People always tell you to dress for the job you want, not
the job you have. Or there is the classic “fake it until you make it” mantra. I
have to disagree. I personally love my job and while I’m always working towards
something, I’m never faking it. I’m a professional, I have a passion for what I
do and I’m great at it. I want people to focus on that not the fact that I’m
still building my business.
Instead dress as you want to be seen: passionate,
professional, upward-bound and ready to meet clients and make your dreams
happen.
Before you read on, know that the most important rule to
being successful in any area of your life is confidence. You know your job and
you do it well, so flaunt that. With
that said, follow our five rules and dressing for success will be your new
middle name.
Less is more:
When I was little and would play with my grandmother’s
jewelry (as in putting on every piece I could) she lovingly came over and
removed the stacks of necklaces and multiple rings leaving me with a few simple
pieces. She then told me that a lady never let’s her accessories outshine her.
I think this is a great rule. Remember you want your clients to focus on you
not your bling. Don’t get me wrong I still love to rock a killer purse,
matching heels and chunky bracelets to client meetings but I make sure they
help me shine not the other way around.
Versatility:
I can’t stress how helpful this step is for me! My
professional and casual wardrobes aren’t that different. Honestly, who has time
to do a wardrobe change everyday? (If you’ve figured out the secret please send
it my way. I will send you cookies!) It’s important to have pieces that work in
all situations. I believe everyone should have his or her “key” piece of
clothing. For me it’s a casual blazer that I can pair with jeans, a skirt or my
fancy dress pants for those super special meetings. It’s simple but classic and
fits in all situations. This is a concept I’m trying to implement with my
entire wardrobe. If you work in a corporate office, or simply need to dress up
a bit more for various meetings, a simple black or navy suit is what you need.
Pick a classic cut with no pattern and wear it often.
Follow the 80/20 Rule:
Yep, it applies to clothing too! This rule is akin to
versatility, but should help you prioritize your closet space. 80% of your
wardrobe should never go out of style. We’re talking classics like a dark
pencil skirt, a black pair of pumps or a basic white button up that can be
tucked into anything. The last 20% of your professional wardrobe can encompass
your personality and add that dash of sass like a pair of red pumps or a trendy
jacket. Put these all together and you have 100% success.
Dress up it up:
I hate attending events that don’t have a clear dress code. How
is a girl to pick-out an outfit without clear guidelines? Unfortunately more
and more often dress code is being left up to interpretation, especially here
in Portland. I must say hands down I would rather be over dressed than under
dressed. I would rather a client think I’m trying to impress them rather than
think I don’t care. That being said, it’s never a bad idea to be the best
dressed at a function even if its on accident. I always say if in doubt step it
up a level. The worst that happens are you got a handful of comments about how
put together you look.
Affordable is the new Chic:
Remember it’s not about how much you spend, it’s about
finding pieces that fit and work for you. Oftentimes our bank account isn’t
exactly overflowing with a bottomless clothing budget. If your anything like me
you want to make your hard earned, success dollars count. It’s fine to rock
store brands and save your pennies for those must have splurges. Don’t feel
that to be successful you need to spend a fortune. I’ve gotten huge compliments
from my fashionista friends on my store brand pieces. In fact many times they
don’t believe me when I tell them where I purchased the pieces. While I can
fully appreciate why they love their labels I would rather spend my money
traveling so I’ll stick to my Target and JcPenny and awesome sales deals!
Happy Shopping!
Erin
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