Friday, April 18, 2008

Dressing for happy hour

I left the newsroom Thursday evening, looking forward to enjoying the spring weather with a beer at Alive After Five.

As my friend and I were walking up Tryon Street, we spotted what looked to be a streetwalker -- a young woman in a super short, hot pink dress with sky-high strappy stilettos. Turns out she wasn't a streetwalker, but a fellow Alive After Five patron.

Got me thinking about fashion do's and don'ts for the popular summer series.
  • Don't wear your cocktail attire. Save those little black dresses (or pink, as the case may be) for the weekend. It's an after-work social, not a Saturday night at the club.
  • Don't wear anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you in. Think about how many times you run into co-workers in that tiny plaza. You want to be able to go into the office the next morning without a hangover and with your reputation intact.
  • Do take a cue from the guys. They all look casually comfortable with their shirt sleeves rolled up and ties loosened. Ladies, wear a dress or camisole that you can cover up with a cardigan or jacket during the day before revealing (tastefully -- see the boss rule above) a little more skin.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more. My co-worker and I spotted a girl in white short shorts, a halter top and heels... umm really?

Anonymous said...

Happy hour for me is when they close the bar and I go home with a women I can still focus and we are undressing; Well I should call all that happy minute. Giggle giggle hahahahah

Anonymous said...

There are a ton of hookers or look alikes in this town ; reminds me of the gold mining days what they must have been like.

Anonymous said...

ha! that's funny....I have to agree that there are a lot of women in clubs who prefer sleezy over sexy and attractive.

Anonymous said...

I agree I saw a girl in an orange dress that barley covered her behind on thursday. I felt somewhat out of place with all of the underdressed women. It seemed to get worse as the evening progressed.

Anonymous said...

I'd much rather see a woman "in a super short, hot pink dress with sky-high strappy stilettos" than the usual "I'm either going to work or a funeral" all-black ensembles I see day in and day out.

It's spring! Lighten up!

Anonymous said...

people should be able to wear whatever the hell they want to - without having to worry about a bunch of nobodies issuing "do's & don'ts" directives. I mean, what difference does it make to you what SOMEONE ELSE is wearing?

Anonymous said...

Hey, its spring in the south! As far as I'm concerned the less you wear the more I like it!! OK ladies, unbutton those buttons and roll up the skirts!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, no kidding? They really dress like that? Sounds like a good time. Can't wait for it to get hot and sticky.

Anonymous said...

I'm moving to Charlotte from Austin, where it's also hot out in the summer, but you'd be hard pressed to find someone criticizing what anyone else is wearing, especially at an outdoor venue. Uptown looks homogeneous enough. Lighten up.

Anonymous said...

Many of us have HUSBANDS working uptown ... maybe catching a beer after work, do we really need the "girls gone wild" approach EVERYWHERE ... put it away ladies- or some of it anyway!?!

Anonymous said...

Dude are you serious? Ill wear whatever I want.

Anonymous said...

You have got to be joking me. Uptown Charlotte is the most boring, homogeneous, gross little business attire place I have ever live or will ever live, (after living here.) My oh my.

Anonymous said...

Is Charlotte still looking for its identity? I'm pretty sure one visit to AA5 will tell you it's WASP conservative with a touch of bit*&.
Repeat after me, dress as I dress, do as I do, say as I say...okay, now repeat. Isn't this fun y'all?

"Oh No I Dih-dant" said...

I am seriously. Dont hate on the gals that come up town and tramp it up. Its nicer eye-candy than bank broads and desperate 30 something accountants lookin for a man

Anonymous said...

Don't get me wrong, there are always going to be girls who push the limits of what's sexy and trashy but wow... you ARE that "desperate 30 something" that considers a mini dress "sleezy". Maybe you should consider the fact that some people go out afterward and want to wear an outfit that lets them transition out of the work attire/cardigan look you're thinking of. No offense but you are the LAST person I would take fashion advice from!

As for the husband comment... boyfriends/girlfriends/husbands/wives/life partners/WHATEVER are always going to look no matter how committed they are, it's whether they stray that matters. If you're insecure enough your significant other looking at a girl in a mini dress than maybe you guys shouldn't be together?? Haters, I'm telling you!