"We don't live in a world of reality, we live in a world of perceptions. No woman can be well dressed unless she is comfortable in what she is wearing."
Bill Blass
I believe women with authority and power need to reflect their skill set in their outward appearance. This doesn’t mean you should wear the most expensive clothes and accessories, but more importantly a woman with authority needs to know what works for her bodyshape, size (ie height, proportion and scale), personality and colouring, as well as knowing what clothes befit her industry and the position she is holding. Commanding authority on a professional level also means developing a signature look – you should not still be experimenting with clothes or copying other employees in the office. As you’re the one in charge of the floor, be true to yourself and comfortable in your skin - lead the way by having creating a unique look, one which matches not only your skill set but also shows why you were hired for a senior role.
Not caring how you look is but a brief step away from not caring what you do or how you treat people. And surely, if you treat yourself with contempt, you're going to have little thought, care or compassion for anyone else."
Lynda Lee Potter (Late Journalist, Daily Mail)
Women who are still experimenting with their looks when commanding a senior position are sending out the wrong messages. For example, you’re:
- Spending too much time shopping; time which would be better spent on the job at hand
- Spending too little time on your outward appearance, which means you don’t appreciate the company’s image, clients or your own position enough.
- Finding it too difficult to put the right image together- showing a lack of skill, which can lead to problems with co-workers, management, and clients because you’re is not “dressing for success”
- Torn between your ‘true’self and your ‘work’ self. Not having found your balance might give the impression that there’s a personality clash between what the role requires and your preferred outward appearance
- Going to find it difficult to command respect from employees, because you need to lead the way and set an example.
The best dress code is always determined a mixture of external and personal factors:
External:
- Country
- Industry
- Position
- Zeitgeist
Personal
- Personal colouring
- Bodyshape
- Proportion
- Scale
- Personality
- Age
- Budget
Powerful women with authority are best advised to go for well tailored and quality clothes rather than opting for what is newest on the shop floor. A job which requires long hours, travelling, different looks each day, and lots of meetings in and out of the office can be only successfully achieved when you have quality clothes. Clothes which are hardwearing, where you don’t have to worry about how your trousers fit when sitting, standing or walking, where your shirt doesn’t look much worse for wear after a long flight, - these are your best bet. If your clothes are fully creased when unpacking, your tights have a run in them, or you’re wearing shoes you can’t walk in because they’re too high, or they give you blisters, you’re won’t be giving the right impression . All these factors and more must be taken into account by someone in a senior role – since you’ll have several years’ more experience you won’t be expected to make the same professional mistakes that a junior might. A businesswoman in a senior job needs to have foresight of any eventualities that may happen and be prepared for them.
The best way for businesswomen to buy clothes for that suit their role is to look for investment buys. This means purchasing high quality, tailored clothes, taking care to go for clothes which err on the side of classic rather than being too trendy – you can make it your look current by accessorising with fashion items.
Some international designers I can highly recommend for business-wear are:
- Max Mara
- Giorgio Armani
- Diane von Fuerstenberg ( especially her wrap dresses which are very flattering for a woman’s body- obviously all depending on your bodyshape, proportion and scale)
- Burberry
- Burberry Prorsum
- Missoni
- Stella McCartney
You also want to avoid being too flashy. That doesn’t mean you should be shy about wearing colours and dresses, but you want to make sure that the item is appropriate for the occasion - better to focus on one killer item than overdo it by thinking the office is a catwalk. Your outfits will lose all focus and coherence because your look will be too busy - remember, the idea is to appear composed, centred, in control, and dynamic with the right approach to carry out the job. For example, if you decide to wear a strongly coloured outfit,, then go for simple cuts and accessories; if you are wearing “hot heels” then be conservative with colour and plain with your clothing, the same goes if you carry a colourful statement bag with colour. If you focus on statement jewellery ( choose one e.g. necklace or bracelet or ring; earrings can be tricky) then make sure they are in harmony with your dress in both cut and colour, rather competing for attention.
Last but not least it is important not only to look clean but to smell “clean” too. But be cautious of too much perfume or strong-smelling fragrance. You don’t want perfume that lingers when you are long gone - keep in mind that everyone perceives smells differently. What you might think smells sophisticated or elegant, someone else may find cheap or tacky. Or the ingredients may simply give your co-workers or clients a headache. Either way, it’s not a recipe for success. Scents, like colours, are something very personal, and we associate smells with experiences in our pasts which may not be at all work-related, eg, your smell may remind a co-worker of his/her ghastly aunty Betty, or unfaithful partner - the list goes on. The bottom line is none of them will be in your favour. So avoid strong perfumes and experimenting with new fragrances when meeting people for the first time, going to a different country or interacting with different culture. You may already be in their bad books when they meet you before you say a word, all because of the perception and association with another negative experience. So, my advice if you want to be a success is don’t tempt fate by provoking unnecessary associations – wear your favourite fragrances in your own time when you can afford “not to care” and do as you please. Everything has its time and place.
So, if you want to dress for success, think like a chameleon, always staying true to yourself but dressing for the occasion, in order to get the job done - whatever that might be
"You can have whatever you want if you dress for it."
Edith Head
If you like to obtain more information, please get in touch with us at michaela@joyofcolor.com or on (+44) 0780 3 139 755 to book a 1-2-1 consultation for colour and style.
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