We’ve all heard that we must dress for success. Our appearance is the first thing that makes an impression on clients, coworkers and supervisors before we even say a word. Dressing well doesn’t stop at the job interview; once you start your new job, you want to dress the way you’d like to be viewed as, and that means dressing professionally.
We may think we’re dressing professionally at work and aren’t committing any workplace fashion faux pas, but are you looking your best? This means, are your clothes clean and wrinkle-free? Do you take the time in the morning to do your hair and touch up your face? These aren’t superficial demands, women don’t have to wear a lot of makeup to appear better, but looking like you just rolled out of bed isn’t doing your professional reputation any favors.
When you don’t dress your best, others in the office take notice and the impression it leaves on them isn’t a good one. For women, when it comes to accessories, less is more. Having a signature necklace that’s small will look good on your blouse or button-up shirt. Avoid chunky jewelry, music-making bracelets and large hoop earrings. Big jewelry is distracting and it’ll have people looking at it rather than you and what you have to say.
For men, having slacks and shirts ironed is a must. Crinkles will fail to make you look like the professional you are. Having a nice colored tie is always good; determine what color works best for you and make sure it’s not too distracting. You can move away from the plain old blue and white button up shirt and try other colors like pink, yellow, or grey.
When you have the clothes down, consider the shoes. For women, high heels look professional. They give you the added height of confidence, but consider how comfortable you’ll be by the end of the long workday. Kitten heels and flats are a safer bet at having you comfortable and more prepared to take on any work task. Men should wear polished black shoes.
So, you have the outfit and the shoes, what about the attitude? Aside from dressing like the job you want, you need to act like the job you want. Dressing like the job will give you the confidence boost you need. Sleeping well, eating right and exercising will also help your mind and body shape up to help you do your best work performance.
If you were to dress for success at work, what outfit/ensemble would you pick? Leave your answer in the comments below.
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by Fluid Forms
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