It’s a fact that more and more women are being provided with exceptional opportunities on the job market. And while this is certainly a step forward, an avant-guard women never underestimates the advantages of relying on a flexible wardrobe. Equipping yourself with a diversified wardrobe is similar to preparing the stride in winning a race. When receiving that invitation to give a speech in front of the management team next week, or being called to give a presentation, you know you need to act quickly. Once you’ve committed yourself to the task and your attendance has been noted, the inevitable question suddenly creeps at the back of your mind. “What will I wear?”
Clothes are your image, your personal branding, in the same manner as when a Human Resource director interviews a candidate for a position in the company. The first ten seconds make it or break it; how you look, how you carry yourself, how you speak, how your present yourself.
Here are 5 tips to establishing a business attire wardrobe:
Needless to say, when standing in front of a crowd, everyone in the room will be looking in your direction. It’s bad enough that you feel jittery and the last thing you want to worry about is how you look. Importantly, the question relates to “What attire is appropriate when standing in front of a crowd? What does one wear when giving a presentation?”
What will work best is having an assortment of clothes that allows a pick-and-choose process according to the event. Is it a formal presentation? Will the management team be attending? Will managers and CEOs from foreign countries attend? It’s best not to take a chance and go with an appropriate wardrobe.
- A woman’s blazer or jacket. This garment denote success and demonstrates that you are ready to tackle the business world, the job market, the marketing projects and any other assignment. When women are called on a speech panel, rarely do they showcase themselves without a blazer. As clothes speak for themselves, this garment represents leadership and self-governance.
Choose a blazer or jacket that matches your personality. There are many styles and colors to choose from, some with pockets, some without pockets, some with bigger or small collar lines.
Fit is also important. It must sit well at the shoulders to avoid a shabby look. Make sure you can move and stretch your arms conveniently to allow yourself a comfortable allure. You don’t want to feel stuck in your clothes.
2. A comfortable skirt. Skirts can be tricky as sometimes, the waistline is the right size but the hips are too tight. Or the hips are fine however the waist doesn’t attach properly at the back. Especially when it comes to choosing a skirt, if the overall fit is not adjusted to your body shape, that type of skirt is not right for you. After all, you don’t want to feel self-conscious when wearing a skirt. Seek for the right combination of fit and style as the right skirt will sit properly both on hips and waistline. Most clean skirts come with a zipper and are lined which makes finding the right one somewhat challenging. Just remember that there are skirts that have elastic waistlines and that’s fine too. You need to be able to sit, stand and move without having to adjust your skirt at the slightest nudge.
Pair your skirt with a matching top that will be color-coordinated and add a blazer for a complete allure. This will make you look your best without second-guessing if you are trailing the right impression.
3. A formal skirt suit. This outfit is a complete skirt and blazer allure that will give you miles to run on. As an entire outfit, it looks chic and elegant not only for office wear, but also appropriate for a formal dinner invitation or a business lunch. It’s a fabulous look and certainly one that will make you stand out.
This one-button close-off blazer is ideal to center the waistline and exemplify your curves. The three-quarter sleeves are a giver to add jewelry while the golden cuffs and golden collar enhance its own exquisite touch.
The skirt is tailored to accentuate the figure in an above-the-knee hemline, rightly slit on both sides to keep the skirt close to the body yet providing enough room to walk without hindering your steps. The lining in the skirt is also important as it will allow the fabric to flow easily on your body.
Outfits like these have numerous advantages in that the pieces can be worn separately. Pair the blazer with a beige color pants or skirt, while the white skirt can be worked with other blazers and tops. This is another way to diversity your wardrobe.
4. A classic skirt outfit. For those other occasions where you don’t need to be so formal yet desire a sense of office attire, opting for a regular skirt outfit is another must-have in a diversified wardrobe. Make this type of outfit interesting by changing the top to pastel colors or adding a long sleeve shirt with frills. Be playful and creative.
Of course, you can decompose this outfit and wear the skirt on its own with a multitude of other tops and shirts. Same principal for the blazer. Use it when you need to be professional. The idea is to establish key pieces you can rely on for different office events.
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5. A pants suit. If you are not too keen on skirt suits, there are many pants suits that complement your wardrobe and capture both a sense of elegance and practicality. Perhaps if your taste is a little sportier, opt for pants suits are that have a slight design in the fabric such as stripes or that run in tones of browns and blues. What is essential is to imprint your personality and make a fashion statement of who you are.
Just like the skirt suit, the pants suit is another versatile accommodation. The blazer may have two-or-three buttons, be of longer or shorter cut and sit at or above the hips. If you need to be in front of people, best to choose an outfit that qualities as formal yet with your own personal tweak so you can be confident.
Hemlines and pant size are also imperative. You want a pant that fits well at the hips and thighs so shop for a tailoring that matches your figure.
Skinny leg or regular leg are also clues in designing what fits right for you. This will constitute your self-style. If you can wear a skinny leg, go for it. If not, a regular cut will stabilize an even proportion.
People will always observe what you wear and more often than not, categorize you according to how you look.
By remembering that clothes build your image, you’ll be a step ahead.
