5 Ways Women Hurt Their Business Image
Posted by Diana on January 7, 2010 · 19 Comments
Pulling together an appropriate business wardrobe can be a real challenge, particularly if you’re short on funds or wardrobe advice. Get it right and the “sky’s the limit.” Get it wrong, and you could find doors closed or your career stalled.
Business wear sets the tone of your business interactions, and it has to do it quickly and at a glance. If you say you’re an accountant and you dress like one in a business suit and pumps, you’ll be accepted as such. But if you say you’re an accountant and you dress like a punk rocker, your credibility instantly becomes suspect — just as if you say you’re a punk rocker but dress like an accountant. People like the packaging to fit the contents, and if it’s out of synch, they’ll have trouble getting past it enough to do business with you.
Now that example’s obvious. But there are other ways that women undermine their credibility with their business wear, and it can be so subtle that they don’t even know it’s a problem. Here are 5 ways women hurt their business image:
1. Being Fashionable Instead of Business Like
EVERY industry has a dress code, whether it’s written or not. While some fields are very casual and some are very formal, there’s an unwritten rule that if you’re not in a creative industry and you put fashion before business, you’re considered a shallow light weight. Just ask a few science, math, legal, or engineering fashionistas how they’ve been treated on the job.
When dressing for work, consider the requirements of the industry dress code FIRST, adding fashionable elements in small degrees if allowed. Otherwise, wear your work costume to work, and be the head-turning fashion lover after hours.
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2. Showing Too Much Skin The more clothing you wear, the more formal the situation. That’s why you wear long dresses and tuxes to galas and tank tops and flip flops to the beach. Work attire falls somewhere in between. To be taken seriously, keep upper arms covered, cleavage out of sight, and skirt hems around knee length. Yes, that’s a bit conservative in this day and age, but it keeps wandering eyes off your body parts and focus on the business at hand. |
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3. Old Hairstyle
Over the years, I’ve noticed an interesting correlation between hair style and skill level: if the hair style is out-of-date, so is the skill set. It’s weird, but it makes sense. If you don’t change your hairstyle every few years, chances are good you’re not bothering to keep your skills up to date either. Update both and make more money.
4. Distracting Elements
I once sat through a college lecture given by a “prominent female scientist” with makeup so clownish, I thought it was a joke and laughed out loud when she took the podium. Another time I was in a long, tense meeting with a woman who jangled her charm bracelet so much she got yelled at by the boss in front of everyone. Still another time I was in on a six-figure contract presentation where the potential vendor used his pricey Montblanc pen as a pointer so much, he annoyed a board member and promptly lost the sale.
ALWAYS consider your audience when putting together your ensemble. You want your clothing and accessories to establish your credibility and quickly fade into the background, not annoy or offend those around you.
5. Poor Posture
How you dress, carry, and present yourself speaks VOLUMES about your self esteem. If you costume yourself appropriately but walk around like a troglodyte, you’re not fooling anyone – you don’t believe in yourself. Stand up straight, suck in your gut, and face the world head on. You’ll be amazed by how a little confidence in yourself can instill confidence in others.
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So take a little extra time before you head out the door for work each morning to ensure that your business attire matches your business goals. If what you’re wearing will distract from business or cause someone to question your credibility, change it. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression; make sure it’s a good one. Need some more help putting together a business attire wardrobe? Business Wear Magic can help. |
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Absolutely wonderful write-up! So many women struggle with trying to appear professional without losing their personal style. If you want to make a visual statement at work, you can do so but you have to make sure it’s within the office dress code – some suggestions could be one statement accessory (mind you, just one!) like a chunky necklace or belt, or a colorful blouse or camisole under your cardigan or suit jacket. Bottom line, if you stand in front of the mirror and pretend you are your boss or a client looking back at you, think about what they would think of your outfit instead of yourself. That may help to give you some guidelines before leaving for work.
I am curious to know from readers how they feel about the bare leg look for working women??
Annabelle C. Kressman -
Just not professional.
ditto
I totally agree with Karen, and I live in Oklahoma, where it can be uncomfortably hot several months of the year. I ALWAYS wear stockings!
I don’t like the bare leg look at all. To me, it looks unfinished. And few women (myself included) have beautiful legs. Although panty hose are troublesome, I still wear them except on the very hottest of days.
NOT PROFESSIONAL! The same as a man wearing a suit, dress shoes and no socks? No class!
Pantyhose or tights are a must for me for any workplace setting or event. It’s simply too unprofessional not to.
