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Express your femininity with seriously stylish looks for the office

Yahoo! HotJobs teamed with Banana Republic to conduct a survey about workplace fashion, and some of the most interesting results were about interviews.

More than 25% of 900 human resource recruiters, representing all 50 states, said that wearing a business suit to an interview at their company could be too formal.

“What we found is that there’s a new generation of companies that understand that comfort equals productivity. They’re fostering a casual environment to generate great business results,” says Susan Vobejda, HotJobs’ career expert.

But that doesn’t mean the interview outfit should be an afterthought. Sixty percent of the recruiters suggested that candidates spend at least 30 minutes choosing their clothes for the interview. Hitting the balance between professional and casual takes effort, Vobejda says. “One thing to understand is that casual doesn’t equal sloppy. You want to avoid sloppy or sexy at all costs.”

If you’re unsure about the dress code of a company, ask your human resources contact.

Once you get the job, one-third of recruiters believe that dressing like the boss is a good way to advance, and 73% think employees would be more respected by bosses if they dressed like they do.

Work clothes aren’t nearly as much fun as play clothes. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish. This season, plenty of good looks go beyond the suit-pantyhose-and-pumps uniform.

“The working girl is always on my mind. It’s the same girl this season: She’s active, in charge of her life and she’s in the driving seat,” says Diane von Furstenberg, who named her fall collection “Working Girl.”

Women who want to be taken seriously don’t have to sacrifice personal style, but they do have to think about how they want to present themselves. The same goes for women who aren’t working traditional jobs, such as stay-at-home mothers.

None of these women has to try to look like a man.

“I think the whole concept of dressing for work has evolved tremendously. It’s not about masculine pants and men’s shirts, but it’s not bohemian, either. It’s about a well-cut pantsuit and a feminine blouse, or a camisole with a little lace or a tunic top under a jacket,” says Nicole Fischelis, fashion director of Macy’s East.

That said, Fischelis notes that menswear touches — pinstripes and glen plaids, in particular — are not only OK for stylish women, they’re also a trend. The key is making sure the overall look is soft. “We’re feminizing and modernizing the whole concept of suiting.”

An example? Try a velvet jacket or even a leather jacket in a blazer style with tailored trousers.

Skirts and dresses are still fine. “They’re so strong because the shoe business is so strong, and women want to show off their shoes,” Fischelis says.

Von Furstenberg’s collection is driven by dresses, her signature wraps and shirtdresses. “A shirtdress is the equivalent to the blue suit for a man,” she says.

At Banana Republic, executive vice president of design Deborah Lloyd says the big winner is the black pencil skirt. “It works for every situation.”