SUMMER CHIC For The Working Woman - Brief Article

Ebony, August, 2001

IT'S summer and it s hot. The world around you has taken on a casual air, but you still must go to work despite the beautiful weather and your yearning to hang out in the park or at the lake. That's the dilemma for many working women who must manage to infuse summer style into their work wardrobes.

That is more of a challenge for women like Devona Dolliole, who works on Capitol Hill, and others in conservative work environments. For women in finance and many who work for government agencies or at the corporate headquarters of many of the nation's top companies, dark suits and classic styles are the norm, regardless of the season.

"Working on Capitol Hill, my attire is more traditional," says Dolliole, communications director for the Congressional Black Caucus. "I wear a lot of blues, grays, blacks and browns, like most women on Capitol Hill, even in summer." She loves colors, especially in the summer, and occasionally wears a colorful suit to work. "But color in my closet is a rarity," she adds.

In D.C., most working women dress conservatively, for the great majority work for elected officials, government agencies and lobbyists who interact with government officials. Dolliole says most of her skirts are knee-length and she often wears pants. Unacceptable in her work environment are miniskirts and dresses and skirts with high splits.

Infusing summer style into the work wardrobe is a bit easier for many women working in other fields. In the computer industry, as well as the media and other creative professions, "smart casual" is the norm rather than reserved only for Fridays. But there are many stylish women in creative professions who don't fit into the "casual" mode, and who use color and accessories to revamp their wardrobes for summer. That point is epitomized by the colorful and fashionable wardrobe of Janice Allen-Chavannes, an administrator at UniWorld Group Inc., the country's largest Black-owned advertising agency.

Chavannes says that even during the summer, she prefers to wear suits that give her a professional touch of elegance but also make her feel good (and look good)--despite the fact that she works in an industry where most people opt for a casual look, especially in summer. "I love bright colors," says Chavannes. "I ignore trends altogether. It is all about how I feel in what I'm wearing, and it doesn't matter if it's last year's fashion or the latest trend.

"My wardrobe is very colorful. It's like the rainbow. When I shop, I try to buy the colors that I don't have, and then mix and match them and come up with my own creations."

When she has an important meeting, Chavannes prefers to wear what she calls a "power suit" a navy skirt suit or a black pants suit with a white shirt and brightly colored tie or scarf.

Chavannes' fashion sense and her style are praised by her colleagues and business associates, and her advice is often sought by co-workers and acquaintances.

Regardless of whether you work in the conservative environments of Capitol Hill and corporate America or in the trendy world of advertising, you can jazz up your summer wardrobe to keep you fashionably cool.