I have mixed feelings about this…I feel that a woman in a professional/leadership position should always wear them even if they are so sheer your legs almost look naked. I guess this would apply to any woman desiring to move ahead in her career. The shoes being worn and the length of the skirt make a big differenence in how noticable your bare legs are. I’d say it’s a given that if your gonna go bare legged you should keep your legs shaved.
I totally agree with you. I have a colleague who just wants to compete for attention but she does it in the wrong way. She wears very short skirt, shoes that fit for dancing, plunging neckline, mini tee-shirt that reveals her belly button, etc. I think she’s trying to flirt with the guys rather than work. And she’s 50 something and single…omg!
Here in Alberta the temps are well below zero and some women are still wearing bare legs with their dress clothes. It doesn’t just look bad it looks stupid!!
Went to San Francisco this week (45 F daytime high with winds and heavy fog – quite chilly) and walked thru the Financial District downtown during lunch hour and saw all kinds of ladies wearing skirts/dresses and heels with bare legs like they were going to a summer picnic at their aunty’s farm house in Kansas. Amazing and looked stupid, too.
I’ve noticed that actresses who portray detectives, hospital administrators, doctors and attorneys on tv have the lowest necklines. Good for ratings, but bad examples of proper dress for work.
I have a hard time taking seriously anyone with bare shoulders, plunging necklines with their cleavage hanging out or those who wear flip flops to a business office. How about thin, too-tight pants over a giggling mass of posterior cellulite? All oh-so unattractive! And these things have nothing to do with one’s ability to “afford” nice clothes.
We had a huge dust up over this very issue – appropriate work wear – in our office and it actually resulted in a young woman quitting and then suing the company.
She had a great figure – including cleavage. She like to flaunt it with low cut blouses, spaghetti straps. Always bare legs. She looked like she was on her way to a club.
Another one – who is no longer with the firm – thought her sleeveless tops were just fine with the large tattoo art up and down her arms showing. I mentioned that I didn’t think it was appropriate (I’m 56 and ‘that age’ I guess) and got some pretty toxic email that I was intolerant and didn’t get it about self expression. She was also about 50 lbs overweight.
Then another – who is also gone – thought she was part of a rock band.
It didn’t help that the boss – a woman. 50 years old – also dressed very quirky. One day it was an ankle length black lace gown with patent leather boots.
This is a professional office – scientific consulting firm – that deals with the government. and huge real estate developers.
Funny thing …me, the older fuddy duddy (although quite fashionable still ) is still there. LOL
Totally agree with the comments re: pantyhose/stocking as a complete professional look. I wish younger women didn’t try to emulate the characters from Sex in the City as far as clothing goes (or lack thereof). It’s even more disturbing when 50+ women do the same thing. I too am from Alberta and wonder about those young ladies who wear bare legs in our frigid temps.
Sorry ladies, but I disagree about the hosery/bare leg issue. I think bare legs CAN be done tastefully, but is often a disaster. In those disaster instances, there is usually another part of the outfit that is unprofessional as well so the bare legs just makes matters worse. I’ve seen it done beautifully, but most of us just can’t pull it off. I do agree, however, that shaving is a must!
I really think going to work without nylons or pantyhose is very distastful., and unshaven legs is a disgusting disaster!
Let me tell you about the office! I work in an office of mostly women and “business attire” is all over the board. The ladies wear everything from shorts, tanks with flip flops to camo-pants and t-shirts. There are a couple of well-endowed gals who regularly show max cleavage and bare arms. Most are clerks. Some are managers. I work right next to and directly report to the CEO, so I feel I need to dress appropriately. My idea of “appropriate” is based on what I’ve learned in Wardrobe Magic. My boss also dresses professional – tailors slacks, polished shoes and shirts with cuff-links. My fashion goal the past two years has not been to get a raise or a promotion, but project an the confident, credible image (along with rock-solid skill set and job performance) that another firm would and could hire me away tomorrow. I want people to see me as a “got it together” kind of person; and “with me things are under control.” So even though I didn’t get a pay raise, per se, I went from working 40+ hours per week to working 25 to 30 hours per week – with NO decrease in salary or benefits! This has supported my ultimate goal of financially contributing to the family while having enough time to actually be an active mom and a wife. And I have my wardrobe (and the skills learned in Wardrobe Magic) to thank for it. BTW – I always wear hose, trouser socks or stockings and closed toe shoes to the office – without exception. Anyone can dress appropriately for one day, but to do it everyday with ease and a sense of style is what seems to really builds an image.