Dress for Success

A guide for women entering

the workplace

Business Professional Dress

Guidelines for dressing for the
business professional work place
OR
Interviewing clothes

The Biggest Non-Verbal Cues

How you dress

Your handshake

Remember
Your wardrobe
reflects who you are,
dont let it say the
wrong things!
No matter what you
wear, be professional
Your attitude should
reflect your ambition

Be Professional
Suit, blazer with a skirt or
dress (should be
conservative and below
knee length)
Tailored skirt suits in dark
colors, i.e. black, navy, or
charcoal gray
Blouses should be simple
in style, white or soft color
Stockings that match your
skin tone

Can I Wear a Pants Suit?

In a recent study,
90% of college
recruiters agreed
pants suits for
women are
acceptable.

Accessories
Shoes should be pumps
or medium heels
Purses should be
medium or small sized
purse that matches
your outfit

Other Accessories-Jewelry
Earrings have gained popularity for both sexes in recent
years, but they really are only appropriate for females in the
career fair/interviewing arena.
Wear one pair of simple earrings for these events.
Watches are good for both sexes, - same caliber as the rest
of your appearance.
Rings and bracelets can be worn but in moderation and if
they are essential to you. One ring is most appropriate.
Jewelry should never be a distraction for you
or the employer.

Other, Other, Other

Portfolio to carry resumes

Light on the perfume
Breath mints

DRESS FOR SUCCESSMEN

Suit-Dark blue, gray, muted
pin-stripes
Shirt-White, pale blue or
yellow
Tie-Conservative, classic
Shoes-Polished dress shoes

What NOT to Wear in an InterviewTop 20 Wardrobe Malfunctions

1. Carrying a backpack or fannypack instead of a briefcase or portfolio: Some image
consultants suggest women ditch their purse, too!
2. Sunglasses on top of your head or headphones around your neck.
3. Too-short skirts: Forget what some of those gals on 'The Apprentice' are wearing. Your skirt
should cover your thighs when you are seated.
4. The wrong tie: Ties should be made of silk, no less than three and a quarter inches wide with
a conservative pattern. Image consultants say the best colors are red or burgundy.
5. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing: With the possible exception of creative fields like
advertising, it's best to stick with navy, black or gray.

Top 20 Wardrobe Malfunctions

Continued
6. Heavy makeup on women (or any makeup on a man)
7. Earrings on men:: avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or watch.
8. More than one set of earrings on women
9. Facial piercings, tongue jewelry or visible tattoos
10. Ill-fitting clothes:
Few people can wear things straight off the rack.
Spending $ for tailoring.

Top 20 Wardrobe Malfunctions-Continued

11. Long fingernails, especially with bright or specialty polishes.
13. Short-sleeved shirts, even worse when worn with a tie
14. Fishnets, patterned hosiery or bare legs (no matter how tan you are).
15. Men whose socks don't match their shoes, or whose socks are too short and leave a gap of
16. Rumpled or stained clothing: If interviewing late in the day.
17. Scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including sneakers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals
18. Strong aftershaves, perfumes or colognes: Many people are allergic to certain scents.
19. Belts and shoes that don't match
20. Telltale signs that your wearing a new suit. Remove all tags and extra buttons -- and remember to cut off
the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed!

Dress for Success

A guide for women dressing
Business Casual

Dont Wear This!

The Basics
Wear shoes that are well maintained
Press your clothing
Keep a business professional outfit at the
office for emergencies

Business Casual In A
Conservative Company
May mean a blazer and skirt
Less conservative company may mean a light
sweater or knit top worn under a blazer with
a skirt or slacks
The best guide is to tune into the dress of
those moving up the corporate ladder

The Donts
Dont wear more than 13 accessories
Dont wear slacks to work if youve never
seen top-level women at your organization
wear them
Dont wear hosiery and shoes that are darker
than your hem

Tips
Business casual does not give you license to
wear short skirts
Wear skin-toned hosiery when your business
outfit consists of a short-sleeved jacket or
dress
Dress for the position you want, not the
position you have

Dont know what to wear?

Your business casual
wardrobe should consist of
the same type of clothes and
accessories described in your
organizations dress code.
If your company does not
have a documented business
casual code, emulate the
dress of the person whose
position you want!