better. When you are in sweats, flip-flops, and cutoff jeans and run into someone, you almost feel like you need to apologize for it. So, your dress affects your attitude. Therefore, you don't want to get real casual because that, to me, hurts your professionalism.

"You should never wear tank tops to work. That goes for both men and women. For women, nothing should be low-cut, revealing, or plunging. You shouldn't wear t-shirts or anything with suggestive or even sport logos--that's too casual. You should wear polo shirts and a belt with your pants. No tennis shoes. No flip-flops. You should always wear socks. Capris are really in fashion for women right now, but in my opinion capris aren't appropriate in the workplace. I always tell women, if you want to be treated as equals with men, don't wear things that men don't wear. If you are wearing a skirt, you wear nylons because men don't come to work without socks. You want to dress somewhat conservatively and just one step down from the suit and tie. If you are going to be meeting with clients, you should dress up no matter what the day.

"As far as jewelry, it depends on what industry you work in. If you are in the entertainment industry or in the arts, you can be quite liberal and probably be perfectly acceptable. If you are working in the banking industry or a law firm, then no, you shouldn't show up with nose rings and loud jewelry. Generally speaking, jewelry should be kept conservative and to a minimum. If you wear rings, you should wear no more than two rings. A good dress watch is nice. I always say quality versus price, you don't have to have an expensive Rolex watch. I have a fake Rolex, and I love my watch. You should keep earrings to one pair and they shouldn't make noise or be a distraction. Less is better.

"If you are in a rock band, tattoos are fine, but in other places you may find they have a stigma attached to them. If I am going to be examined by a doctor and he comes in with a big skull and cross bones on his arm, it's not going to go over well. Tattoos can sometimes create a negative impression. Military people often have tattoos, but I still don't think they should be visible in the workplace. Tattoos are becoming more prevalent, but I think you should keep in mind that people may judge you by them."