Working women often fling their wardrobe in the morning and complain that they have nothing to wear. Yet you never see women in the office wearing nothing. So something's not right there.

Power dressing was a phenomenom of the eighties, where women wore shoulder pads large enough to land a light aircraft on. Things have changed since then, but there are still complex rules governing what you can and can't wear in the office. The one golden rule is that there is no such thing as power dressing in dungarees. Skirt length is a good indicator of what sort of women of what sort of women you're dealing with in the office. Slightly above the knee is your normal executive, well above the knee is your predatory eighties relic, well above the waist mean

adjustment is required after hasty visit to the ladies.

Women's jewellery has many meanings. Beware women with more rings than fingers, no good ever comes of them. Similarly beware women sporting a huge amount of jewellery all over their body. They are probably selling on commission and before you can say 'Tupperware' they'll be sitting in your front room giving the hard sell on some delightful mother of pearl brooch and tiara combo.

If you liked this article try our take on men's fashion ~ men's office fashion