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The way you dress can have a great impact on your overall personality. In certain industries, such as garments and hospitality, dressing serves as a focal point since the last thing we all want is to come off as a salesgirl who looks like an overstocked Christmas tree.
Work clothes for women should be such that it does not upstage the event or person whom you are supposed to meet with. At the end of the day, we all would like to be remembered for our business acumen rather than a see-through lacy top and flashing stilettos.
Excess skin-show will not get you further ahead and can even tarnish your image as a team player given your tendency of drawing excess attention towards yourself. We have collated a small list of styling tips for the modern day corporate ladies who wish to stay in the spotlight and make heads turn without crossing over the decency threshold.
- Conservative fabrics and colours are considered as staple business attire which can get you through a board meeting without drawing unwanted attention. You can opt for dark grey, black and navy blue shades while choosing work clothes for corporate women.
- When it comes to patterns in work clothes for corporate women, the key should be to keep it minimalistic and low-key. Afterall we can hardly picturize our lady bosses wearing polka dots and strawberry prints on their suits. Fabrics having a high sheen content are also a big no-no for business meetings. Wide stripes are also infamous for diverting the attention of peers from the presentation slide to your torso. Subtle and plaid patterns having a solid appearance across the room are considered safest for pulling off the business meeting with maximum impact.
- Twill, khaki and corduroy are perfect fabric picks for business casual pants but make sure to steer away from heavy cotton materials and denims. You can opt for pants manufactured using wool and wool blends during those chilly wintry seasons but synthetic fabrics like polyester blends and rayon are a strict no-no. The pants need to be as much wrinkle free as possible and the hem should overlap the ankle without draping to the floor. Stay away from skin-tight pants in spite of having an enviable figure. Ladies belonging to creative industries can wear pants having subtle patterns and jewelled tones but loud prints and neon colours should be strictly avoided.
- Coming to skirts and dresses, the right length plays a pivotal role so that you don’t up exposing too much skin while sitting cross-legged on a chair. If you wish to wear a slit skirt, make sure that the cut is small and centred in the back. It should not go higher than your knee back since high slits are extremely inappropriate in corporate atmosphere. You can go ahead with cotton or woollen blend skirts to minimize wrinkling. Extremely tight-fitted work clothes for women having a high slit can also impair your mobility other than leaving you red-faced in numerous occasions. Dresses need to have short sleeves as the sleeveless look is portrayed as highly casual in most workplaces.
- You can pair up your outfit with matching cardigans and blazers on the onset of winter months. This is also a great time to wear those sleeveless tops which you couldn’t adorn during the warmer season. You can also layer a thin turtleneck under a classic pantsuit to stay comfy and warm even with the Celsius dropping rhetorically.
- Blouses need to be in sync with the rest of your outfit and should not reveal your cleavage line under any circumstance. The buttoned-up shirt is termed as the workhorse of work clothes for women given its huge colour, pattern and fabric options. You can opt for cowl neck and bow-tie blouses in fine-gauge knit shells. Rayon and silk shirts in solid colours are also accepted as per general corporate standards.
- Business suits serve as the building blocks of corporate attire. It is advisable to go ahead with blazer and skirts or trousers in matching fabrics of neutral hue such as dark grey or black. The blazer sleeves need to end at your wrist and fit snugly without hanging past the edge of your shoulder.
- Undergarments need to be such that it supports your figure without protruding out of your clothing. Your dress might be too tight if your panty line gets revealed. In such cases, you might be required to wear a slip.
- A profession woman’s wardrobe is incomplete without a pair of closed-toed pumps in hues which compliment your outfit. If you wish to add some inches to your frame, then make sure to stick between two to four inches of heel to walk with comfort while maintaining the professional look. Worn-down heels and scuffed toes should not be worn to office as they reveal lack of professionalism and mere casualness. The shoe colour should coordinate with colour of your handbag or purse.
Your professional look needs to portray your competence and credibility while reflecting your personality without going over the top. Make sure to have a clear understanding of the cultural norms of your office both for “client ready” and business casual days to come off as a power lady whom others would look up to as a barometer of corporate dressing. Follow us @pinterest for more dressing style updates!
