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Ask Allie – Fighting That Office Chill

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Allie:
Do you have any suggestions about working in a freezing office and looking professional? Right now I'm wearing a heavy hoodie on top of a cardigan…and unless I have to go to a meeting, that's how it will be all day. I was thinking about a long sweater, but they vary widely…are they ever ok?

Before I got pregnant and now LIKE having the office as an ice box, I was so feeling your pain. Offices seem to always be too cold or too warm and you always need to have some layers handy so you donโ€™t get hypothermia while sitting in front of your computer.

I have a pashmina at the office just for this purpose. I love it because it is lightweight, but since it is cashmere it keeps me just as warm as a heavier item. Being a shawl I can adjust where I need it โ€“ around the neck if I am wearing a v-neck top, over the shoulders, or even over the lap and legs when wearing a skirt. It also is small enough to tuck into my laptop bag if I am going to a client site that may be just as frigid.

on595581 01p01v01316801 A508 LF GARSweater coats can be quite nice and professional looking. I have one I bought years ago at The Limited that is calf-length, a sturdy black cotton knit, mandarin collar and buttons just to the waistband. My old job used to call me Trinity when I wore it for it had a bit of a โ€œMatrixโ€ look to it. It is a thick enough knit to look smooth over lightweight knits and sweaters, and the refined knit and modern silhouette makes it even appropriate when I leave my office and venture down a hall to greet a client.

The key to sweater coats is the weight (not super thin and not a chunky lumpy cable), and the silhouette (more like a jacket than a bathrobe).

br588256 02p01v015673047A lightweight sweater will look lumpy and strained over your other layers, a heavy cable or textured weave will look more like grandpaโ€™s favorite than a stylish and professional garment. Wrap styles with a self-belt seem the easiest, but often times are the least flattering to a womanโ€™s frame. They add the majority of bulk at the torso and hide the curves of a feminine frame. Many wrap styles also hit near the bottom of the rear end, making the back view look bigger than it really is. Your best bet is to find a cardigan that hits at the hips, or mid-thigh so it is long enough to show your shape.

Black front-tie cardigan from Old Navy, maroon high-collar sweater coat from Lands End, red ribbed shawl cardigan from Banana Republic, charcoal marled cardigan from Calvin Klein Jeans.

A woman with curly hair wearing a plaid blazer holds a green fur coat over her shoulder on a city street.

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5 Comments

  1. Cashmere pashminas can often be found in any department store – I scour the Nordstrom half-yearly sales and usually get one around 50% off during that event. I have also found nice cashmere pashminas at great prices at discount retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Burlington Coat Factory.

  2. Can you tell me where to get a pashmina? I saw an old post where you suggest ebay, but is there anyplace else you could recommend? Thank you!!!!

  3. Wonderful advice. Hoodies are so unattractive, yet they’ve become universal. A beautiful shawl or coat sweater is far more appropriate for an office setting. I can’t say that I’ve figured out where a hoodie is appropriate, except as a nice little light coat for a toddler, who can’t be depended on not to lose his hat!

  4. Thank you for the advice! I currently work in an “ice box” and three layers is seldom enough to keep the chill out. I will give sweater coats and a cashmere pashmina in mind.

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