I work from home, and am inclined to sit down at the PC in my
dressing gown! This makes me feel unprofessional, but I don't need
to "dress up" just to work in my home study. How can I
make myself feel more like a career woman without having to invest
in a wardrobe and put on a lot of make-up every day? I am tired of
feeling like a slob and if probably affects my work. --
Internet Publishing, South Africa, Female, Freelance Journalist
It is okay on occasion to wear comfortable clothes and
work in your office. But too many of those days drain us of
our productive energies. It most definitely is affecting your work
because you are writing to me about it. You see we only ask
others questions if something is not working for us. When it is
working for us we don't need to ask.
This doesn't mean you have to wear a suit in your
office. But fix your hair as if you were seeing a client.
Wear
at least basic make-up (foundation, blush, mascara). Then choose
an outfit that is comfortable yet professional. This may be a pair
of khakis pants with a nice sweater and loafer shoes.
Follow your inner instincts if you still feel like
a slob then look at your choice of clothes again. You will notice
a difference in how you feel when your choice is working for you.
-- Dawn
I am a full time employee working as a
junior administrator and working my way up to an Administrator
position. Also, I am a part time student taking some classes in the
morning or at lunch. I have a difficult time trying to dress
professional for work while commuting to campus for classes. I am
often in meetings with VP's and lead Medical Staff. What are my
options wearing pants to work that will promote professionalism and
yet are practical enough for me to commute to classes? -- Education,
North Carolina, Female, Hospital Administration
You have a busy daily schedule - sounds
like you are looking to save yourself time, look professional on the
job yet be comfortable in class. On the days you have classes
dress the highest level of business casual (see the chapter on levels
of dress in book: Best Impressions How To Gain Professionalism,
Promotion and Profit). For a woman this is a nice pant suit or suit
jacket with a blouse or nice sweater top with dress trouser style
pants. Wear a one-two inch heel professional shoe with the pant suit
on the job. Then switch to a flat shoe when you go to class. By
switching the shoes you will feel more comfortable.
Since you meet with VPs and lead
Medical Staff and your professionalism is very important here is
another option. Wear a suit jacket with a blouse or nice sweater and a
long skirt with a 1-2" heel shoe. When you head to class you can
remove the jacket and put on a long sleeve sweater (if needed) and
again switch to the flat shoes.
Always dress for your job first.
Think about how you desire others to perceive you on the job and
choose your attire to send that message. Best of luck to you!
I have been to consultant to consultant over
the last 4 yrs. I have been told "your a warm, no your a
cool". I have every color of the rainbow in my closet and
make-up. I have medium brown hair with natural reddish/gold
highlights, hazel eyes with green, orangeish around the pupil, brown
flecks, my skin is golden with some obvious pink, I have golden
freckles, and blue veins on my inside wrist. I have many cool and
warm traits!! Help!! I am so tired of wasting my money. How can I
tell what season I TRULY AM!!! -- Marketing/Nursing, Birmingham, MI, Female,
RN/Office Manager
I know the feeling - years ago, before I was
trained in color, I experienced the same dilemma. We only have either
warm or cool undertones. When you wear colors enhancing to your
undertone you look younger, healthier, your eye color jumps out and
people see your face. When colors are NOT enhancing you will look tired,
shadows appear on the face. All you want to look at is the color or
you can't decide where to look. Knowing that do the following
experiment.
First: You know what your coloring is -
you've know since you were a child. Listen to your inner child. Do NOT
second guess yourself. Go by your immediate instinct. If you have to
think about it - it is not your color. You know when you look
good. When you look good you do not ask others how you look. It is
when you are unsure you ask, "How does this look?"
Second: Stand in front of a mirror
with excellent lighting. Take a large piece of clothing or material in
black and put up by your face. Then take brown and put by your
face. Which color makes you look healthy and vibrant.
Third: Do this with orange and bright
fuchsia (pink).
Fourth: Do this with tan and gray.
If you look best in black, gray, fuchsia
you have cool undertones. Hair is ash brown or blonde.
If you look best in brown, tan and orange
you have the warm undertones. Hair will be golden brown or blonde
If you are still confused - send
me your picture either electronically or by mail. I will confirm what
you are and why. You are also welcome to call me. I can ask you certain
questions and can determine what you are over the telephone.
From your description I have a feeling what you are. At this point I do
not want to influence you. So try the experiment, e-mail or call me at
888.577.BEST. Upon our determination you may wish to purchase your
personal color palette. Soon I'll be offering a system on my website for people
to determine your colors. -- Dawn
What kind of tie goes with a white dress shirt? And what kind of
tie goes with a rd dress shirt? -- College Student (With a dress code),
Computer Technology, Concord, CA, Male
Since there are many shades of white dress shirts -
any tie color will go. The red dress shirt is more limited but still
has a variety of colors that go well. Black, shades of gray, shades
of blue, purple and greens go with the red shirt. Watch if you pick
out a tie with pattern and it has red in it. The reds must
match. No burgundy, oranges, browns with that red shirt.
I am assuming the shirt is a solid color with no
pattern. If you need more specific information feel free to contact
us. -- Dawn
Working on a
presentation for professional dress and am running into a lot of
opposition with the staff. They feel it will be too expensive and seems
snobby. How can I get them to be excited and understand the need for
professionally dressed staff? -- Computer Industry, Washington,
Female, Guest Service’s Coordinator
We all have clothes in our closet we love to wear. Then
there are those outfits we never wear. Those clothes we don’t wear is
wasted money. Once we understand the why then we understand how to save
money. The why is related to color, style, texture and pattern of the
outfit. By teaching the staff the why they now will save money.
The staff feels dressing professional seems
snobby. What they are really saying is don’t take away our
individuality. That’s what
the dress-for-success era did by putting everyone in a dark business suit.
It did not work for all industries or personalities. By teaching the staff
the three levels of dress: Power Professional (business suit men
jacket/pants or women jacket/skirt same color) Professional (this is where
the widest choices of attire are for men and women) and Business Casual
(there are several levels of business casual attire). The middle level
is what we seemed to skip over. This is the level that most staff
people feel comfortable in and works in every industry. Now let the staff
person choose which level of dress fits best for their department,
position level and How they want to be perceived?
By
providing these choices now the staff will feel comfortable and present
themselves professional. The staff will be excited once they understand
how to save money and choose the appropriate level of dress they feel most
comfortable wearing. -- Dawn
I am the HR Manager for a
distribution company to restaurants. My workforce is split
up into administration, warehouse and drivers. I struggle
between dressing in appropriate business wear for my interactions with
management and at the same time dressing so my hourly employees are
comfortable with me. I grew up in the business world in
suits/skirts and find it difficult to transition in the business
casual. Respect is won or lost by how you dress. I also prefer
very conservative dress -- my hourly employees sometimes feel the need
to tell me I'm a "hot babe" (which is a riot) so I try to
discourage it by wearing less skirts. I don't know if my
workforce is typical but they certainly keep me on my toes. Need your
advice. -- HR Manager, Distribution Company, Female
I hear you loud and clear. Many who
have come from the suit era have a difficult time transitioning to
casual. With the people you interact with daily there is a
challenge. As I listen to what you do and who you interact with and
the comments from the employees here are some suggestions.
If you are comfortable wear a longer skirt on days you
would like to wear a skirt. The longer skirt is more professional
than pants yet is more casual than suit skirt. If you wear a blouse
and jacket it will be create a different message than a sweater or
top. You choose depending on how you want to be perceived that day.
Because
of your industry most certainly you can wear more pants. Again if with
a blouse/jacket vs. a sweater, each will create a different level of
professionalism.
It
is important that you choose the outfit to send the message of
professionalism because I hear you say that is you. You are most
comfortable presenting yourself professional. Keep that because that
is where your power is and just as you feel it so do all those who
interact with.
Even
on those days you wear jeans a blouse or sweater top under a suit
jacket will be more professional. It is very subtle yet very powerful
and that is where the respect comes from no matter the appropriate
level of dress: Power Professional, Professional or Business Casual.
-- Dawn
What is the appropriate
business wear for this new position of mine? I have yet to invest
heavily in a wardrobe. This a 1400+ student school and I am responsible
for 5 departments. Is suit wear more appropriate or sport coat. I have
been wearing shirt and tie. Any advice would be appreciated. -- Director
of Pupil Personnel Services, Technical School, Andover, MA, male
Think about how do you want to
be perceived? Give consideration:
- to your position as the
Director of Pupil Personnel Services
- who you interact with:
faculty, students and parents, the 5 departments you work with
- and you are at a technical
school
A business suit (jacket
and pants the same color) is appropriate if you are in any presentation
situation and want to be perceived your most professional. The
majority of the time however you will be wearing a shirt/tie and
dress pants. A sport coat is more casual than a suit coat. The sport
coat is very appropriate for you because you are at a technical
school and these students are going into fields like industrial,
construction, automotive, cosmetology, food,... You are a leader, mentor
and role model for these students. As you build this wardrobe purchase only a
couple of suits with matching jacket and pants for those power
professional situations. Continue to purchase dress shirts, ties and
dress pants. Build your wardrobe with more suits that have a different
color suit jacket than the pants. Blazers and sport coats work
well because of the technical school environment.
--Dawn
I like
to wear suits to be professional; however, I am also hot natured.
Are short sleeve suits appropriate in a professional atmosphere in the
spring and summer? --Director
of Finance, Public Schools, Fredericksburg, VA
Long sleeves is
always more professional than short sleeves. Short sleeves creates a more
casual message. Since you deal with the monies of the schools you always
want others perceiving you as professional. Here are some suggestions to
feel comfortable in those hot environments. Wear a short sleeve blouse
under the jacket so you can remove your jacket. Also choose a material
with a blend of rayon, acetate or polyester. These are lighter materials
which are more comfortable in summer. A short sleeve suit is a more
casual professional vs. the long sleeve suit. Certainly you can wear short
sleeve suits. Just give consideration to who you will be interacting
with that day and how do you want to be perceived. Professional or casual
professional. --Dawn
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