Career women often face the same conundrum: How to look stylish and professional at the same time, without compromising on comfort. Very often than not, working ladies are subscribed to a uniform of outfits that they repeatedly wear week after week. And to feel comfortable, they may resort to wearing sloppy shoes or flats, and unflattering clothes. This can downplay one’s image and professionalism, although it may be the same group of colleagues you face everyday and you do not give a hoot about what they think. What if a visitor, client or your top management pays your office a visit? What will they think of you even without having to communicate with you?
Thus, it is important to dress professionally for success, here are some examples to get you thinking on how you can rehash your wardrobe and start being creative with whatever clothes you have to define your own style.
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You may wear a simple shirt and pants, but donning a stylish jacket can make a whole lot of difference on how you look. So do keep a jacket in the office which can pair well with pants, skirts or dresses, and wear on whenever required. If you prefer a black-white outfit, this looks perfect for you to meet up with clients or attend an important meeting.
If you prefer wearing skirts or dresses, remember to take note of its length, it should not be shorter than 3 fingers above the knees. Be courageous to try on skirts of various colors which can be paired with plain tops. If you want to wear a comfortable spaghetti top, tank top, or a t-shirt, bring your cardigan or jacket along. You would need them at important meetings.
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Never thought that shoe etiquette can be so important? Yes it is, though you may think it’s right at the bottom where it’s least visible.
Most women would choose to wear heels to accentuate their height but it can be a strain after long hours. If so, choose shoes that have shorter heels or wedges that are less steep. A comfortable pair of shoes is also dependent on your feet size and width. Choose one that fits you best, and not the one that looks the best and causes the most problem, you don’t want to have long-term back pains and leg issues do you? Open-toe heels look presentable, but open-toe flats may look too casual. If you have to wear flats, wear a covered one. Some women choose to wear slippers while commuting to work and change to a pretty pair of office shoes when they arrive at office, you could do that too!
Written by Renee Tan, Founder & MD of Rendeur, H.E.R Entrepreneur. Renee inspires, educate and empower aspiring women entrepreneurs, besides educating corporate professionals in excelling in functional skill sets such as sales, marketing, customer service, exhibition strategies and communication skills. She was in B2B media where she led teams as a General Manager and was the top sales professional clinching more than $1M of sales individually in a year.