Do you ever wonder where all the dress rules have gone?
Depending on when and where you are on any given business day, the words
"distant past" might come to mind.
It's difficult to decide if people don't know what to wear to work or if
they have lost sight of the relevance of appearance to professional success.
The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince
Charles, "Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the
inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot." Clearly,
she was saying what many people are reluctant to accept; that people judge us
by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward
appearance sends a message.
Try going to a busy restaurant at lunchtime. Look around you
at what people are wearing and see if you don't make judgments about who they
are, their line of business, their personalities and their competencies. Think
about how you feel when you are dressed in your usual business attire as
opposed to casual dress. Your choice of business apparel speaks to your
professional behaviour and credibility. It is important to understand how to
dress for business if you wish to promote yourself and your organization in a
positive manner,
How you dress depends on four factors: the industry in which
you work, the job you have within that industry, the geographic area in which
you live; and most importantly, what your client expects to see.
Professional Dress for Men
In men's clothing, fashion does not change significantly
from season to season but business attire is about being professional and not
about being fashionable. It's about
presenting yourself in a way that makes your clients feel comfortable and
confident with you. Dressing for success is still the rule. The professional
businessman should keep in mind these few points when deciding what to wear to
work.
Choose a conservative suit in navy, black or grey either
pinstripe or solid. The quality of the material speaks as loudly as the colour
and can make the difference between sleaze and suave.
A solid white or blue dress shirt with long sleeves offers
the most polished look. The more pattern
and colour you add, the more the focus is on your clothing, rather than your
professionalism.
Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric. Avoid the cartoon characters and go for
simple and subtle if you want to enhance your credibility.
Socks should be calf-length or above. Make sure they match not only what you are
wearing, but also each other. A quick
glance in good light before heading out the door can save embarrassment later
in the day. Check for holes as well if you'll be going through airport security
and removing your shoes.
Shoes should without question be conservative, clean and well-polished.
Lace-up shoes are the choice over slip-ons or flip flops. Don't think for a minute that people don't
notice shoes. Many people will look at
your feet before your face.
Belts need to match or closely coordinate with your
shoes. Once again, quality counts.
Keep jewellery to a minimum.
In a time when men sport gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, the
business professional should limit himself to a conservative watch, a wedding
band and maybe his college ring.
Personal hygiene is part of the success equation. Freshly scrubbed wins out over heavily
fragranced any day of the week. Save the
after-shave for after hours, but never the shave itself.
The finishing touch for the businessman is his choice of
accessories: briefcase, portfolio and pen. When it comes to sealing the deal, a
top of the line suit, a silk tie and a good pair of leather shoes can lose
their effect when you pull out the ballpoint pen you picked up in the hotel
meeting room the day before.
Professional Dress for Women
When women entered the workplace in the 1970s and 1980s in
greater numbers than ever before and began to move into positions which had
traditionally been held by men, many of them believed that they needed to
imitate male business attire. The result was women showing up at the office in
skirted suits or coordinated skirts and jackets with tailored blouses finished
off with an accessory item that looked very much like a man's tie. Happily, those days are gone. While the
businesswoman may now wear trousers to work, she does it out of a desire to
appear professional and at the same time enjoy the flexibility and comfort that
pants offer over skirts. Her goal is no
longer to mirror her male colleagues.
The same overall rules apply to women's work attire as apply
to men's. Business clothing is not a reflection of the latest fashion trend. A
woman should be noticed for who she is and her professional skills rather than
for what she wears. Her business wear
should be appropriate for her industry and her position or title within the
industry.
Start with a skirted suit or pants suit for the most
conservative look. A skirted suit is the
most professional. With a few
exceptions, dresses do not offer the same credibility unless they are
accompanied by matching jackets.
Skirts should be knee-length or slightly above or
below. Avoid extremes. A skirt more than two inches above the knee
raises eyebrows and questions.
Pants should break at the top of the foot or shoe. While Capri pants and their fashion cousins
that come in assorted lengths from mid-calf to ankle are the latest trend, they
are out of place in the conservative business environment.
Blouses and sweaters provide colour and variety to woman's
clothing, but they should be appealing rather than revealing. Inappropriate necklines and waistlines can
give the wrong impression.
Women need to wear hose in the business world. Neutral or flesh-tone stockings are the best
choices. Never wear dark hose with light-coloured
clothing or shoes. Keep an extra pair of stockings in your desk drawer unless
the hosiery store is next door or just down the street from the office.
Faces, not feet, should be the focal point in business so
chose conservative shoes. A low heel is
more professional than flats or high heels. In spite of current fashion and the
sandal rage, open-toed or backless shoes are not office attire. Not only are sandals a safety hazard, but they also suggest a certain official agenda.
When it comes to accessories and jewellery, less is once
again more. Keep it simple: one ring per
hand, one earring per ear. Accessories
should reflect your personality, not diminish your credibility.
Business attire is different from weekend and evening wear.
Investing in a good business wardrobe is an investment in your professional
future. For those who think it's not what you wear but who you are that creates
success, give that some more thought. Business skills and experience count, but
so does the personal appearance and that all-important first impression.
Comments