Dressing for
success...
Colour, style and
fit provide the one, two, three punch in
your appearance arena. Colour affects people
physically and psychologically, and business
dress doesn't change that.
Colour
Dark colors -
black, navy and darker shades of gray -
psychologically connote power, authority,
knowledge, responsibility, and success.
Brown shows that
you are dependable and stable - however you
lack power and authority.
White is a good
choice for a blouse or shirt since it
connotes clean, formal and sophisticated.
Pastels denote
softness and femininity.
Every color has a
message of its own. How you put them
together sends your message.
Style
A suit coat with
long sleeves, slightly padded shoulders and
a collar make you appear one-third more
powerful. (You sales will come easier when
you know when to take your suit jacket off
in a sales call and when to put it back on!)
Shoulder pads add
authority.
Pleats and darts
add bulks.
Vertical lines
formed by classic three-button jackets
contribute to the illusion of heights, as do
pin stripes.
Single-breasted
jackets with a centre vent are best for men
and women of average height. Double-breasted
jackets complement taller people.
Fit
Few people have
"hanger figures." Almost all of you need
help to make your clothes look as if they
were made for you. Many stores offer free
tailoring. If not, find a neighbourhood
tailor who can do wonders with a nip here
and tuck there. Take the shoes and any other
items you will wear with the garment so your
tailor can work with the real thing.
Knowing that you
have chosen the right colour, style and fit
for the occasion will give you increased
self-confidence and add immeasurably to your
presentation ... of yourself and your
products and services.
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What you
wear reveals eight things about you
Self-esteem
How you dress is your
love of self made tangible to the world. When you wear
ill-fitting, soiled, torn, tattered clothing, it can make others
aware of a poor sense of self-worth. What people see on the
outside lets them know you feel about yourself on the inside.
Image is the tip of the iceberg, yet it adds immeasurably to
helping people understand what's going on inside you.
Self-respect
How you wear it and
what you choose to wear show others how much you respect
yourself. Few people come even close to naturally having a
"perfect" shape or size. Those who respect themselves know how
to dress to emphasize strengths and minimize body flaws. Respect
for self is lacking in women who in the workplace wear skirts
that are too short, necklines that are too low, pants that are
too tight; for men who wear long pants that are too "short,"
ties with spots, jeans with holes; and with anyone who gains
weight and then wears clothes that used to fit. Self-respect
plays a big part in knowing/wearing the acceptable thing
socially and professionally. .
Confidence
The way you carry
yourself contributes greatly to the air of confidence others
perceive. What you wear also contributes to that look of
confidence. Your goal is to create an aura of confidence
and assuredness when you walk into a room. Make sure your
clothing contributes its part!
Organizational
skills
Even people who don't
like to file or plan the details of an event need to appear
organized in their clothing colour and style choices. You want
to create a unified look from head to foot, without calling
attention to any one item or colour.
Recruiters will use
appearance to judge organizational skills. If they know where
the potential employee parked, they may send someone to walk
around the car to see if it looks clean and orderly ... or if it
resembles the refuse bin for a fast-food restaurant or the
repository for a week's clothing that needs to be taken to the
cleaners.
Soundness of
judgment
Knowing and wearing
the right outfit for the right occasion is an important
indicator of whether you can make the right decisions at work,
too. Know when to wear a suit, business casual or formal
attire to blend in appropriately.
Attention to
detail
About 90 percent of
your body is clothed in business - the remaining 10 percent of
your impression is made through your grooming and includes
manicured nails, trimmed moustache and beard, lack of a 5
o'clock shadow, neat and attractive hair style and the right
amount of makeup and jewellery that can be seen and not heard.
Creativity
While some jobs allow
more creative expression than others, all of them permit you to
individualize at least a bit. Express your uniqueness through a
special tie and matching hankie, a scarf or a special or
exquisite piece of jewellery. Maybe your mark will become the
special way you tie a scarf or how you find just the right one
to complement or coordinate with your suit and blouse ... or
maybe a pair of cuff links that looks expensive yet apropos for
your important meeting.
Reliability
The sum of the above
adds up to how reliable you are ... from the big picture to the
details. Can you be counted on to look and behave in a
professional manner wherever your job takes you? |
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Some great places we have found
to shop on a shoe-string
Trade Me. You can get some
amazing deals here, I have just bought a classical suede jacket
for $35.00 - pretty hard to beat when I get wear it with jeans
and a pair of boots for casual, or dress it up with dress
trousers and shirt for work. Remember to only deal with
reputable traders (check the feedback on the profile - you can
soon see if somebody is a bit dodgy) and to ask questions.
SaveMart.
A great range of casual and work clothing, with a lot of
designer wear, accessories, shoes, bags etc as well (depending
on the store). Prices are mainly under $20.00 (and that is
for the designer clothing); with most garments prices under
$10.00.
- 16 Tawa Street, Mount
Maunganui
- 2 Glenlyon Avenue, Tauranga
- 2 Gibson Street, Fenton Park,
Rotorua.
Red Cross. I have shopped in
the Greerton branch, and could swear that a lot of their
garments are new! Amazing prices, and the ladies couldn't
have been more helpful.
- 351 Cameron Road, Tauranga
- 1307 Cameron Road, Tauranga
- 272 Maunganui Road, Mount
Maunganui
- Rangiuru Street, Rotorua.
Happy Ragdoll. I know people
who travel from Taupo to go second hand shopping with this lady.
Owner/operator and she takes huge pride in providing good
quality clothes at affordable prices. Well worth a visit.
- 262 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua.
La De Da Boutique. Very
helpful ladies who will take the time to help you put a look
together. Quality and designer brand used clothing.
Excellent shopping experience, you would never guess it was a
shop full of used clothing.
- 223 Chadwick Road, Greerton.
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