Last week I saw a Tik Tok about a girl speaking on growing up and finally being able to wear clothes that maker her feel powerful. Watching the video unlocked a memory that I had of my mom getting ready to go to work every morning. She would wake up, exercise, meditate, shower, pick a power suit, and eat breakfast. Aside from making my sisters and I breakfast, this has always been her morning ritual. Although she would wake up earlier than me, I always noticed her outfit everyday. This part of her routine always piqued my interest. To her, great power comes with the responsibility of taking care of herself and managing the way she presents herself to the world.
Typically, we wear things for different times and situations in our life. In the winter, we wear coats and in the summer, we wear shorts. Apart from providing confidence and style, clothing items have purpose. As we transition to the part of our lives where we have to apply to jobs, do interviews, and network with others – what we wear can have the purpose of helping us achieve our dreams.
The first step in dressing to impress is searching for professional settings that align with your values and goals. Once you have this you can start to pick out elements of your wardrobe that best match with the work setting and culture that you have in mind.
Meeting the People
A common concern when picking an outfit is knowing whether something is business formal or business casual. A great way to tell the difference is in the colors that you choose to wear. For example, neutral colors are best for a setting in which formality is expected.This rings true for business casual wear as well, but you can add a pop of color with your blouse, blazer, or accessories. Wearing a pop of color gives you the chance to make a lasting impression. According to VeryWellmind.com, dark red is associated with power and excitement, two qualities that you want to give off.
When you are really stuck about what to wear to a networking event there are 3 things you can do. Ask two people for advice: the most stylish and the most professional person you know. Know that overdressing is better than underdressing. Remember that neutral colors and confidence never fail to create the perfect outfit.
Getting the Job
Luckily, many of our interviews will be online, meaning we only need to worry about our top half. In this case, it is a good idea to wear light makeup and a blouse or a sweater that has subtle and elegant details. This can include a turtle neck, a collar, a ribbon, or any other creative detail that you can think of. If it’s in-person, pair it with a neutral blazer or cardigan and a dark pair of pants. As someone who has hired many people, my mom believes that dressing and feeling like a leader inspires others to do the same. This is true no matter the type of work culture: relaxed, formal, techy, creative, among so many others.
Another thing to remember is that it is always important to set boundaries in different spaces of our lives. For this reason, in a work setting, longer bottoms are always better than shorts or mini skirts; this goes for everyone. The same goes for any other item that you would wear to bed, a party, the beach, or the gym.
The bottom line is… wear something that makes you walk into a room feeling good as h*ll, as queen Lizzo would say.