Power dressing, the word itself has so much power.
Dressing for work need not be overwhelming. Here we will cover the myths around formal wear and how to work your personal style around it.
And also share pointers about choosing the right color, fabric, accessories and makeup.
Getting dressed for work doesn’t mean leaving the personal style behind. Just keep in mind to dress professionally rather than trendy. As a corporate woman, dress simple and elegantly, whether it is Indian formals or Western formals.
Business Dress Codes – Western Formals and Indian Formals
|
Occasion |
Western |
Indian |
|
Client Meeting / Top Management Meeting Attire |
Matched suit with pant / skirt, Closed shoes, Neat bun of hair, Mminimal jewelry Basic makeup |
Matched suit (cigarette pants and Indian tunic stitched from same fabric), Closed shoes, Basic scarf, Minimal jewelry and basic makeup; Saree in silks or cotton, Collared blouse, with a matching jacket. |
|
Formal Business Attire |
Formal Pants or Skirts, Shirts, Closed-toe shoes (no sandals), Tied up hair, Jewelry and basic makeup |
Cigarette Pants, Indian Tunic (preferably with collars), Closed toe shoes or peep toes, Neatly done hair, Scarf / neckpiece Basic makeup. Saree in silk / cotton with a collared blouse |
|
Casual Friday Dressing |
Khaki pants / basic denims, Polo tees, Blouse with blazer, Peep toes, Colourful scarf, Statement jewelry and basic makeup |
Cigarette Pants, Indian Tunic without collars, Peep-toe shoes, Colourful Scarf, Statement neckpiece and basic makeup. Saree in firm fabric with simple style of blouse |
Important Points:
Personal Style:
Don’t try and copy anyone. To wear western formals or Indian formals is a personal choice, so decide for yourself in which attire you will be comfortable the whole day.
Work Culture:
It is important to dress right, according to the existing work culture. Avoid clothes that clash with your corporate culture. Investment banks still require conservative suits, usually in neutral colors, while people working in creative firms can dress according to their taste and style.
Proper Fit:
We all know that we should avoid clothes that are tight or skimpy as they create negative impression. But at the same time if your clothes are baggy and shapeless it creates an impression of being sloppy.
Pants should be fitted but free of visible panty lines. Skirts, especially straight styles like pencil skirts should be loose enough to sit down in comfortably. Jacket should be able to be buttoned, and shirts shouldn’t gap between buttonholes.
Look Professional:
Clothes communicate a lot about your personality. At workplace we want our juniors, colleagues and seniors to think of us as competent, professional, and organized; and certainly not as fashion victims.
Friday Dressing:
Many companies have relaxed dress codes and business casuals are now the norm in many workplaces. Business casuals do not mean low waist jeans and tees, it means not wearing your matched suit every day, and relaxing it to semi-formal attire.
Colour:
It plays an important part. Business dressing does not mean you have to be in black, blue and grey always. Play with colours but keep loud colours like hot pink, or tangerine to a minimal. You can have a pop of colour in your scarf.
Jewelry:
Earrings like chandeliers are not part of formal wear. Opt for studs. Instead of a stack of bangles /bracelets opt for a simple bracelet.
Handbags:
Always choose structured handbags as it projects an organized image.
Shoes:
Stilettos look good only in TV series or movies. It is not practical to wear high heels the whole day. So buy mid heels shoes but no slip-ons and fancy shoes.
Grooming:
Manicured nails, run-free hose, scuff-free shoes, neat hair are all part of a well groomed look. Remember chipped nail paints and dark loud colours in makeup are not part of a formal dressing.
If you are in sales or business development, always be prepared is to keep an extra ‘meet the client’ outfit at the office for surprise meetings.
Try and pre-decide your outfits for a week. So on a Sunday, if your weekly outfits are decided then it saves a lot of time on weekdays, and you can avoid the ‘what to wear situation’ totally.
