It’s that time again.  Time for your hubby or boyfriend’s annual office party-or the industry gala held every year that you wouldn’t dare miss.  At any rate, chances are that within the next 30 days, you will be attending a wonderful, fun party and you are considering what to wear.  In your search for the perfect ensemble, you may ask yourself, how much skin is too much skin?  So many things factor into that answer.  I tend to be pretty conservative, although I wasn’t always.  Does anyone remember the TV show from the 90’s called Ally McBeal? 

Well, as a result of that show, I had all my suit skirts altered to a length that would have made Ally herself blush.   I worked in the insurance industry -a very conservative, male-dominated industry at the time.  It’s a sheer miracle I kept my job…or maybe the skirts were some sort of job security, I may never know.  Looking back, I can now say that the skirts were inappropriate.  I was in my early 20’s and had a sense that they were on the borderline, but I didn’t care.  Today, I have a much better sense of appropriate attire for my age, my figure, my profession, and for the event I am attending.  And, I have a foolproof rule of thumb that I follow.  Allow me to share.

Choose one feature to “showcase”.  I have nice legs up to about mid-thigh, and then they start to get a little too much jiggle when I wiggle if you know what I mean.  I am well endowed, so I have a nice décolletage, but I would never show a lot of leg and a lot of cleavage all at once.  I’d choose one or the other.  I have nice shoulders and a long neck and my arms are fairly well toned, but look best in the warmer months when I’ve been in the sun.  My personal opinion is that skin is most sexy when it is limited to one area – upper or lower body.

For instance:  If I wanted to show off my shoulders, arms and a bit of cleavage, I would consider this little number.  I’m assuming that the length hits just above the knee.  Perfect for showing off a sexy upper body!

If I wanted to focus on legs, I would consider this dress:It has a nice, open neckline but it ends at about mid-thigh, so the emphasis is on the legs.  Pair the dress with a great pair of heels and it’s discreetly sexy.

We expect too much skin from celebrities.  We expect it from young girls in their 20’s who are rebelling against their ultra conservative higher-up’s. (Guilty.)  However, I feel that at a certain age and in certain company, too much cleavage or too much leg can be dangerously inappropriate and send the wrong message.

What do you think?  How much skin is too much skin?  I’d love to know!