Figuring out what to wear every morning can be a stressful task but it can get even more challenging when you have to travel a lot. Looking presentable will not only give you the confidence to communicate effectively but also help you make a lasting impression on both your peers and the new people you meet.
Here’s how to choose your business attire when your job involves a lot of traveling.
Decide according to your job
Wearing clothes according to your office’s dress code will not only save you from embarrassment, but will also show your level of respect and interest in the company. Most executive positions and huge conglomerates have a conventional, strictly formal style of dressing whereas other offices – especially in the content creating, publishing and fashion sector – have a more relaxed environment. Hence, dressing up semi-formally in these companies is not scorned upon. Moreover, events like charities, formal meetings, conducting interviews, meeting clients and conducting presentations have their own unique rules – make sure that you know your company’s policies.
Getting the Right Dress Pants and Skirts
In formal settings, suits are preferred. But be careful about opting for colors that are not too bold and all up in your face. Instead, neutral monochromatic tones like navy blue, brown, grey and charcoal are preferred. Blazers can also be worn with button down shirts – but be wary of pairing spaghetti strap tops, lacy tops or deep-neck shirts with them – especially in strictly formal settings. Pencil skirts can give a very clean and crisp look at formal office environment – but make sure that they aren’t too short.
Whereas, in semi-formal or even casual work places you can be more experimental with your suits – wearing, bolder, funky colors. Women have been creating quite a buzz with their monochromatic, fancy suits. It all depends on what is allowed in the company you are working in.
Perfect tailoring is a must in both environments – nobody likes an ill-fitting bodysuit, that is neither too long nor too tight.
Minimalistic Jewelry and Accessories
When it comes to jewelry, it is always safer to choose items that are not too gaudy or chunky – for they are not only distracting for the on-looker but can also feel rather cumbersome for you. Keep the jewelry minimalist, yet sophisticated. And accessories like chokers, hoops, ankle bracelets, ear cuffs lip, nose and eyebrow piercings are an absolute no-go area in all office settings. An easy way to sift through your accessories is that anything that makes noise when you put it on should be avoided.
Picking the Right Footwear
A rule of thumb is that your toes should be covered at all traditional workplaces. Thus, you can wear pumps with or without heels, but not peep-toe heels. While choosing a pair of heels, make sure that it doesn’t clank to much as you strut in them – nothing is more annoying than announcing your appearance, before the encounter. Choose neutral colors like beige, black and white so that you can pair these up with different outfits daily.
Semi-formal offices have more relaxed rules, you may even wear sneakers or sandals. But then again wearing flip flops to your workplace is downright absurd.
Avoid Strong Perfumes
Just as the clink of your accessories and heels can be disturbing, the fragrance of a strong perfume can also be considered disrespectful. Strong scents are forbidden for they can be distracting and considered informal in most conservative settings. But that does not mean you ditch the deodorant altogether – you do not want to disturb your colleagues with a disagreeable stench! Instead, pick perfumes that have subtle scents and are not too overpowering – fruity and floral fragrances are usually preferred.
Don’t Forget Your Watch!
Finally, as the old saying goes “a man without a watch, is a man without principles.” And since many boss ladies are changing the dynamics of several industries, leaving your house without one is almost unacceptable. Buy a good, classic pair of watch – does not necessarily have to be branded – but make sure that it matches the tone of the accessories or sunglasses that you decide to put on that day.
Bottom line is that you must identify the environment you are working in. Play it safe, by wearing formal clothes, if it is your first day at the office. Then observe what others are wearing and adapt accordingly.