Ugh. The Trib today published a column by Baltimore Sun writer Susan Reimer: Confusion Stops Young Women As They Try To Dress For Success (Nice hed, by the way. )

In the column, Reimer discusses taking her daughter Jessie shopping for clothes for the girl's first "real" job, and how frustrating it was. "You can imagine what Jessie thought of pin stripes and suit jackets," she says. (Actually, I can't.)

Reimer, meanwhile was "struck by the camisoles, the spaghetti-strap T's, the sheer blouses and the boat neck and v-neck sweaters." She was "struck by the revealing nature of so much of what is out there."

Maybe she needs to be "struck by" a dose of reality. Say, for example, Gregg Andrews (Nordstrom's fashion director), letting her know that "lace camisoles that are showing up under sweaters and suit jackets this spring are not a scandal. They are a layering piece. They are never meant to be worn without a jacket or a cardigan."

Andrews advises "young women [entering the workforce] need to present themselves in a very professional, polished way. They need to build a work wardrobe that is fashionable, feminine, but not overly sexy and not suggestive."

Tall order, eh? Oh, and do all that on the really teeny piece of discretionary budget you have left from your entry-level paycheck, Jessie.

HR Director for T. Rowe Price in Baltimore Melody Jones reminds Reimer to "read the culture of that particular workplace.... look at the women who have a position a couple of levels above you. Look at the woman who has the job you want. What is she wearing?"

Good advice in general, I'd say (although the peasant blouses and denim skirts that are so cute on my department's highest-ranking female would look really lousy on me). However, Jones blows it with this bon mot: "...the best piece of advice I could give a young person is, you always need to wear a jacket. It will give you the presence you don't have yet."

What? In a law firm, maybe. How sad that we need to pay to much attention to peer pressure to dictate how we look in the workplace (uniforms notwithstanding). We have a dress code that's outlined in our associate handbook here -- it's more a list of things not to do than a directive of what we should wear. (ie limits on visible piercings, etc.)

Personally, I'm a little conservative at work. I tend to wear black all the time, because I like it and it's flattering on me. Almost every pair of work pants I own is black; all that changes is the length and a bit of the style. Almost every pair of shoes I own are black, and pretty much all of my jewelry is conservative. However, I'm not too afraid to toss in a little something here and there -- a leaf-green dip-dyed sweater on Casual Friday, a cute pair of kitten-heeled mules with ivory stitching to add a little feminine punch to my all-black ensemble.

I see a lot of variance where I work, because I'm at the corporate headquarters for a retailer. The MIS folks are like MIS folks almost everywhere -- as casual, in general, as they can get away with. However, we have merchandising and design folks who obviously budget half their salaries for their Prada shoes and Armani pants. I'll admit that I pay a bit of unobtrusive attention to the women who head up the area where I most want to be, subtly taking mental notes so that my wardrobe could, in a pinch, mesh with their environment.

But, hey, I'm 34 and I've worked in several different kinds of places -- from banks and insurance companies to film studios to my own office. What's a girl to do? Beware of looking for advice online and in magazines, that's for sure. Cosmopolitan's "Six Perfect Work Outfits" include white pants and a distressed denim skirt worn, ostensibly, twice in one week (the horror!).  Meanwhile Ladies' Home Journal via MSN advises in "5 Office Dress-Don'ts" things that should be obvious ("Don't wear rubber flip-flops."). At least Marie-Claire has some decent advice in "10 Work-Wear Essentials."

The bottom line is probably finding that safety zone between what looks like you but still fits comfortably in your work arena. Save the studded bondage belts for home, 'kay?