14 DAY TRIAL // Many women are faced, on a daily basis, with the tough choice of what to wear to work, that is, if there is no official dress code in place that they must abide by. While some items, such as fishnets and low-cut tops are no-nos out of pure common sense, image consultants say that there’s more to dressing smart for work than we might be tempted to believe. Image consultant Julia Campion is here to tell us just what we should avoid and, contrarily, what we should pay more attention to so as to give just the right impression at the workplace.
For starters, Campion underlines that, if we want to fit in at work and not make a contrasting note, the first thing we should inquire into is whether the institution has a dress code. This way, we’ll avoid mishaps in which we’re either too dressed or, contrarily, too street-looking for the image the company is trying to promote.
If formal style is imposed, Campion says, it’s best to choose colors that have personality, like navy, charcoal grey, olive, aubergine, and to avoid strong color contrasts, since they bespeak aloofness and authority. On the other hand, a combination of soft, delicate shades denotes approachability.
Another thing that we’re to remember when purchasing clothes for the workplace is to carefully check the cloth they’re made of. Quality material will not only last more, but it will also not lose its shape and color. On the same note, Campion explains, we should also pay attention to whether the material creases quickly – if so, better look somewhere else for something to buy.
As for the don’ts of office wear, other than the obvious “don’t dress like you’re gone clubbing,” Campion also advises us to always play it safe. It’s best to err, she says, on the formality style than to come off looking as if we’ve just stepped out of a chick movie. Strong colors, badly applied makeup, fancy and colorful accessories, unkempt hair and nails, these all are things we should bear in mind when getting dressed to go to work.
These being said, Campion concludes, if we feel like we can’t handle the task of dressing smart for work, or that we are prone to making a huge blunder, we should take counsel from a professional. Image consultants all over the world are more than eager to lend us a helping hand.