March 21, 2006
Out of the Closet: Donate Suits to Charity
Have you ever been tempted to ditch your suit on the way to work? No, it’s not No Pants Day (not yet at least – that’s on May 5), but you can lose your pinstripes for charity tomorrow for the “Send A Suit” professional women’s clothing drive.
Donate dry cleaned women's suits to Send a Suit, which will help low-income women in the D.C. area who are seeking employment. You also can donate gently used shoes, blouses, and accessories such as handbags and unused hosiery (but for fashion’s sake, please avoid "flesh-toned" pantyhose--we have yet to meet the person whose flesh actually matches those). Note: This is not a dumping ground for Melanie Griffith’s Working Girl wardrobe. So, before donating an item, ask yourself this question: Would YOU hire someone who showed up for an interview in a mint green short-sleeved polyester suit and white pumps?
Drop off your items at the Capitol South Metro station (blue and orange lines) on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The clothing drive is sponsored by Operation FedEx Special Delivery and the not-for-profit Dress for Success. Can’t stop by on Wednesday? Dress for Success also collects clothing first Wednesday of the month 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the food court at the Pentagon City Mall.
Image from bluefly.com.
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avoid nude stockings? that's what you're supposed to wear for interviews. i don't really understand what else you would wear. opaque tights are for five year olds and white stockings make you look like george washington.
Sorry, I meant flesh-toned or "tan" hose. Those don't match anyone's flesh.
Wait, nude pantyhose are bad? I thought "suntan" was the bad one. Are we not supposed to wear nude?
I don't like both suntan or nude pantyhose...they both make me look like I have prosthetic legs. I still shudder at the thought that we had to wear them for color guard in high school.
What about men's suits? Anybody out there similar to this?
I hope people are donating to various organizations throughout the year instead of throwing stuff away. This is a great program, but it should be noted that organizations will take suits anytime.
Lets think logically when it comes to pantyhose. When going on an interview, you MUST wear nude or tan pantyhose to look professional. Don't listen to the opinions of all these so-called fashion experts. Most of them don't live in the real world, and don't have corporate jobs.
Lets think logically when it comes to pantyhose. When going on an interview, you MUST wear nude or tan pantyhose to look professional. Don't listen to the opinions of all these so-called fashion experts. Most of them don't live in the real world, and don't have corporate jobs.
Does anyone know a place to donate used prom dresses? I tried calling a few places this year but my phone calls were never returned and I have at least 4 formal dresses that were only worn once.
Emily:
Check around prom time...perhaps you can ask some schools to post something about having a formal wear donation so kids who can't afford prom dresses can go.
I am sure there are loads of people who would gladly help with that.
Please contribute other organizations, but here's a prom dress donation option I found online through the Glass Slipper Project, which collects prom dresses for girls in Illinois:
http://www.glassslipperproject.org/yostate.htm
District of Columbia
For information about Washington, D.C.'s Community Partnership prom dress project, contact:
202.483-4547 (Community of Hope)
202.645.3365 (Ballou High School)
Donna, you are totally right that you have to wear the pantyhose to look professional. It's just the rules, I guess.
But why? What is it about encasing your legs in unbreathable, unflattering, nude/flesh/tan/brown nylon that makes you a professional? It just seems stupid to me. It doesn't look good at all, and it doesn't even really "cover" your legs in any real sense. So again, why is it the standard?
I did the Disney college internship program for about a month - I quit; it was horrid - and they made us wear pantyhose to our business classes. Was that to prep us for the corporate world? It was 90 degrees, humid, and I was 19. I didn't see the point of making us follow such an inane rule. (Dressing up, I could understand. The pantyhose just seemed...brutal.)
Don't really need an answer; just wanted to put that out there.
If you aren't going to wear pantyhose then you might as well not bother to put on makeup, fix your hair, do your nails, wear perfume, shave your legs, or anything else that might possibly make you look better than the next person. Women will spend incredible amounts of time and money getting ready in the morning and then ruin it by going out with legs that only a mother could love. Hosiery, whether it's pantyhose, tights, or thigh hi stockings, are essentially makeup for the legs. Complete the outfit and wear hosiery!
I am glad I am not a woman. From what I hear pantyhose can suck to wear. I feel bad since I bitch about wearing pants to work. We should all be able to wear shorts at least one day a week.
Maybe we could avoid the pantyhose problem completely and wear fitted trousers or suits with pants instead of skirts? I know that's what I personally do most of the time when I wear business attire. Do any workplaces require skirts for women, excepting those in which a skirt is part of a standard uniform (like a flight attendant for certain airlines, etc.)?
Grammer, I've been working in the corporate world for over 20 years and understand the concept behind Disney's dress policy during your internship. Disney as well as many accounting and law firms require men to wear white shirts and ties, and women to wear skirts and pantyhose. Pantyhose are part of corporate business culture in the US. Don't get me wrong...I complain about it as much as the next person, but I think that women look "polished" when wearing hosiery. Bare legs in a business environment looks unattractive, and creates a very "casual" appearance. Business is all about looking professional, so people will take you seriously. Pantyhose is something that creates the perception of professionalism, and creates a look of perfection in many women. My advice is don't fight it...go with the flow!
Donna,
Good points, all. Sometimes you gotta follow the rules and go with the flow. And you're right - bare legs have a tendency to look ultra-casual and sometimes downright gross! I guess I'm really just pondering the presence of flesh-toned pantyhose in and of themselves. I just find them weird! Tights, I like. Sheer black or colored or textured - they match your outfit and actually keep your legs warm in the winter. But flesh-toned pantyhose always remind me of Miss Piggy!
Also - I'm biased. I have never worked in the stereotypical corporate world. I work for two very professional, accomplished people - but they have a home office, which means I wear jeans every day. So, I'm slightly out of it when it comes to these real world issues. Oops!
Grammar,
You're so lucky to work in a home-office environment, and come to work in jeans everyday. Wearing heels everyday is the pits, and I usually leave them off while sitting at my desk.
I love wearing all of the fun hosiery like textured and tights. They're especially great during the winter. But it's possible to find a perfect pair of nude pantyhose that you'll actually enjoy wearing. Stay away from the inexpensive hose at grocery stores. The purpose of these brands is for girls who don't care how their legs look. You have to buy department store brands. I wear Hanes Silk Reflections which are actually very comfortable and silky sheer, and have natural skin-tones. Also DKNY has very sheer nylon for that no-hose look.
I also find that my husband is much more attentive to me when I'm wearing hose. For some strange reason, guys seem to have a fascination with legs and hose. It always seem to help when I'm trying to get my own way with my husband. Give it a try...I think I could make you a believer! ;~)
Alec Baldwin asks for his voice to be removed from an "unfair" documentary about Arnold Schwarzenegger...