A Sparkling Personality Is One Thing, but ...

Dear Fashion Police: As a favor to a buddy of mine, I recently allowed his daughter to spend the day with me at my office. I’m an advertising executive and she’s studying advertising and business in college.

Maybe I’m getting old and out of touch with youth culture, but when she arrived she was dressed very casually and had glitter all over her face. At first I was going to say something, thinking maybe she had accidentally run into a huge jar of glitter and hadn’t gotten it all off, but I asked a female co-worker who said that’s the style now.

Am I hopelessly out of the loop, or is it OK to wear faded jeans and have a sparkly face when spending the day at someone’s office?

--GUY WHO DOESN’T

UNDERSTAND KIDS TODAY

Dear Guy: You are hopelessly out of the loop, but don’t worry. All of us can’t be in every loop all the time. It would make everyone too loopy.

Casual clothes and glittery makeup are indeed popular among teens and young women, but it is not appropriate for every situation, especially an office. On the appalling scale of 1 to 10 we rate this an 8, but we can’t really say we’re that surprised.

We find that young people in high school and college have little or no guidance when it comes to dressing for important occasions such as job interviews, internships, receptions, etc., when wearing the right clothes can make a huge difference in creating a good impression. There’s no question that kids are extremely fashion-savvy, gobbling up and spitting out the latest trends with frightening speed. Teens and twentysomethings are every marketer’s dream, and that’s evident in the stores, magazines, commercials, films and TV shows that cater to them.

However, ultra-trendy looks don’t cut it for every situation, and that’s one thing a lot of young men and women haven’t learned. We know this because we’ve witnessed it firsthand, and also because of the letters we get from parents asking how to plan their children’s wardrobe for things like first jobs. We don’t blame parents for not knowing--so many “rules” in fashion change in the blink of an eye that they’re often at a loss for information. And we’re not suggesting that that young people dress ultraconservatively or suppress any sense of style--just have respect for the people around them.

It would have been nice if this young woman had been prepped for her visit by a teacher or counselor at school. Since you’re of the male persuasion and a family friend, we’re glad you didn’t take her aside and say, “Wipe that junk off your face.” It wasn’t your place, and the admonishment would have only embarrassed her.

Our advice for those on the brink of the real world is to realize that the fashion rules you played by in high school or college do not always apply. Every job and every office has its own dress code, so be aware of it and plan accordingly. Do some research. If you’re not sure what to wear, ask your boss. Even if you’re just visiting an office for a day, dress up. This is not hanging with your friends. Who knows, you might be applying for a job there someday, and believe us, they’ll remember what kind of impression you made the first time around.

Dear Fashion Police: I love to hike, but I can’t find women’s hiking boots in narrow sizes. Please help me find a pair in time to break them in for my trip to Alaska!

--SNOWBOUND

Dear Snow: Hiking boots in narrow widths aren’t that easy to come by, but we discovered a few pairs. At Zappos.com we found some Dexter Klondike boots; they’re $99 (www.zappos.com, or call [888] 492-7767).

Campmor.com offers a Dunham Trail Triumph mid-weight boot for $139.99 and a Vasque Sundowner MX2 backpacking boot for $209.99 (www.campmor.com, or call [800] 525-4784).

You also might try finding a reputable backpacking supply store in your area and explaining your size situation. Most boots come in medium widths, but they can vary a bit, and the salesperson might know the right boot and layered sock combination that does the trick.

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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.