A Friday Tip - Dressing for the corporate world as a young woman

 I was browising thorugh the 'work wear' section of some of the popular high street brands online a few weeks ago, and I must say was astonished to what they deemed as 'work wear.'  So really, is a micro skirt coupled with a see-through blouse really work wear, or at the age of 25 am I just too old school now?

Seeing as these website clearly helped to answer my own questions as to why the young graduates and ladies in the office dress so inappropriately at times, I thought I should write a tip on how to dress professionally in the corporate world.  Now this blog is NOT about telling people off and 'correcting' or defining 'in-appropriate dressing' in a snobbish-like manner.  What this tip and furthermore what TBD Image Consulting represents is to help you to understand that what you wear may say a lot about who you are.  My ambition is therefore to help us all take control of what we say about ourselves, rather than being un-educated in this area and allowing fashion to speak for us in a way that is beyond our control or awareness. 

In the corporate world, what you wear will speak very loud and clear to your clients, colleagues, managers, boss and others you associate with within the work environment.  Professional should not mean matronly or boring, it can and should be smart, stylish and tailored.  I believe in the age old motto of 'dress for the job you want, not the job you have'  do that and you will go further in your career.

Tip 1: Avoid over-powering scents during working hours.  Scents often remind us of people, memories or incidents... who wants their boss thinking of the liason they had with their wife the previous night because she was wearing the same perfume as you are currently?  Not me!

Tip 2: Accessories are a must, but leave the jingles to the Christmas carol singers.  You should not be walking down halls jingling.  Also avoid plastic and costume jewelery as it lacks professionalism and shouts 'cheap.'  I always advise clients to invest in themselves, you can't afford not to.  You'll also save more money that way contrary to popular belief, as its less likely you will be spending money continuously replacing the plastic pearl that just fell out.

Tip 3:  Underwear is the beginning of an excellent outfit.  No-one should see it, but they should see the effects of it.  Visible panty lines are not acceptable, laddered tights and unacceptable and push-up bras that reveal everything, and mean your breasts are spilling out or bursting through a blouse or shirt are completely inappropriate and have no place at work.

Tip 4: Invest in pretty and stylish shoes with heels.  Heels are associated with powere, who doesn't feel more confident and powerful when they are uplifted and placed on a pedestal?  With heels you will stand taller, but you must be able to walk in them or you'll look silly, and too high and you've ruined the outfit, as they become the focal point.  Open toes are not advisable, neither are trainers or flip flops, these are for training (gym) and flopping on the beach respectively, not for work.  I also advise clients to wear small heels for commuting rather than trainers, to avoid the embarrassment of bumping into that important client who used to see you as a high powered woman, until he saw the dirty 1995 Reeboks you were sporting to the office.

Tip 5: Tailored clothes will give you a youthful and professional look rather than something that is big or just ill-fitted in certain areas of the body.  A tailored look will give the impression that you are organised, stylish, conscientious, efficient and professional (i.e. you mean business).  Invest in outfits that will flatter your shape, that are not too loose or too tight and that do not expose you inappropriately (see tip 3).

 There really is no need to feel you have to spend a fortune to look good, but it is worth saying that investing in 3 quality suits can do wonders for your confidence and career.  They can always be interchanged and dressed up or down with different tops and shirts.  Try to create timeless pieces that can be mixed and matched, including shoes, accessories and tops.  Accessories such as belts, scarves and necklaces can also transform an outfit remarkably.

Its a fact that though many women may appear as bubbly and have sex appeal in the business world, it is not, at the end of the day, what matters when it comes to the bottom line and company/individual profits.  The trick therefore is to not lose sight of what exactly you are there for so you can enjoy success.  Fair or not, that's just the way it is.. don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger :-)

A Friday tip - the little things that count towards your image

 

First of all I must apologise that this tip is actually being published on Saturday rather than Friday... oops!  But I should be excused as I was working with a formidable client yesterday who I am proud to say has a new self found confidence and a striking image to go with it!

The Friday (or should I say Saturday) tip for today is all about the little things that count towards the way we are perceived that we may not necessary notice, but that have a BIG impact.  Now some of these things cannot be changed, only enhanced and worked on to minimise the effects they may have.  A perfect example of this is evidenced by Cheryl Cole, who as we have just found out this week, has been dropped out of the US version of the popular XFactor due to her strong Newcastle accent.  As unfortunate as this may be, it is testament to the fact that there are 'little' things that could in fact turn out to be career delimiting.

The following tips are therefore intended to highlight some of these 'little' things, so we start to recognise if they have impacted us in the past or have the potential to impact us in the future.  If we understand that, we can then take the steps to avoid them all together or control the consequences they may have.

1.  You are how you spea

Your image is more than what you look like and how you appear.  Much of what you do and how you speak contribute to the impression you make.  Instil in yourself the sense of success and confidence that comes with knowing that your appearance and communication is beyond reproach. 

