Dress for Success

None of us wants to be told what to wear. It goes against our sense of individual freedom. We want our work to speak for itself, and we want to be judged on our attributes. We want to wear what we like, not what someone else expects us to. While the concept may be difficult to swallow, dressing correctly can make a bigger difference than any other single thing we do. It should be the first thing you change. When you go to work tomorrow, try dressing differently from the way you did today. If you do, your image in the eyes of others will begin to change immediately. The people who meet you after you change your attire will have entirely different opinions of you and your abilities from those who know you now.

Dressing in uniform is more important for women than for the men around us. This concept means that people will not take special notice of what you wear. The purpose of business dress is to allow others to get beyond your clothing and recognize how well you get the job done.

So, what do you wear? While the range of acceptable women's business attire has expanded some in recent years, I suggest you follow tried-and-true guidelines adapted from John Molloy's Dress for Success series. This is not an area in which to take risks.

Wear a tailored, conservative business suit, with matching jacket and skirt. Acceptable colors are navy, black, and charcoal gray. Your suits should have a classic style. In other words, they should be in style at least five years. I routinely wear suits that are 10 years old. Pinstripe suits are fine, especially if the stripe is no wider than a pencil and is not noticeable from a distance. Any plaid or herringbone should be muted. From a distance your suit should look like a solid color. The skirt length may fluctuate with style, but the hemline should always be below your knees. A slit in the skirt is acceptable only if it still allows you to walk comfortably and does not come halfway up your thigh. The jacket should not accentuate your bust, nor should it be pinched in at the waist. Fine fabrics such as wool gabardine or linen are best. Shiny synthetic fabrics are a no-no. Unfortunately, if you can wash it, it isn't going to look professional enough. You usually only need your suits dry-cleaned a couple of times a season. Try to buy skirts with pockets, which make for a handy place to put your hands when you are standing in conversation. The more pockets in a jacket, the better, since you will no longer be lugging a purse around with you.

Slacks as part of a woman's suit seem to go in and out of style in various parts of the country. If your position requires constant bending, lifting, or running, slacks that match your jacket should be acceptable. Otherwise, slacks might harm your image. Never wear slacks to an interview.

Your blouse can be slightly more inventive than the suit. Even executive men do not always wear plain white shirts. Blouses in various colors, worn with pearls, scarves, or a pin at the neckline will provide all the variety you need. No plunging necklines. Never wear a blouse that looks like lingerie under your jacket.

A conservative lapel pin is a nice touch, but not necessary.

For shoes, always choose low pumps or flats, usually black or navy. Your shoes should not allow any of your foot to show, like your toe or heel. High, spike heels will be sure to convince someone that you want to have sex at the first available opportunity with the nearest available male.

Skin-colored hose are preferable. You should avoid black or patterned stockings.

Your coat and outerwear should be tailored and professional.

Keep jewelry to a minimum, and never wear dangling earrings. If jewelry looks like fun, don't wear it to the office.

Perfume is not for the office.

Short hair is better than long. Your hairdo should look about the same every day.

I am always amazed at women who look entirely professional except that they carry around big purses. If you must take a purse to the office, put it in your desk when you arrive and do not take it out again that day. Put the things you must have – money, keys, lipstick, cigarettes, or anything else – in your pockets. When you go to lunch, leave your handbag behind. Do not carry a purse into an interview. Never go see a customer with a purse or greet a customer in your office while carrying a purse. If you need more room than pockets allow, get a briefcase.

If you have a casual dress code in your company, or dress casually on Friday's, you should still dress as above. However, if everyone around you, including the CEO, is in jeans and T-shirt, wear a tailored jacket over casual (not grubby) attire.

You may see successful women who do not always wear dark suits. Remember, they have made it, but you have not. Maybe these women would be enjoying even greater success with the correct wardrobe. Begin to see anything other than a dark business suit as potentially damaging to your image. Use clothing to your advantage, instead of wasting your energy overcoming the effects of your attire.

All this advice might make you sad. Maybe you enjoy wearing different kinds of clothes and jewelry, and you don't want to be that boring. Look at it this way. Not only will others see you differently, even you will be better able to forget about your appearance and concentrate on the job when you are dressed in uniform. When you make more money, you can buy jazzy clothes for all the social events, cruises, and other new things you can afford.

Many people think that business dress should simply come down to common sense. However, these same people are sometimes seen as slovenly by others who are in a position to promote their careers. Large corporations often have very detailed dress guidelines, especially for employees who are in contact with potential customers. Some guidelines are so specific that they dictate the appropriate watch bands and belt buckles for men. This is not an attempt to clone their employees, but an effort to improve the image of people determined to use only their common sense in choosing business attire.

Janice was a clerical worker who took a position in a firm where I worked. She was no smarter and had no more education than the other women, but she did not dress like they did. She always wore a dark suit and low pumps. In meetings I attended, the men I worked with always mentioned that Janice was efficient and capable. She had those qualities, but no more than many others. People saw her that way even before she proved herself. The men I worked with never mentioned her appearance, only her capabilities. She was there only a few months when a corporate attorney was hired, and she went to work for him. A few months later, she left the company to become an office manager for a firm in another part of the country. No one was surprised. It would have taken such an opportunity to keep Janice at our firm. Her image was not that of a "regular girl." Although she did not move into a male career path during the time I knew her, she had two promotions while other women, with more seniority, stood still. Her appearance alone made her stand out enough to allow her abilities to show. Interestingly enough, no one but I seemed to notice the way she dressed.

An argument that those around you don't dress according to these guidelines does not hold water. You want to stand out from them. You need to stand out if you want to change your career. And you need to change your career if you want to change your income level. Forget about how those around you dress. Forget about how you like to dress. Forget about what people say when you first change your image. Start to dress in navy, black, or charcoal business suits and plain pumps. You will be surprised at the difference it makes.

When surrounded by people in male job tracks who dress professionally, we do not want to stand out. Imagine this: you walk into a board room, where 10 people sit around a table. Nine people are dressed in dark suits and ties, and the tenth person is wearing a bright yellow dress. How seriously will this tenth person be taken? It depends much more on the mentality of those around her than on her contributions to the meeting. Don't depend on the mentality of those around you.

You may resist this because you don't want to play the game, because you think that dressing in business attire is giving in to "their" standards. I've got news for you. If you are in a female job, earning female wages, you are already playing their game. Look at your paycheck if you don't believe you have sold out.

You may be thinking you don't have the money to dress like a CEO. It is actually cheaper in the long run because you will wear the same clothes so often, and they will last many years. A good suit will last through hundreds of wearings. You are trying to look professional, not win a contest for the largest wardrobe. Try checking consignment shops in your area, where people sell good used clothes. From time to time, you may find something appropriate at a fraction of the cost. If you go to garage or yard sales, be sure to check the clothing racks, sometimes women sell their professional suits after having children and changing sizes. Instead of accepting all those silly gifts from your mother this Christmas, ask for a gift certificate at a professional woman's store.

You are not trying to look sexy. You are trying to look professional. Your chances of being taken seriously, being noticed for your abilities, and improving your career can hang on your back. The very first thing you should do to change your career and your income is to change the way you dress.