Business Attire

What are the factors that contribute to a successful career for a woman, apart from qualifications, skills and expertise?   A well-thought through clothing style is indisputably of great value.

Women in  accountancy, banking, insurance and law require suits:  jacket, skirt or trousers with a blended tone or bright shirt or top to enliven the sober suit. It is a good idea to match your bras with the same colour as your  shirts wherever possible, otherwise  nude underwear will always blend.

On the other hand if a woman is employed in the non-uniformed caring sector, perhaps as social worker or counsellor, then non-threatening colours such as navy co-ordinated with white are appropriate.  However, a colourful top will not go amiss and will serve to cheer everyone up and win the confidence of clients.

Those women in marketing, management consultancy and public relations who regularly meet clients will impress with mid-tone neutral colours for their suit but when undertaking a presentation, a power red jacket is perfect.

If selling direct to the public then the client group must be considered.  If the product is serious such as IT software or medical supplies, a ‘user friendly’ look is required.  Therefore, tops or shirts in soft pastel colours along with blended neutral colours for jackets, trousers and skirts should suffice.

Teachers should wear tops of interesting colours and textures to hold their pupils’ attention.  A flashy orange top will distract.  Those working in advertising, media, retail or travel must look fashionable, therefore a chic jacket and stylish top or shirt are ideal.

Glamorous tops with elegantly tapered trousers of today were also considered highly fashionable in the 1950’s but with one crucial difference - high, narrow stiletto heels were never worn to complete the outfit as this was deemed vulgar.  This seems regrettable because stilettos and heeled mules looked absolutely fabulous in this era, worn with a couture sheath dress, renowned for its small waist and tight skirt. This is also a great look for the modern office.

Another style of ladies’ trousers, pedal pushers, was popular with teenagers in the 1950’s but it was   the close fitting tapered trousers with short tops & a matching bra that had a universal appeal.  The trousers could be full length, mid-calf or just below the knee.  It became a cool, sophisticated style, capitalised on by the likes of model and film star Grace Kelly.

The eminent fashion house of Christian Dior was more interested in ultra-feminine styles which he called his ‘New Look’.  A wool coat with sloping shoulders for example, revealing full billowing skirts falling to mid-calf length was this look.  His feminine hour-glass figure was complete with a pair of stiletto heeled shoes.

This ‘New Look’ was condemned by thrifty post-war dignitaries who thought it frivolous and wasteful in a time of austerity measures.  This is a fair point because one wartime dress required three metres of fabric, whilst Dior’s dresses needed much more.

Global consumer goods exporter Li & Fung announced on Monday that it will be purchasing American business clothing retailer Wear Me Group in the tune of $402 million. Aside from business clothing, the Wear Me Group consortium also manufactures children’s and women’s apparel such as lingerie and outdoor clothing.

This move will make it possible for the Chinese conglomerate to expand into more markets worldwide and reach out to more consumers now that they are offering more products and services. The company revealed in a statement that it will be expanding its brands and private label businesses now that it has acquired several companies, including the American apparel giant.

The acquisition would enable Li & Fung to expand into new markets and categories and benefit its portfolio of brands and private label businesses, the company said in a statement.

The terms and conditions have been laid out in the statement released for public viewing last week. The list of board directors and other officials have been specified on the press statement as well.

When you got invited to your first job interview at a prestigious organization, it’s always hard to choose what to wear. Since you haven’t seen any of your new colleagues, you can’t copy from them. Our advice is: dress smart. Wear a suit. You can never go wrong with that. And if you want to be more creative, keep the following in mind:

What not to wear at an interview

• Don’t wear flip-flips of sneakers
• Navy blue and black do NOT match
• Only borrow clothes form a friend if they fit perfectly
• Make sure your underwear is not visible, you don’t want your new boss to think your are seducing him with pieces of your lingerie showing
• For all the men out there: never wear shorts
• Make sure you skirt is not to short
• Don’t wear a low cut blouse
• And last but not least: if you wear a brand new outfit - make sure to remove all of the tags!