Considerably, today’s modern women are overachievers who are making strides in the corporate world, however how to dress for work, or business meeting also formal dinners still remains a challenge. Most of us commonly make the mistake of being dressed too casually or being ignorant of what we wear, ignoring the fact that, people are constantly sizing us up on our appearances also on formal grounds.
Most companies have relaxed their dress codes and business casual is now the trending norm, at many work places. However, we suggest you to always keep your corporate culture in mind when dressing. Investment banks still require women to dress in conservative suits in neutral colors whereas if you are in creative fields like advertising or fashion you can be more experimenting. Keeping in mind the generic dress codes for every industry here are 5 Basic Pieces of Clothing Every Working Woman Must Absolutely Own! Skirts Skirts continue to remain a popular choice till date because they are classy and elegant and add to the charm of a woman. At workplace, the key is to look conservative yet professional. Miniskirts, skirt with flair and tight skirts are to be avoided, we suggest you to flaunt pencil skirts and tube skirts instead. Because of their versatility they still dominate the office wear wardrobe. Pencil skirts are straight fit skirts that go up to the knee or just above the knee and usually have a slit at the back. We advise you to choose a pencil skirt that is not too tight and fits well at the waist and hips. Tube skirts are similar to pencil skirts except that they are longer and go just below the knee. To achieve a stylish boardroom look we suggest you to team these skirts with formal shirts or formal blouses and heels. The Power Suit Yes ladies, suits can make a big difference! A woman who wears a suit definitely comes across as poised, confident and prepared for workplace warfare. Suits were first introduced by none other than our favorite French lady Coco Chanel and were a knitted wool cardigan paired with matching skirts that were later known as Chanel suits. It is essential to wear a suit at business meetings because not only do suits indicate professionalism and give you a powerful appeal but also conveys that you take your work quite seriously. We suggest you to buy suits in shades of beige, white, black, gray and navy blue. Silk Blouses We all know that collared cotton shirts in solid colors and stripes are must haves for an office wardrobe however we suggest you to experiment with blouses too. Blouses can look enchanting and feminine unlike shirts. Always make it a point to opt for silk blouses in white and pastel colors and also avoid blouses with prints to office because certain industries may not deem printed designs fit for work. It is far better to adorn silk tank tops, bow front blouses front buttoned silk shirts and pair them up with pencil skirts, dark wash jeans, blazers and cardigans to complete the overall look. Shoes Most of us seriously undermine shoes! We are usually dressed well from head to the waist and when it comes to shoes we wear what we please, forgetting to ask ourselves, “Are they work appropriate?” Most of the offices have no toe policy and take shoes seriously. High heels are an absolute no to work especially if you work in an office with a very strict dress code; stick to heels not higher than 3 inches. Also, since you would want to feel comfortable 9 – 5 and don’t want your feet killing you avoid high heels. We suggest you to avoid wearing peep toe shoes, flip flops, strappy sandals, boots and instead wear ballerinas, pumps (up to 2 inch heels), kitten heels, loafers, oxfords and sling back shoes. A Classic Sheath Dress A good sheath dress in basic colors like beige, black, navyblue, greytweed, white can give you the complete corporate look. A typical sheath dress is a close fitting dress that flatters your curves and emphasizes your waist usually comes up to the knees. When buying a sheath dress make sure that it has a fairly high neckline, zip at the back, not higher than two inches above the knee and most importantly it should not be too tight around the waist. The beauty of a sheath dress is that it can be worn in multiple ways – you can style it with a blazer, team it with cardigan and a sleek belt or wear the gorgeous dress by itself with a statement necklace. Additionally you can also add a hint of style to your daily work wear with some sparkling jewels and chic accessorizes like bags, belts, and watches too. So, ladies you have 60 seconds to impress that client and give a professional visual impression so do it right. After all its rightly said “Dress for the job you want and not for the job you have”.