Yikes - an unexpected test... - YouLookFab Forum

Category

What I Wore

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Yikes - an unexpected test...

christy

Veteran

Help me decide if I passed! I work in a pretty conservative environment and my dress code is business formal to business casual. On days when I have client meetings, I wear a suit (blazer and slacks/skirt) and other days I dress down a bit. My rule of thumb about what I wear on my more casual days is always to think "How would I feel if a client dropped by and saw me in this outfit?". Which rarely happens (clients dropping by that is)....but it happened today....

I was feeling pretty good about this outfit until they came in. Here I am, NOT in a suit, I'm wearing ORANGE FLATS!!!! and a midi skirt with big (for me) earrings. My lovely female client remarked that I looked really "cute" and she's never seen me not in a black suit. I'm certain it was meant as a compliment, but "cute" is not the image I'm trying to project. Am I placing too much emphasis on a throw-away word when she just meant that I looked nice? Or do I look inappropriately "cute" for a business setting? Thoughts? Honest feedback appreciated!

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

24 replies

Latest reply was from shoppingisfun

christy

Veteran

Outfit details:
Jones NY white button up, Target belt, Loft floral skirt, Franco Sarto orange flats, Target earrings
It's still cool around here, so I tossed on this Loft black cardigan (which was NOT warm enough to be my only layer this morning!)

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I do understand you. Cute is not a word I like to hear either. But I think you look absolutely professional, to say nothing of gorgeous, in this outfit. Maybe she meant cute as in fun due to the colorful accessories and the more relaxed vibe, which are unlike your usual more strict look?

Isis

Veteran

I also understand your aversion to the word "cute", it seems synonymous with "ditsy", and not professional.

Some people just use the word cute for everything, and don't necessarily mean ditsy!

In my opinion, you look appropriately business casual. If I were your client, I'd admire your outfit and send more business your way!

I especially love the skirt and the orange flats!

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Christy, I completely know where you're coming from. I believe we work in similar environments, so I try to follow guidelines like yours.

Keep in mind, this IS Seattle, where your outfit would stand out as very polished and completely professional. It's not the faux pas it would be if you were dressed like Hanna Montana. Some people use the word "cute" indiscriminately for "nice."

You look lovely...as always!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I would say she liked your outfit and didn't mean anything strange by it. You look great - very professional and polished!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I think your outfit is lovely and completely appropriate for your work setting. My guess is the word "cute" was used because maybe that's how the outfit is viewed in comparison to a suit. Take it as the compliment it was meant to be!

sarah

Veteran

Gosh, I'm no expert on appropriateness for business attire, but I agree with your client - you look cute! In a good way! In a way I would want someone to think about my outfits! Sorry, I'm no help, but I think you look great.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I think you look great in this outfit, and I strongly suspect that "cute" is a word that is now being used in place of just about every other positive adjective that could be used. Have you noticed this? When someone wants to compliment your outfit, they say that you look "cute" for some reason. I think it's just a popular term that's being used, and it's most likely that the client(s) in question really meant, "You look fabulous" or what have you.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

And besides, when I'm working with people that I always see in suits, it makes me *happy* to see them in something else - it somehow humanizes the person and makes them a whole lot more likeable when I see them in something other than a severe suit all the time.

I'm betting that your client today meant to be very complimentary and really liked your outfit.

I would not take "cute" to mean what it used to mean - I think that "cute" is the new "fab" or what have you.

I would take it as a compliment, and I'm willing to bet that your client was impressed and even charmed. You looked so lovely that she wanted to say something, and "cute" is the new way to pay a compliment, at least as far as I can tell. Your client is on the ball when it comes to the popular thing to say, and she liked your outfit so much that she commented on it.

I don't think it means cute in the way that the dictionary says it means - I am almost positive that your client *loved* your outfit and saying that you looked 'cute' really means you looked fabulous.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I think your client was being sincerely complimentary because you look fab! She's worked with you before and knows that you mean "business" - even in this more playful outfit.

christy

Veteran

Thank you all for reassurances - I really do appreciate it! I'm sure she was being complimentary, but it got me to thinking about how I might be perceived in general in this outfit.

