Wondering If Your Outfit Is ‘Office-Appropriate’? Apparently This Rule Is Your Answer

The idea of a ‘work uniform’ is becoming more and more out-dated, with many offices opting for the same relaxed dress code for everyone from the CEO to the new intern.

But if you work in a more formal work environment – or have just started a new role and want to a make a good first impression – dressing for your 9-5 can be a little trickier. While we firmly believe that a winning work outfit is any one you feel comfortable and confident in, sometimes a little guidance can make that morning wardrobe trawl a lot easier.

With that in mind, the gals over at Who What Wear have sussed out a dressing hack of sorts, which should come in helpful the next time you’re wondering if that plunge-neck top is just a little too, well, plunge-neck for your morning meeting.

Their advice? Keep your neckline no more than four inches below your collarbone.

“It’s easy enough to figure out; just place your pointer finger horizontally along your collarbone and put the rest of your palm on your décolletage,” say Who What Wear co-founders Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power in their new book The Career Code.

The bottom of your pinky will be about four inches below your collarbone; this is exactly as low as your necklines should ever hit.”

Okay, it’s not the most exact rule in the book, but it’s certainly a guideline we’ll be keeping in mind.

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