While women only make up 38.8% of the labor force, this is by no fault of their own. There’s still a lot of gender discrimination in the workplace that leads to fewer promotions, lower pay, and painful discrimination for women.
To be taken seriously in the workplace, you’ll need to work hard to be seen as an authority. A large part of this is dressing for success. Here, we’re going to talk about some basic corporate fashion ideas for working women to ensure that you can look and feel confident enough to show a male-dominated workforce what women are capable of.
Basic Grooming: A Crucial Step
You probably already know the basics of grooming- brush your teeth twice a day, make sure your hair’s straight, and cut your fingernails frequently. However, what you may not know is how to go above and beyond the basics and make yourself look as sophisticated as possible.
Use whitening strips to ensure that your teeth flash pearly white when you smile. Straighten (or curl) your hair in the morning for a professional, straight-laced look. Paint your nails whenever you clip them, but make sure that the colors are professional. White, light pink, pastel blue, and lilac are all great choices that showcase both style and professionalism.
Doing so will ensure that you look put together and can be taken seriously. After all, no one wants to take anyone with poor hygeine- man or women- as an authority.
Dresses and Dress Codes
Many women choose to wear dresses in the workplace. This is appealing for many reasons including that dresses showcase individualism and personality that’s valued in an office setting. Dresses also show that you care about your appearance and are willing to dress up for work (and therefore that you care about your job).
Make sure that you don’t wear a dress that’s inappropriate for the workplace, though. Dresses must be around knee-length. The highest you can go is right above the knee.
If you’d be seen out clubbing in a dress, you should never wear it to work. This applies to colors and patterns as well as length. Neon hues go over poorly in professional settings while subdued tones look great.
Power Suits and Pencil Skirts
It’s sad, but it’s true: many women are forced to dress like their male counterparts in order to maintain authority. This is especially true of women in management positions and those who wish to get promoted to such a job.
Power suits were created with sad fact in mind. These suits are designed to fit women while while exuding an air of authority. The consist of a simple button-up blouse with pants, a blazer, and some simple accessories.
Some women choose to wear pencil skirts with their button-ups and blazers rather than pants. This is completely fine as long as you either shave your legs well or wear nylons. Pair your pencil skirt with some heels to make yourself taller and you’ll be ready to go.
Corporate Fashion Jewelry Etiquette
Jewelry is a great way to spice up any outfit and make it your own. However, there are specific things that you can and can’t wear while in the workplace. Statement pieces like large, chunky necklaces and enormous earrings aren’t going to cut it in the professional world.
You want to work with small pieces made from simple high-end metals. This means sterling silver bracelets, charm necklaces, and stud or hoop earrings. You can get away with gemstones as long as you match them with your clothing colors and don’t use too many jewels.
One tip for professional women is to wear a watch. These timepieces aren’t just for men but rather are for anyone who wants to appear classy and tasteful. A luxury metal watch is a great way to show that you’re someone who should be taken seriously.
No matter what jewelry you decide to wear, use a jewelry steam cleaner to make sure that they look good. Similarly to why personal hygiene is important, cleaning your clothes and jewelry makes you look well-put-together. A sloppy appearance leads people to think you’re sloppy at your job.
Wear the Right Makeup
It’s important to always stick to makeup basics while in professional settings. Keeping it simple draws attention to your best features without making you look like you’re going to the club (aka the most unprofessional setting imaginable).
It’s important to balance looking good with keeping things neat. Keep your foundation simple. While you shouldn’t go to work looking like you rolled out of bed bare-faced, you need to have a foundation/concealer tone that works perfectly for your natural features.
Don’t use too much eyeliner and don’t be dramatic with it. An elegant cat-eye is ideal in the workplace. Make sure that you don’t test the waters of smoky eyes while at work, either.
When it comes to lipstick, a glossy look tends to be best. Bright red can be misinterpreted as too promiscuous, so try out pink and dark red tones. You also can simply add some lip gloss to give your natural shade some sheen.
More Style Tips for Professional Women
Now that you have some corporate fashion tips for women in the workplace, it’s time to learn more. Check out the ‘business’ section of our home page for more tips on how to shine while in the office.
You’ll get tips on how to behave confidently as well as how to be taken seriously in a male-dominated workforce. If you want to be heard and have your ideas become a reality within your industry, start browsing today!