Shevia and Isis - thank you! Your comments make a lot of sense.
Amy - thanks for chiming in as I know we have similar dress codes, so I'm really glad you think it's okay
Texstyle, Shannon and Sarah - thanks! I am pleased with the overall outfit and never would have thought twice about wearing it to the office if my clients hadn't dropped by
VC - very good points and now that I think of it, I probably use the word "cute" too often. Your comment about a more casual outfit being humanizing is a very good one.
Angie - thank you! You really hit at the heart of my concern. Thanks for putting it into perspective.

bella

(website)

Veteran

Were you wearing your hair up like this?
You look very youthful with this hair, as opposed to your very well-put together, sophisticated hair style, so I would attribute the cute comment to the hair more than the outfit.

Makrame

Veteran

You look great! Coincidentally, I just finished reading this article http://online.wsj.com/article/fashion_journal.html about new "power dressing" that is more feminine. So you are right on trend!

christy

Veteran

Ah, Bella - good point!
Makrame - thank you for pointing me to that article! Out of the WSJ no less...perfect for my environment.

Deborah

Veteran

I agree with Bella, the hair is the cute factor here (and the cute shoes) but as Angie says, the client knows you so today's outfit wouldn't change her view of your professionally. I think you still look very well put together and polished and I would take it as a compliment.

fashionista

Veteran

I think she wanted to say you look professional in clothes other than black suit too. And you have passe the test of meaning business even in casual days. And yes she may have not imagined you in those bright accessories maybe. But overall look is chic, polished and professional.

Anonymous

Ah the dreaded "cute". I am the same way, the last thing I want to hear if I'm in a meeting with clients/colleagues, is that I look "cute". As a matter of fact I want to hear zero comments on my outfit, but you know, people use that word very liberally and I'm sure she meant it well.
I think the outfit has a more relaxed vibe, as opposed to a business suit, but still looks refined and work appropiate No worries:)

san

Veteran

When I see someone and have a fast reaction to tell them how pleasing they look it always pops out of my mouth, "You look cute". Unless there was a long pause before the cute such as You look, um, cute I think you are safe to know that your look pleased the client. Your look here is very refreshing as opposed to a black business suit. I love business suits too but seeing you in this relaxed manner is really quite nice.

Meredith1953

Veteran

You look lovely, feminine and very approachable! If your client is used to seeing you look super elegant and polished all the time then maybe she meant you look a little more relaxed and carefree. I am sure she meant it as a true compliment. The word does get used quite a bit and I hadn't really thought about it before.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I didn't realize that cute had a negative connotation. I use it often and always mean it as a compliment. I usually use cute to refer to a less formal and more fun look that is also pretty. I never mean it in a ditsy way at all.

I think your outfit is coordinated, pretty, and professional but in a slightly casual way. I doubt your drop in client thought any less of you for not being in a suit.

MsMary

Veteran

I think you look fantastically polished, professional, and put-together. And if I had been your client, I might well have taken one look at your fab self and squealed, "OMG you look super cute!!!"

BTW, I think the author of the WSJ article is on crack and the outfits are super UN-professional.

Makrame

Veteran

MaryK, I agree - I read the WSJ article with interest and thought that it made good points but I thought the outfits selected to illustrate it were quite strange/unusual for a professional/managerial position (unlike Christy's outfit, which looks perfectly appropriate).

christy

Veteran

Thanks Deborah & Fashionista - I'm glad to know this outfit still looks polished even if it's more casual than my usual client-facing choices.
Zapotee - Thanks! Aren't you in a pretty conservative dress code office/industry also?
San - No big pause. Good sign, right?
Meredith - I'm realizing that I use it a lot also...
Dianthus - it's odd, but "cute" in a casual setting wouldn't bother me in the least. Professionally, I worry that I'm not coming across as authoritative and sophisticated. This might have something to do with a fact that I'm in an industry where being (relatively) young and female isn't always an advantage. Although that's rapidly changing!
MaryK - I'm really glad for your input, thanks for commenting! You are the resident pro at dressing professionally but fashionably!
MK & Makrame - It's so funny...I read the WSJ article at work where I have online access to the copy but not the art so I didn't see the outfits they put with it. I loved the content of the article but now I'll have to search out the art to see what they thought was appropriate!

MNsara

Veteran

I won't be able to read every one's comments until later, but you totally look cute! And it's because you're adorable in this outfit!

That doesn't undermine your professional credibility at all - it just adds another dimension to you that she may, or may not, have noticed before!

I say 'keep it up'

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

I love the outfit! I think the appropriateness would just depend on what kind of job you have. It sounds like you have an office job, so I think it's great!