Reinvent Your Working Wardrobe

Your choice of business dress telegraphs important messages

When you wear appropriate business dress every day, you give the instant impression that you are professional, expert, efficient and reliable. Your choice of clothes makes a statement about you and your business.

How you look determines how you are judged

Fair and accurate or not, we all make snap judgements about people based on how they look – their clothes, accessories and grooming. Image research says that 55% of the opinion people form about others is based on their appearance.

Selecting the right business dress isn’t as simple as “one size fits all”. So, when you are standing in front of your wardrobe wondering what to wear, on any day, how do you decide?

What influences your choice of business dress?

Your business dress should be influenced by the following: the type of business you are in, the corporate culture, your audience.

Your business types

Traditional businesses like law, banking, finance for example, require traditional business attire, authoritative, conservative, competent.

People businesses, like sales, teaching, coaching, training, social work for example, call for business attire that both conveys expertise but is non-threatening. This look says you are trustworthy, approachable and knowledgeable.

Creative businesses, like advertising, fashion, writing, décor etc. need a more expressive mode of business attire. This look says you are creative, unique, contemporary.

Your corporate culture

Different companies in the same business may have very different dress codes anywhere along the spectrum from very strict to very relaxed. When employed or dealing with these companies, check the dress code before meetings and select your business attire so you “fit in”.

Your audience

Your audience is comprised of the people who most influence your earnings: your clients, potential clients, management, colleagues, staff etc. Appropriate attire enables you to:

• relate to them and enables them to relate to you

• fit their perceived image of someone in your role

Think about who you will be interacting with on any given day.

If you are self-employed

Very often you will be dressing in one, or all the above roles. It is vital to create a signature style that works for you and the clients you see on a regular basis. Build a multi-functional wardrobe that allows you flexibility whilst still demonstrating your unique qualities and skills.

I hope these tips help and if you are interested, I can send you details via email or meet to chat.

Thanks for listening!