Confusion reigns in workplace fashion.

• Position: Your life

Have you ever been inappropriately dressed at work or a business function? If you answered "yes," you are not alone; if you answered "no," you may be wrong. According to a study completed by California State University, Sacramento, marketing professor Dennis Tootelian, nearly two-thirds of Americans have felt inappropriately dressed at a business or social function and more than two-thirds are uncertain about the differences among business attire, business casual, and casual dress in the workplace. Nearly one in three report that it is more difficult to know what is acceptable to wear to the office today than it was 10 years ago.

Sixty-two percent of 500 people surveyed said that they had been inappropriately dressed at a business or social function, with slightly more men than women taking note of their fashion faux pas (64% vs. 61%).

According to Tootelian, the biggest fashion problem for workers today is the concept of "business casual." For men, the standard for business attire has been a suit and tie with shined, matching shoes. Business casual could mean anything from a sports coat with or without a tie to pleated cotton slacks with a collared short-sleeve polo shirt and loafers. For...