Dress to Impress

Dressing for the Fashionista

The terms "fashionista" or "fashion victim" refer to someone who slavishly follows the current fashions (implementations of fashion). Hugo Boss once said that style never goes out of fashion. On the other hand, fashions do go out of style. While there are industries, occasions and events that require more stylish forms of attire, it is often simpler and cheaper to stick with more “classic” clothing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with following the trend. After all, that’s what most people do – including many so called “fashion icons”. Isn’t it amazing that what we wear and the way we wear them are determined by only a hand full of people in this world? – So you are definitely not alone.

If you are not a “fashion icon”, you may do well to simply blend in and not necessarily stand out! Now if you happen to be at the cutting edge of fashion, you are expected to keep up with the times. Most people in this category are at the risk of looking “wrong“ in the eyes of others — either because of a departure from the norm or because the “fashion forward” look may rub the wrong way. But if you work in a bank, regardless of the scale of your clothing budget, you may want to consider the kinds of “looks” that withstand the test of time.

A good place to look for guidance on what to wear to fit a job profile (corporate) or an occasion (formal or casual) will be to watch selected television programs/ stations. The operative word there is “selected”. The reason is simple: if you watch channels like CNN and Sky News (which most people have in their offices) you can look out for what newscasters and some corporate executives wear when they are shown/ profiled on TV. While preachers (especially foreign preachers) generally dress well, some have unique taste’s that are strictly for them. For example Bishop TD Jakes is an awesome preacher and teacher. He was named America’s number 1 preacher at a time. I wish I could speak and move an audience like he does but I personally think his dress style suits only him. He is like the Eric Cantona of collar jersey. Only he looks good in them.

Another quick resource will be the internet. Google is about my best resource friend. There is absolutely nothing you cannot search for on Google (or any good search engine). I especially like Google because of the feature that allows you see images of what is being discussed even though I’ll be the first to admit that it can be sometimes frustrating because it returns all sorts of irrelevant linls at times even when you are desperately searching for something. But other than that, I quite agree with one of my good friends who says “If it’s not on Google, it does not exist”. Other sites that may help are cloth/ dress making websites.

Dressing for ... Whatever

While every organization has its own culture and standards of dress, there are a few universal guidelines. First, dress appropriately for your organization, your department, your team, your position, and yourself. If you’re not comfortable with it, you may ruin your day or your experience at an event. Next, always think about the impressions you may be generating and decide if they match your objectives. Finally, if you are speaking in public, make certain your attire and grooming are appropriate for both the audience and the circumstance