It is always a good idea to bring a friend along when you go shopping for clothes, whether they be casual, for the office or evening-wear. One reason is because it is difficult to keep perspective on our own body image because we see our reflections so often; another reason is that we develop a certain perspective of ourselves, our bodies, and what clothes we think look good on us. Of course, it is not always possible to invite a friend that you would be comfortable with taking an opinion from, so the next time you are out looking for clothes on your own, keep these simple pointers in mind...

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Formal Dress For Women - Looking Stylish At The Office
By: Sacha Tarkovsky

Dress formally the right way and you can project a stylish look, that will help you get the job or promotion you crave or close an important business deal.

In work it’s so important because your look can actually make or lose you money, so you need to look your best, so here are some tip tips to make sure you knock them dead.

Getting dressed for the office doesn't mean you can’t follow fashion look stylish or develop a personalized style.

Your aim is to project a professional, competent and dynamic appearance – You mean business is the impression you are trying to create and can handle the job at hand

The style colors and fit of your clothes choices will reflect in the way other people view your ability to do your job.
Below we have outlined some basic tips on how you can maximize your appearance.

1. Fit

Trousers need to be fitted and free of visible panty lines. Skirts, especially straight styles i.e. pencil skirts, should be loose enough to sit down in comfortably and not excessively tight. Clothes need to fit so be aware of size and dress within it

Jackets should to be buttoned and blouses shouldn't have gaps between buttonholes.

2. Traditional career colors include navy (trustworthy), grey (conservative) and black (chic & conservative) be careful of red especially in sales, it can be seen as aggressive and confrontational especially by other women.

Most of these colors work well in trousers, skirts and shoes and you can mix black with softer colorslike light blue, lilac, pink and stone.

Loud colors like bright pink and wild prints are more risky so be careful if you want to mix these in

3. Jewelry that jangles (hoop earrings and stacks of bangles that will indicate you are coming) are no, no. GO for minimal jewellery stud earrings or single bracelets and a nice watch.

4. Slouchy handbags look unprofessional and sloppy. Instead choose structured styles that project an organized and efficient image with sharp lines.

With other accessories don’t neglect them! Everything about you needs to project cleanliness and efficiency.

Manicured nails, run-free hose, clean polished shoes, styled hair. Make sure that everything creates the right look down to the smallest detail.

Looks never to worn to the office include:

6. Sexy clothes - Avoid - See-through garments, miniskirts, really high stilettos, designer labels and to much leather.

7. Clothes should fit correctly and avoid: wrinkled clothing, too many layers and baggy-fit clothing.

Dressing for the office is all about striking a balance between looking good stylish and also looking competent, organized and ready for business.

You can still look sexy in a subtle way, but the look is subtle and not in your face – That is the biggest mistake of all when dressing for the office.

Follow the above tips and get ready to knock them dead!

A great look will help you get ahead in your career and hopefully it will speed you along the career path you desire.

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