Dress for Success
Did you know that what you wear communicate to the whole world the following about you:
Your values Your level of self esteem and confidence What you stand for Your interestsAre you surprised that so much can be read into your attire? That and much more!
OK so your dress habit is not portraying the image you want to project?! No prob. Just change the way you dress. It is that simple.
So what are the steps?
1. First find out what message you are projecting with the clothes you wear. Ask your friends, colleagues, relatives and even better – ask someone you do not know that well. Your close ones are bound to maybe tell you what you wish to hear.
It is not only about the clothes you wear but also how are you wearing them. Let me explain using the example of a T-Shirt – a plain T-Shirt with short sleeves and the length just covering the buttocks. You can wear the T-Shirt as is or… you chop the sleeves off and make it sleeveless, you wear it and then tie the bottom of the T-Shirt in a big knot above your waist showing your mid-riff and whilst you are at it, you cut the neck-line off a bit lower to show a bit more of your ?? You get the idea. That is what I mean by ‘how you wear your clothes’.
2. Decide what image you want to project by the way you dress. Do you want to be seen as:
someone who blends into whatever event you are dressing for
someone who does not follow the rules
intellectual
artistic
hippie
business lik
someone to be taken seriously
someone who is rich
someone who is poor
flirty
sporty
someone who is successful … and the list continues
3. Research how people who fit the category you have chosen dress generally. How do you do that? Search the internet, look at magazines, watch people around you, ask your friends….
4. Choose your clothes and dress to communicate the image you have chosen.
Warning!!!! Be prepared to have others react to you based on the message you are giving. That can be a very good experience or can be a not so pleasant one. Experiment and have fun!
Here are some tips for dressing for Success (this is what this article is about after all!!!)
There are many topics that you need to be aware of to successfully dress for success. You need to ooze self confidence and trust worthiness at first impression. Your clothes and your body language are the immediate communication tools to those around you.
Tip 1
Colour
Learn what colour goes with your complexion. Then co-ordinate the colours that you wear.
Wear appropriate colours for the occasion. As an example, if going for an interview or an important meeting, do not wear bright and aggressive colours.
Colours have frequencies and they also give a message to the people you are interacting with. They can be ‘loud’ and aggressive or soft and warm. Learn how to blend clothes items that are warm colours (red, orange and yellow) and those that are cool (green, blue, violet).
Colours can also be divided between dark and light colours. Dark colours recede and therefore if you wear dark coloured clothes, you will look thinner. Light coloured clothes produce the opposite effect and tend to enlarge you.
Tip 2
Your Body Shape
Look for the following:
Petite
Do not indulge in large prints, wide belts and heavy fabrics. These do not flatter your 'petiteness'. Instead favour narrow belts and soft and flowing fabrics.
Tall
Tall women can wear wide belts and should stay away from skirts or dresses that are too short or too long. Over tight clothes are also to be avoided.
Bottom Heavy – Triangle Shape
Use vertical lines that will provide an up and down illusion and therefore attract the eyes from heavy hips/thighs. Use dark colours for the lower half of the body. Wear light colours for the upper body to attract the eye. Go for classic and straight cuts. Jackets with shoulder pads can be used – do not overdo it though.
Top Heavy Shape
Shoulder pads are a no-no. You certainly do not need more padding in that area. Avoid tops that include ruffles or bold patterns. Light and dark colours work in a reversed way to that described in the Bottom Heavy shape. Use darker colours for the tops and light colours can be used for the lower half of the body.
Rectangular Shape
Wear clothes items that hug the waist and wear accessories to accentuate your dress ware.
Remember: Your clothes will not improve your body shape. In fact, your body shape will dictate how the clothes look on you.
Tip 3
Cover Up – How Much To Cover Up / How Much To Bare
Enhance your assets and cover your liabilities – in other words accentuate the parts of your body that look great and disguise the ones that don’t. If you have great legs then wear a skirt above knee level and enhance with some snazzy high heeled shoes.
In addition, dress for the occasions. You would dress differently if you are going to the beach, an interview, a funeral or to a restaurant. Have good flair of what ‘fits the occasion’.
Remember: People’s eyes will be attracted to the parts of your body that you are directing their gaze to.
Tip 4
Right Size – Not Down Size
Wear your size! You will look so much better in that size and be realistic about your size – do not cheat as a wrong size cannot be hidden. Do not down size in the hope of making you look slimmer. It will only highlight the bulges and the imperfections (that most of us have alas) of your body. Do not up size either in trying to hide some parts of your body that you do not like – it will only enlarge you (unless this is the result you wish for).
Tip 5
Body Language and Attitude
If you dress well, you will feel confident. Allow yourself to feel good about your look. Be in no doubt that when you feel good within yourself, people around you can sense it and in turn they will react positively to it.
Tip 6
General Considerations
Keep in mind the following generic guidelines: Fabric textures matter. Thinner fabrics are more slimming whereas heavier fabrics make the body look heavier. Using a uniform colour for the top as well as the bottom will also be more slimming. Wear clothes that fit. Smaller sized clothes will not do your body justice and neither will larger sized ones. If you have not been gifted with a slim or defined waist, stay away from the large belts. In fact avoid belts if you can. . Accessories certainly can improve and enhance the complete image. A word of caution, use carefully and match for the occasion. Vertical lines elongate the body and horizontal lines widen it. The reason is simple. Vertical lines make the eyes go up and down and horizontal lines move the eyes left to right. Wear bright bold colours and patterns to attract people’s eyes to your body (body parts). Tip 7
And Finally
Dressing for success is not just about what you are wearing. Be conscious at all times of your attitude, posture, body language, voice pitch when you speak and also how you react when interacting with others. Most of these will be reflecting how you feel within yourself. These topics are outside the limits of this brief article. You will find many books and website that would enlighten you in those topics.
Enjoy your new look.