Dress to Impress

I'm always interested in what other people is wearing to the fact that I could easily tell if the outfit is new. New clothes look more crisp and there is a certain glow on the person who wears it that made me just know that the outfit is new.

A gift perhaps? I don't know =) But that is definitely a winning ice-breaker. A simple and sincere acknowledgement on what the person is wearing, such as "That dress looks good on you, where do you get it?" or, "Is it new? The color really suits you," will always make that person blushed a little, and more often or not you will get the standard reply, "Tak adalah, murah je baju/kasut/handbag ni'". But their expressions could't lie. Just look at the brimming face, half smile - a sign that they are pleased that their good taste is being acknowledged and appreciated. You can be sure that you are definitely in their good books now.

Spending half of the day at work, I could not help but to analyze what people around me wear to work. I'm no fashion expert, but I just want to share here some of my observations on the dos and don'ts on office attire:

#1-No slippers – Flip-flop. Whatever you called it, I strongly believe that it should be banned at the workplace. It constitutes lack of seriousness and really sloppy – to be wear in the office. Can’t stand the high heels or need to be on your feet for a long time? Opt for full-covered flats or ballerina instead. It gives the casual / laid-back look and really comfy without compromising on your professionalism.

Flats in pretty hues =)

#2-To cover or not to cover – If one is wearing hijab, please make sure that all of the hair is neatly covered. Nothing is more irritating that to see strands of hair coming from the hijab - sangat selekeh okay. Feels like taking the person on the neck, while frantically pushing the hair back. (Scary thoughts, huh?). There is a reason why brooches exist, people! Another thing, please don’t wear the half-covered hijab style ala certain celebrity to the office. Instead of trendy, it shows that you are indecisive - nak tutup ke tak? Make up your mind!

#3-Do wear some colour – Just like dressing up for work, I do believe that you should have a distinct look for the office, going on casual outing etc. And it all can be done by applying some make-up. I respect the fact that some women wish to keep it simple when it come to this, but somehow we need to distinguish ourselves as career women from undergrads. A dash of colour, perhaps on the lips, would make you more mature and presentable at work. You don’t have to go all out. You can keep the rest au natural. It will take about 2-seconds to put on a fuss-free lip colour and to powder your nose. Believe me, it will make a difference. P/S: I once got to know a lady judge from Chile that even tattooed her eye line and lips because she is super busy and doesn’t have the luxury of time to reapply it every day!

#4-Keep it neat – Hijab ala Yuna seems to be the in-thing right now. Don't get me wrong, I love her music and style, but please keep it for movie-outings, dates what-so-ever. Not to the office. It is nice and trendy, but it has so many layers and too eloborate to be worn to the office. I find it is quite hard to focus on the person while communicating with them as the face seems to be 'drowned' in the layers of fabrics.

Love the look, but it is not for the office

#5-Bling-bling – From my opinion, baju bermanik-manik is okay for work. But then again you have to be careful not to over-do it. A heavily beaded kurung should be paired with a simple hijab or hair accessory. Not with those of equal shine. You'll ended up looking like a disco-ball!.

#6- Don't wear a blazer over a traditional outfit - let the beautiful kebaya or kurung or other traditional outfits to stand alone. Don't attempt to sport a 'professional' look by putting a coat or a blazer over it unless you are experiencing a super-chilly weather in a four-seasons country. Traditional outfit IS a formal outfit on its own. Don't mess up with its authenticity. And yes, you don't need to wear the blazer over your kurung to the Parliament. I know a lot of people think that it is required to do so.

#7- Mind your length! - Major fashion faux pas - to wear ankle-high stockings with a knee length skirt. I don't need to eloborate on this!

A quick search on the net, and I found this useful advice from Cynthia Nellis:

Your goal to getting dressed for work is to project a professional, competent image, regardless of your employment level or career path.The styles, colors, lengths and fit of your fashion choices will speak volumes about your ability to do your job.

Dress Like Your (Female) Boss - One of the best clues to company dress codes is what your boss wears. Just think about the styles that the highest-level woman in your organization wears and use them in your wardrobe.

I have my share of bad fashion choices for work as well, and still have it occassionally =p. But I think we need to be more serious in dressing up to work because it does not only reflects our own individual image, but also the image of the organisation that we are representing. The Swiss Bank was once being ridiculed for having a very detail dress code (44 pages to be excact!) for the employees in order to preserve their reputation. I believe that no matter how good you are in your job, you have to look like it too on the outside, especially if you are been giving the responsibility to represent your organisation for meetings, seminars etc. So ladies, let's dress for success!