Professionalism and Red Lipstick - YouLookFab Forum

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Professionalism and Red Lipstick

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

For people who have been following my WIW, you may have noticed I have a bold red lipstick that I love and I wear out and on weekends whenever I can ...

... Is there any place for red lipstick in a professional environment? I usually wear a neutral (one tone up or one tone down) for my work. I think that the red would last throughout the work day, and that will not be a problem, but I also don't want to stand out as the "always need to be put together girl" either.

Thanks!

General

18 replies

Latest reply was from Isabel

MsMary

Veteran

I would totally wear red lipstick in a professional environment if it didn't, you know, make me look like a big ol' hag!

Mitzy

I have that "Snow White" coloring, black hair, hazel green eyes, white (freckled) skin and I wear red lipstick alot at work. I do a really neutral eye, usually just tinted moisturizer, either no eye shadow or a sweep of a neutral color, sometimes a little eyeliner, mascara, a pale pink blush and red lips. Some of my faves are MAC Lady Bug, Ruby Woo and a couple of the Viva Glams. Revlon has some lovely reds, too. Cherries in the Snow is pretty.
I get more compliments on how "Professional" and/or put together I look on those days than any other! A couple of my supervisors have expressed a need for me, particularly, to look that way, due to their desire to improve the image of the office.

Di

(website)

Veteran

I wear minimal makeup (concealer, blush, mascara) + red lips in a professional environment. I usually go with a fairly sheer red, or mix it with lip balm for a more subtle look, but I definitely think it's fine.

Kari

Veteran

I think it really depends on what else you are wearing, finding a balance that works for your professional look, and also finding the *right* shade of red. Like Mitzy and Di mentioned, keeping everything else neutral means that you can avoid looking overdone while wearing a very bright lip color. For me, because I'm often wearing glasses and have long lashes, I usually prefer to play up my eye area and keep my lips pretty bare or neutral. Lately I've been learning to wear deeper lip colors when I'm skipping the eyeshadow and toning down the mascara for a day look, or going all out for a very dressy event when the mood strikes.

Mitzy

I probably should have added that I am really old so no one challenges the way I look at work much, lol!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Just from experience: no one wears red lipstick in my building. But then we're probably way more Corporate and Business-y than your hospital...

Sharon

Veteran

This is my philosophy about dress code in medicine....

For most people, being in hospital or seeing a doctor means there is a problem, and therefore they are often stressed, anxious and unhappy. I want them to feel SAFE with me, and I choose my clothes to try and project that. So nothing edgy, nothing that stands out, nothing that looks too expensive or too old, nothing that reveals my body....in other words, nothing that will make them notice my clothes instead of me. I want look good, but not in a way that will attract attention to a particular aspect of my appearance, IYKWIM. So for me, no red lipstick.

However, I understand that not everyone would agree with my thoughts about this, and indeed I have a colleague who is known as "the doctor who always wears stilettos", so I guess in the end you have to decide if it fits with your own work persona and the culture of the place you are working in.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I guess my dress philosophy for my role in med comes a lot from the Internal Medicine school - "If you look like you don't take care of yourself, how will your patients trust you to take care of them?"

I guess I always try to look professional and welcoming; but probably more on the welcoming end of the spectrum than the professional. I joke around with my patients a lot (probably too much) and gab a lot (hence the leaning towards psychiatry). My patients often forget my name and ask at the desk for the "doctor who wears skirts" or the "doctor who dresses nice all the time" ... or the "doctor with the frog name tag".

I don't want to be the "doc with Armani jeans which I know are Armani because of the crystals spelling the brand over the butt" though ... haha. I've only seen a few of those residents. They make me giggle. We also have "the doc with the purple hair" in my class.

Maybe I'll save the really red for weekends :p

Mitzy

I totally think your workplace is a key factor. I forgot that the OP is a doctor.

I work in a non-profit that deals with disabled people but we are in a building with city and county offices so we see a lot of those people, too. My management has expressed a desire for me (at the front desk) to "dress up" a bit and set an example for our clients who are job hunting, etc. I am the only one in the office who cannot wear jeans and must cover my tattoo at all times. I don't mind, as I purposely had my tattoo in an area I thought would be easy to cover (not sure how successful that was at times, lol) So I feel a bit more noticeable makeup is appropriate since I am going for that polished secretary look.

Lisa

Veteran

If the rest of your look can tie in the red lipstick to look "polished' and not "going out on the town" then I say go for it. I'm not a fan of Dr's who don't look like they are put together. If they can't care about themselves I find it hard that they will care about me either.

Maya

Veteran

I can't speak to your specific work environment, but I usually wear a layer of lip balm under a sheer red and that keeps it nice and soft. I'm not a big fan of crazy bold reds, but I appreciate a sheer wash of red to keep my lips from looking, well, dead.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

As a doctor in training, I'd say no. When you get your own practice, go for it.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I assure you I will be fashionably bold when I hit residency - I'm hoping to go into psychiatry, where difference is tolerated. LOL.

Briar

I work in a conservative industry and I wear red lipstick. Like @mitzy, my coloring is cool and high contrast (med brown hair, very fair skin, and green eyes) and I look more alive with bright pink, red or deep rose tones. My current favorite red is "Legendary" by Smashbox. I use a clear gloss or balm on top to keep it from looking too matte, otherwise I find red lipstick kind of harsh looking. When I wear red lipstick, my eye makeup is very minimal (skin tone shadow or no shadow and just liner) and cheeks are subdued.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This is a great question. It depends entirely on the environment of your work setting, AND whether you will defy the environmental norm.

Anonymous

As long as your lips don't preceed you into the room, why not?

Lori

Veteran

I love to see a muted red on professional women, nothing shiny or unnatural, but a blotted out sort of matte look.

Isabel

Veteran

Oh, I LOVE Joy's answer !!!

Many years ago, waaay before you were born, I worked with one of the few, top of her field, female doctors in Boston. She was my favorite. She could sit in a room with a bunch of male doctors from Harvard and make them look like high school biology students. And while the other women were very demure and neutral in their wardrobe choices, she was colorful and wore accessories and wore red lipstick and heels AND she was pretty young, only about 34. She really led the way around there that you could be a woman who was interested in grooming and wardrobe details AND have a brain.

So I am with with Joy !!! No lip gloss over the lipstick, maybe blot a bit and make entrance with your brain.