Monster Reveals Spring and Summer’s Biggest Workplace Fashion Faux Pas

As the weather begins to warm, many workers will soon abandon their conventional winter wardrobes for more comfortable summer looks - but could this be threatening to their professional credibility? Monster(R) surveyed site visitors and found that 55 percent of workers consider tank tops and exposed undergarments the season’s top work wear mishap. Monster is the leading global online careers and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST).

The Monster Meter, an online poll*, garnered over 18,000 responses regarding what workers consider to be the most distasteful fashion faux pas committed while on the job. In addition to the workplace revolt against tank tops and exposed undergarments, 29 percent of respondents cited flip-flops as the worst faux pas in the workplace during the warmer seasons; only a few were put off most by Hawaiian prints (8 percent) and shorts (8 percent).

Perception is reality, so even if it is 100 degrees outside on a Friday in mid-July, employees and job seekers should be mindful of the image they are presenting, said Lori Erickson, vice president of human resources, Monster. If you work in professional environment and your business attire suggests you are ready to be poolside with a Pina Colada, you are likely subverting your own credibility.

Spring and Summer’s Biggest Workplace Fashion Faux Pas, According to Monster

-- Shorts or Short-Cut Capri Pants - While shorts are great attire during personal time, they can be inappropriate for the workplace, as they indicate that a worker has a vacation state of mind.

-- Flip-Flops - A separate Monster Meter** conducted last summer revealed that an overwhelming 80 percent of workers deem flip-flops unacceptable in the workplace.

-- Revealing Clothing - This category includes short skirts, unbuttoned shirts, midriff-length tops and clothes that are too small. When on the job, workers should ensure that clothing accentuates their brains over their bodies, and remember that undergarments were designed to be worn under garments.

-- Loud Colors or Patterns - Just because wild animals sport bright colors to attract a mate, eye-catching clothing should not be used to impress colleagues.

-- T-Shirts - The only work-related activity where t-shirts are appropriate is at a company softball game.

-- Wrinkled Duds - Linen and cotton are both popular materials for the spring and summer, but they wrinkle easily. Workers should launder and press clothes made of these fabrics to retain the finished appeal they had when purchased.

To avoid falling victim to workplace fashion faux pas, workers should observe trends among co-workers and familiarize themselves with the items that fit nicely into the business-casual category: chino trousers, pencil skirts, relaxed button-down shirts and linen, polo or knitted shirts. These clothes are generally made out of breathable fabrics - perfect for warmer weather. For additional tips, visit: http://content.monster.com/articles/3520/18658/1/home.aspx.

*The results of this Monster Meter are based on 18,178 votes cast by Monster users from March 23rd to April 2nd, 2007 on the Monster homepage.

**The results of this Monster Meter are based on 56,756 votes cast by Monster users from July 24th to July 31st, 2006 on the Monster homepage.

The Monster Meter is an ongoing series of online polls that gauge users’ opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. Anyone interested in voting in Monster’s current online poll may do so by logging onto Monster at www.monster.com. These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.