Dress For Success! Lauren Nash

First impressions are very important, and what a woman wears can make or break an interview! Regardless of where the woman is wearing her outfit, whether to an interview, an office party, or just a regular day at the desk, there are some definite ‘do’s” and “don’ts” of business casual attire.

Do #1 Find out the dress code or attire for the event! A woman always wants to be dressed for the occasion.

Don’t #1 Don’t show too much skin. Although it may be summer, avoid wearing shorts or spaghetti strap tops without covering the straps. Also, make sure your clothes fit sufficiently! If a woman finds that it is nearly impossible to go five minutes without pulling up her blouse or pulling down her skirt, it’s best if she keeps those clothing pieces in her closet. Too much leg is just as bad as over-exposed cleavage!

Don’t Show too Much!

Do #2 Keep the accessories tasteful. Don’t come in to the office wearing all of the rings you own. Too much bling can be a bad thing! If a woman is having trouble deciding between accessory pieces, it is often best to opt for the more conservative piece than to appear too flashy.

Keep the Jewelry Sweet and Simple

Don’t #2 It is NOT a good idea to leave visible tattoos exposed. Whether a woman must wear long sleeves or resort to covering up her tattoos with makeup, it is best to keep her body art out of sight.

Don’t: Tattoos

Do #3 Wear appropriate makeup. Stick to the natural side of cosmetics for the office, but please keep your crazy colored eye shadows etc. for the weekend or your nights on the town!

Do: Keep makeup professional

Don’t #3 Avoid crazy colors and prints in clothing choices. Select soft, easy-on-the-eyes sort of patterns and colors for your business casual attire. Again, conservative and classy is often the best route for the office.

Do #4 Show up well groomed. Dry, tidy hair, kempt clothing, and the appearance of an un-rushed makeup job are necessities for business casual. It is best to avoid looking out of sorts at work.

Show up well groomed!

Don’t #4 Please don’t leave in any piercings that some may consider unsavory. While gauged ears may be acceptable in a few workplaces, MOST companies that require business casual attire are not partial to lots of body modifications.

Please hide modifications!

Do #5 Keep the shoes low and close-toed. In the workplace, it is not always the best to walk around in open-toed, six-inch heels. It can often be best to opt for the close-toed flat, or low rise wedge.

Don’t #5 Please, under almost any circumstance, do NOT wear flip flops! These are much too casual for most workplaces.

Do #6 Keep your hair professional in appearance. Died hair with an undercut is not exactly most employers idea of professional.

Don’t #6 Women should not wear athletic wear to the office. It is best to keep leggings (unless being used tastefully underneath a skirt, etc.), visible sports bras, and sweatpants for the gym.

Do #7 Keep hair pulled back or away from the face. It can be distracting to a woman or others if a woman must constantly be moving hair out of her face.

Don’t #7 Please do not bear the midriff! It is inappropriate for the workplace in general.

Do #8 Keep fingernails under control. It is fine for a woman to have long nails, and to even paint her nails, but it may be best to resist growing out her nails to extreme lengths or being over flashy in her polish choices. In any case, nails should be clean and well kept, not dirty.

Don’t #8 If a woman wants to be taken seriously and avoid rude stares, she should avoid wearing clothing that is too-tight.

Do #9 Take time to prepare your outfits by making sure to iron and wash your clothing.. It looks unprofessional to come to work in wrinkled or smelly clothes.

Avoid Wrinkled or Stained Clothes

Don’t #9 Don’t wear ripped clothing to work. This is entirely unprofessional.

Avoid Ripped Clothing

Do #10 Dress for the job you want! You may not be the CEO or have the office with a view, but it gives a good impression to a woman’s employer if she looks and dresses like she cares about where she works, or wants to work.

Don’t 10 Caps are normally a no-go in the realm of business casual attire. They can be seen as distracting, and are often viewed as unprofessional (and I’m not talking baseball!)

Sources Allbusiness.com - donts/ html donts/ html Careerealism.com - attire-dos-donts/ attire-dos-donts/

DRESS FOR SUCCESS Rubric – PowerPoint or Brochure * Turn In With Your Assignment * Student: _____________________ School: ____________________ Criteria Points Possible Points Earned At least 10 Do’s and 10 Don’ts (tips) were included. Not simply the opposite of the other. 20 Each tip was legitimate and was clearly explained. 30 Organization of the information was neat and orderly and at least eight relevant graphics were included. 10 Spelling & Grammar 10 References / Works Cited (At least two references were included.) 20 PowerPoint – 8 slides Brochure – 6 sides COMMENTS: