Dress for success
Dressing for success includes more than just choosing the right outfit.
To complete your professional look you must also consider accessories and personal grooming.
If your business attire is distracting because it is too sexy, drab or colourful, your business contacts may focus on how you look, not on your business skills.
Avoid wearing perfume and heavily-scented products in all business settings. You might like them, but they have no place in a business environment. Scents can trigger asthma, overpower a room and are often more offensive than pleasing to others.
Never smell like smoke (if you smoke in a car, your clothes will always pick up the odour).
Women often use their hands to talk with, so they become a focal point. It is important to have hands and fingernails looking professional, and not like you are heading out for a wild night on the town.
Nails should be clean and trimmed or sculpted. Avoid wearing unusual or shocking nail colours. Nail art and nail jewels are not acceptable for business meetings.
Hairstyles should be neat and conservative and preferably off the face. With few exceptions, hair colour should not be shocking or unusual. Hair sprays and gels that have a strong scent or odour should be avoided.
Wearing no make-up at all is almost as bad as wearing too much make-up.
Jewellery should not be noisy, no metal bracelets and no costume jewellery. Keep earrings small, simple and above the earlobe.
It is better to wear no jewellery at all, than too wear too much jewellery. But all business women should at least wear a nice, conservative wrist watch.
Demonstrating that you care about your personal appearance communicates to the person you are meeting with that they are important to you.
Paying attention to the details of your appearance sends a message to others that you will also pay close attention to business details and the needs of your customers and clients.
