More often than not, we all have our special occasion outfits and time-off dresses sorted. What we do normally struggle with is office wear for women. Sorting those boring formal dresses and making sense of them can be challenging. Not to forget, you don’t always feel your fashionable and trendiest best in most work wear for women.
That doesn’t mean you completely ignore your office attire and give ‘looking great at work’ a complete miss. Of course, there are rules to be followed and conservatism to abide by when it comes to how you can dress in a corporate environment, but if you follow the basic rules, you can still look trendy while adhering to all office attire protocols.
In this article, we will address an issue that is critical to women in business, helping them put an end to the ‘what to wear at work’ dilemma and wear formal dresses that fit just fine.
Table of Contents
Be yourself
Dressing right for a corporate environment doesn’t mean you dress to conform. While you must stick to the kind of work wear for women is expected in your business environment, you must also be true to yourself. If you are a color person, wear colors. If heels get you by, do wear heels. If bright lipstick is your must-have, do wear it. But do all of it in moderation. Don’t overdo any of it. Being yourself will make you feel confident and comfortable in your formal dresses. It also is an admirable leadership quality.
Invest in a quality fashion
If you are a working professional, you already know how to spend your money wisely. There might be things that require you to money pinch, but formal dresses are not one of them. Invest in quality clothing and accessories. Buying premium quality clothes might seem expensive at first, but they pack a solid punch at the workplace. Prefer quality over quantity. Pay attention to the quality of the fabric, craftsmanship, fit, and look of the garments. Formal dresses look a lot better if they are of good quality. This apart, keep them neat and clean. Get them professionally cleaned if needed at times. Stack them properly in your wardrobe.
Too much skin show, a big no-no
We are all for women expressing their sexuality and being free in what they wear, but corporate offices aren’t appropriate spaces for any kind of skin show. Studies have shown that work wear for women that shows too much skin is not taken seriously, not just by their male counterparts but also by other female colleagues. Make sure the length of your skirt is right. It should at least brush your knees. Remember, as you sit on your chair, the skirt will go up automatically, making it look shorter. Be mindful of any cuts and slits. Avoid sleeveless shirts/tops. If you do wear them, add a jacket or a blazer on top of it. It will also create an attractive look with formal dresses.
Keep your makeup minimal
From wearing proper formal dresses to creating the right look, moderation is key in a corporate setting. Keeping your makeup minimal is important. Create the right balance. It will allow you to keep certain things bright and bold. For example, if you like bright lipsticks, keep the rest of your makeup very minimal. Keep a small mirror at your desk so that you can check your makeup before heading for a meeting. Ensure there are no lipstick marks on your teeth, any smudge makeup or food on your teeth.
Avoid being too trendy
Corporate offices are surely not the places to experiment with the latest fashion trends. In a corporate setting, you would want to exude a sense of elegance, classiness, and power. If you are overtly trendy, your look will definitely grab a lot of attention, but it will take away from your credibility as a professional. Again, being trendy is not a fashion faux pas, but balance it out. Be minimalistic in your approach.
Other things to take care of:
- Keep your wardrobe updated. This means updating your clothes if you have changed sizes. Dated, faded, and ill-fitted clothes are a complete turnoff.
- Maintain a clean and tidy look. It exhibits professionalism and sincerity
- Avoid wearing heavy and blingy jewelry.
- Ensure that none of your clothes are transparent and your undergarments are not visible
- Body piercing must be kept to a basic minimum. If you have multiple piercings, don’t wear them all
- Be mindful of your office culture and dress accordingly
Wearing formal dresses is an art. It requires a careful balancing act. The good news is that work wears for women provides ample options for you to create an attractive yet professional look. Be mindful, keep things minimal, and wear what makes you feel comfortable in your skin. This way, you will never go wrong with your style.