Having an accent is not a bad thing in itself of course, everyone has one!  What matters more is that you communicate well through the way you pronounce your words and the tone you use, so you are clearly understood.  If you are often asked to repeat yourself, or are instantly identified as to the corner of the Earth you originate from, right down the geographic coordinates, this could impact on your chances of success.  For example, the way you speak can often mean you are only comfortable with speaking with a certain group or type of people.  This limits your circle of influence and ability to network.  In the world of business and success, communication is key and therefore you must be able to communicate effectively and well with all types of people.  A deep London accent will not sit well in a board room or a sales pitch to potential investors for your brand.  Cheryl Cole has shown us that a deep Northern accent cannot sit well on a US judging panel either.  It's not so much that being from a certain part of the world should be delimiting, its more that not being clearly understood or lacking the confidence to be able to communicate and relate to others outside of your own culture can be detrimental to our image.  If image is about how we are perceived, ultimately this also means we are automatically branded as soon as we open our mouths.

Remedy - work on tone, linkage and pronunciation. 

2. You are what you wear and how you wear it

Many people know how to dress and dress very well.  Whether they dress appropriately for the right occasion is a different matter all together.  What is important is that when we dress well we avoid sabotaging the effect and image we are portraying by little things such as laddered tights or torn clothing. 

Let me give you an example.  I was at an event late last year, when a director at a top accounting firm got up to give a speech.  I was really looking forward to the subject he was to talk on and I believe many people attending the event were too as it had  popped up in conversation many times the night before.  As soon as the director stood up to give his presentation, I lost all focus and till this day I cannot for the life of me remember what he was talking about.  The reason for this was unfortunate, as he was walking over to the stage, I (and many others) could not avoid noticing the horrendous tear in the side of his shirt.  Is it not an unfortunate thing that I can remember the colour of the shirt (pale pink) but not what he said?  This may well have been the pinnacle of his career, he may well have stayed up very late the previous night rehearsing his speech, but that one distraction became the focus of the audience, not what he was saying.  This type of incident is repeated very often, how many times have we focused more on the fact a lady was wearing too much make-up to notice what valuable message she had to deliver?  Men, how many times at work has a woman provided valuable input to a discussion, but that input was marred by the fact you spent most of the time trying to remember where you had smelt her perfume before?

Ensure you are being noticed for what you are wearing and not how you are wearing it.  Make sure its being worn correctly and there are no 'little' things that will focus the attention of others above what you have to say, or the image you want them to have noted by the time you walk out of the room.

Remedy - A few quick checks before you leave the house usually works!  Some of the things you can look out for are:

• Dandruff or flaky scalp 
• Too tight or too short clothing
• Visible underwear
• Dirty or torn clothing
• Bulging pockets
• Clanking jewellery
• Tattoos and piercings on show
• Body odour and bad breath

That's all for now folks, have a good bank holiday weekend and don't forget to check back for next Friday's tip for young women and dressing appropriately for work.

A Friday tip - Casual wear for the image conscious

I am so pleased it is the weekend.  After a night out with some friends that resulted in a 'Late to Bed, Early to Rise' scenario, I am looking forward to unwinding this evening and spending more than 2 hours actually being awake in the house.

So in light of the weekend, Friday is a time to check through our wardrobes and consider the clothes we are going to be putting on over the weekend, whether its a wedding, barbeque, dinner with friends or playtime in the park with children.  The age old dilemma of dressing suitable for the occassion can arise and this is applicable to both men and women.

This Friday's tip is on casual wear for the image conscious.

Regardless of your shape, size and personality, I've always found the following tips apply to all:

Keep the colour

The only time this tip does not apply is for a funeral.  In summer, colour adds a sense of uniqueness and alertness to your countenance.  In winter, the same effect is felt and often reignites your mood and confidence, especially important when the weather is not as bright.

Keep it comfortable

If its casual, you must make sure you feel absolutely comfortable in it.  What I dislike, and many of my clients  agree with this,  is wearing something that makes you feel so uncomfortable, you are forever turning around to make sure nothing has stained you, fallen off of you or ripped..  Another tip that fits under the umbrella of comfort is practicable.  There's no benefit to wearing a white outfit if you are going for a picnic in the park.  Common sense should always prevail no matter the occasion.

Keep it flexible

By flexible I mean keep the weather and occasion in mind.  Have a cardigan or jacket at hand if the weather starts of too good to be true.  Ladies, I always recommend to have a spare pair of tights/stockings in your bag at all times as a solution for laddering.

Keep your image

I cannot stress the importance of understanding the impact of your image enough, (well clearly enough to set up this unique consultancy known as 'TBD Image Consulting') but its a message I love to re-enforce over and over again.  What do you represent and how do you see yourself?  Do others see you the way you would like them to, or does the dandruff, unkempt look, and ill-suited outfits speak more volumes than you realise?

Once you've asked yourself these vital questions, make sure that for both your professional, business casual and casual image are in congruence. If you are dressing for success, that success should ooze out of the skirt your wear, the shoes your wear, the blazer you wear, whether its in the home, office or on the  beach.

I really hope that helps, have a wonderful weekend all, and stay tuned for next Friday's tip on: The little things that count towards your image

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