Being less than perfectly well--dressed in a business setting can result in a feeling of profound discomfort that may well require therapy to dispel1. And the sad truth is that “clothing mismatches2” on the job can ruin the day of the person who’s wearing the inappropriate attire3 and the people with whom he or she comes in contact.

 

在生意场合着装稍有不慎就会使人有非常不舒服的感觉，需要有对应的良策。糟糕的事实是：办公时“着装不协调”不仅会使这个穿着不得体的人过不好这一天，也会使同他（她）接触的人难受。

 

When should you dress up or dress down?

你该何时盛装，何时便装?

 

Offices vary when it comes to dress codes. Some businesses have very high standards for their employees and set strict guidelines for office attire, while others maintain a more relaxed attitude. However, it is always important to remember that no matter what your company’s attitude is regarding what you wear, you are working in a business environment and you should dress accordingly. Certain items may be more appropriate for evening wear than for a business meeting, just as shorts and a T--shirt are better suited for the beach than for an office environment. Your attire should reflect both your environment and your position. A senior vice president has a different image to maintain than that of a secretary or sales assistant. Like it or not, you will be judged by your personal appearance.

 

不同的单位对着装有不同的要求。有些公司对其雇员高标准要求，对办公室的着装有严格的规定，而有些公司则对此采取较宽容的态度。但无论你所在的公司对你的穿着采取何种态度，你是在一个商务环境中工作，你的着装应与之相配，记住这一点非常重要。有些衣服更适于做晚礼服而不宜出现在商务会议上，正如短裤和T恤衫更适合在海滨穿着而不适于在办公室一样。你的衣着既应反映你的环境又应反映你的职位。高级副总裁应保持的形象不应等同于秘书或销售助理。无论你是否认同，别人将通过你的个人形象来判断你的一切。

 

This is never more apparent than on “dress--down days”, when what you wear can say more about you than any business suit ever could. In fact, people will pay more attention to what you wear on dress--down days than on “business professional” days. Thus, when dressing in “business casual” clothes, try to put some flair4 into your wardrobe choices, recognize that the “real” definition of business casual is to dress just one notch5 down from what you would normally wear on business--professional attire days. Avoid jeans, worn, wrinkled polo shirts6, sneakers, scuffed7 shoes, halter8 tops, and revealing blouses. For men, try wearing a neat pair of pants and a buttoned shirt with long or short sleeves that has more color or texture in the fabric. For women, wear skirts or tailored pants with blouses, blazers, and accessories that mean business yet convey a more casual look than your standard business attire.

 

这种“以衣度人”的态度在“便装日”表现得更为明显，这时你的穿着比任何商务套装都更能说明你的一切。事实上，人们更注重你的便装，而不是你的职业装。因此，在着“商务便装”时，选衣要加些品味。要知道商务便装的“真正”含义是指你的装束应比正规职业着装仅仅随意一点。不要穿牛仔服、破旧而皱巴的马球衬衫、运动鞋、磨损的鞋子、三角背心和暴露的衬衫。男士应穿干净整洁的便装裤，带扣子的长袖或短袖衬衫，颜色和质地多样化一些。女士应穿裙子或裁剪得体的便装裤、衬衫、外套和饰物，整体装束既正式又比标准的职业装随意。

 

Remember, there are boundaries between your career and your social life. You should dress one way for play and another way when you mean business. Always ask yourself where you’re going and how other people will be dressed when you get there. Is the final destination the opera, the beach, or the office? Dress accordingly and you will discover the truth in the axiom9 that clothes make the man--and the woman. When in doubt, always err on the side of dressing slightly more conservatively than the situation demands. Remember, you can always remove a jacket, but you can’t put one on if you didn’t think to take it with you.

 

切记：你的职业和你的社交生活应界限分明。去娱乐场所穿一身衣服，去谈生意就要换另一身装扮。你总要问一下自己是去哪儿，那儿的人们会怎样穿着。你最终的目的地是歌剧院、海滨还是办公室？相应着装，你就会发现“人靠衣装马靠鞍”这个格言是很有道理的。如果你没有把握，就比实际要求稍微穿得保守一些。记住：你总是可以脱掉外衣，但如果你没想到要带，那你可就没有穿的了。