Whether you’re a city commuter, a media whizz, front of house, a teacher or a designer, it is essential you communicate authority and credibility.
On a daily basis we use our clothes as a means of communicating to others of who we are, what we know and how we feel. During our consultations we go into detail about the language of clothes and what each item signifies. In this blog post we talk about a few key pieces and how they can be interpreted.
The jacket
Your jacket can be seen as a kind of armour or a protective layer if you like (which is very much needed sometimes). It should be decorative, but flattering at the same time. Picking a jacket in your best neutral is key if you want to look particularly serious or conservative (navy, black, charcoal, dark olive, dark brown or taupe). However, a wonderfully bright colour is the perfect choice if you want to look more fun. Always ensure you know what your best bright shades are and go with them!
Image credit: www.massimodutti.com
The shirt
If you are thinking that a plain shirt just isn’t for you, don’t worry. There are so many different kinds of shirts, and you will always be able to find a perfect one for you.
If you are a “Romantic “, look for a blouse rather than a classic shirt - maybe in silk, with pattern or maybe some feminine ruffles. If you are an “Adventurer”, look for some texture. If you’re a “Gamine “, a cute little Peter Pan collar could be a good option. “Bohemians” need softness and pattern, “Gypsies” a great bell sleeve and a jabot front, and the “Divas” need sharpness and asymmetry.
Image credit: Pinterest
The accessories
Your jewellery needs to be in the right metal for you - therefore you need to know whether you are best in rose, yellow or white gold (for white gold obviously read silver as well). Jewellery makes such a statement about you, and each piece, apart from being decorative, sends a subconscious message. Earrings signify your rank. Look at how much less authoritative you look when you take them off. A brooch is equivalent to medals. Your watch is your timepiece, signalling to others how much you value their time, as well as your own.
The most crucial item of jewellery is your necklace, as it protects your most vulnerable area - your neck or your “jugular”. The other excellent way of protecting that area is by wearing a scarf, which is also a great opportunity to put your best colours next to your face.
Image credit: www.lebook.com
There is so much more we could add about dressing for work: how to avoid distractions so that people will listen to you, why you should wear interesting shoes, why you should find a scent that is perfect for you - the list goes on! But we’ll save that for another time..