DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in a conservative office where most people wear dark suits every day. I have conformed as much as I feel comfortable, but I hate wearing dark clothes all the time. Before this job, I wore bright colors every day. I don’t want to rock the boat too much, but I feel unhappy when I cannot express even a little of my personality through my attire. I want to add pops of color in my blouses, dresses or accessories. Is this too radical? -- Too Dark
DEAR TOO DARK: Looking professional should not require that you completely extract all of your personality from your wardrobe. Yet you still want to be strategic about how you present yourself for the work at hand. Why not do a test? On days when you do not have important meetings, add a bit of color. Go subtle for starters. A brightly colored blouse under a dark jacket can be a good trial. Gauge the reactions you get. If you can balance the conservative nature of your office with a bit of your personality, you may be OK.
You might also think of your office attire as your uniform that you wear for work but that you can take off as soon as you get home. Colorful flowers on your desk might help to keep the sunshine in your environment, even if you aren’t wearing it.