What not to wear to work this summer

Ask any manager and they'll be the first to tell you that as soon as summer temperatures begin to rise, inappropriate office attire abounds, most notably among our workforce's youngest hires.

Necklines plunge. Hemlines creep up. Cutoffs come out of the woodwork. Midriffs, bra straps, sheer fabrics, and yes, even woefully overgrown toenails all make their annual appearance.

In fact, a 2008 CareerBuilder survey found that 35 percent of U.S. employers polled have had to send a worker home to slip into something a little less comfortable. What's more, 64 percent of the 2,800 employers surveyed have banned flip-flops from the office and 49 percent have banned miniskirts.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of beachwear and nightclub duds.

But I'm with the HR pros who say that cleavage and lingerie have no place in the office, no matter how casual the company culture. Ditto for the ratty shorts and paint-stained T-shirt you normally wear while weeding your backyard. Especially this year, when you should be doing your best to impress the workplace powers that be.

If you're more comfortable commuting in your club-girl or cabana-boy best, at least keep a sweater on the back of your chair at work or a button-up shirt on a hanger behind your door. And for the love of god, if you're going to show toe, make sure your nails are scrubbed, clipped and filed.

Freelance writer Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail her at ninetothrive@nwjobs.com.