Get decent underwear that fits.

It'll save you so much discomfort.

THE BUSINESS-CASUAL OFFICE

"Business-casual," that alleged liberator from sartorial constraints, is in fact one of the most pernicious things of the modern era, with its vague guidelines and changing boundaries and unspoken rulebook. It's the thing I get asked about most frequently. Obviously the unspoken dress codes differ from job to job, industry to industry, office to office, state to state. Now, I'm hesitant to give you a must-have list of basics because I don't think any two women's are the same. (Although everyone should get an ok-looking coat, if you don't have one.) But a few general thoughts:

· Ignore the "dress for the job you want" thing because with business-casual, the higher-ups are as at-sea as everyone else and besides, they can wear whatever they want. In any given office, you'll see a wild range of aesthetics and formality levels and total inconsistency and in short, it's confusing. Keep your blinders on and don't worry too much about everyone else.

· That said: don't be afraid get tips from your coworkers. This is how everyone in my office ended up wearing the Limited "Editor Pant," which was affordable and unstuffy-professional.

· Like I said, a "uniform" helped me. I got solid basics - blouses and skirts and black tights - from chain stores and had them tailored. I had one nice jacket to wear for businessy occasions. I got wool skirts for winter (Banana Republic Petites, mostly) and cotton ones for summer, and that was that. It could be pants. It could even be a dress. Whatever. I'm also all about establishing a color palette, but I'm crazy, so.

· Believe the hype: a decent jacket pulls you together like nothing else. This need not be cheap and it need not be stuffy: I had a horror of "blazers" for years until I realized I didn't need to look like a boy at a Bar Mitzvah. (See the bolero below for an idea of what I mean.) As long as it buttons and fits across the shoulders (and a snap or two between buttons does wonders for the former!) it'll look okay.

· Don't worry about impressing. Just stay neat. The office fashion-plate has a lot to live up to, anyway.

· While ideally you aren't buying an entire wardrobe all at once, if you are, think slightly more structured or officey versions of what you already like to wear.

· Add flair (not the Office Space kind.) This is the fun part of biz-casual. Once you have staples, you can add a nifty bag, a shoe, jewelry, what have you. This can be cheap. Although I sustained many an itchy neck in meetings from Forever21 necklaces, so be careful.

Let's look at some examples! What follows was, inspired by a friend, Elizabeth, who kind of has the balance down. She's a fan of the Wedding Present who reads Nietzsche for fun, but works for a finance magazine in a notoriously conservative city. In addition, she frequently has to be camera-ready.

You get the picture: it's a mix of prints (the dress, the blouse) and basics (the coat, the skirt) with enough personal touches (the bag, the jewelry) to keep it interesting. Classics are "enlivened" as we never actually say, with color. You'll notice the shapes are all pretty consistent, and because the color palette is too, everything works together. (And, in case you're wondering, almost all these items are under $100.)

THE OFFICE THAT'S ALL BUSINESS
While the most constraining, a serious office dress code takes a lot of the guesswork out of getting dressed. And while good suiting is expensive, it's a happy truth that many jobs that require it at least provide the compensation with which to purchase said suiting. I need not tell you that J. Crew and Banana Republic turn out sober suits at okay prices. A few other things to keep in mind:

· The old saw that, wherever you buy a suit, you should buy all the components - skirt, pants, the works (unless you're against either skirts or pants, that is) - is a big help. You'll match.

· The name of the game for suiting is tailoring, tailoring, tailoring, even on cheap suits. Any good dry-cleaner can do basic alterations.

· Think about replacing buttons — this can transform a fast fashion suit into something respectable for all but the harshest lighting.

· When in doubt, remember, per Chanel, that "refusal is all." If the neckline or the heel or anything at all is in question, just play it safe and go with the more conservative option.

· Get a haircut you like and keep it up. That's 90% of looking groomed, anyway. (Okay, maybe 75%.)

· Used is your friend! Suiting can be found on eBay and, even better, in consignment shops. Try "gently used," "tailored" and, of course, any brand you like as keywords. There's a lot of J.Crew and Banana Republic up there, too, and a little tailoring will make it yours.

· See the above and apply to shoes and briefcases.

· Cheap black looks less cheap than cheap brown.

· Yes, you may have to wear pantyhose. Just go with it.

· Ignore everything worn by Ally McBeal. The lawyers of Law and Order are okay, although sometimes their sweaters are a little form-fitting for the courtroom.

· If you want to do "fun suits," I'm afraid they'll usually need to be pricier. Plenty of labels (think Ted Baker or Tom Nguyen) make creative suiting that's still totally professional, but it's hard to get away with cheap and fun.

· "Businesslike" doesn't have to mean "mature." Just because you can, you don't need to wear pearls if you don't want to.

Specific ideas: I'm using as an example my friend Ajana, a lawyer in the NYC area with a lot of style who gets most of her staples from consignment shops, tailors them, and mixes them with affordable accessories. She likes purple.

IF YOU ARE A TEACHER
This is a notoriously tricky one, since one wants to preserve a nun-like state of modesty, not draw attention to one's clothes, and exude authority and maturity - all hard to reconcile with style.

· Avoid distraction in clothes or jewelry or flair - it's not like most kids need an excuse, or extra ammunition (depending on the age and the kids.)

· Unless you feel like it, that is. Teaching elementary school is one of the the only jobs, as my friend points out, where you can totally get away with a Christmas sweater. Or a fun necklace! Teens, however, are merciless.

· The good thing is, you will be revered or reviled regardless, so you can't really take it as a comment on your aesthetic. I remember a totally unfounded and deeply unfair rumor that one very modestly-dressed middle-school teacher never wore a bra. There was nothing she could have done to prevent this.

· Be consistent. I remember one science teacher (just out of college) who veered wildly between a suit and tie on some days, and jeans and a rugby shirt on others. This was highly distracting and mysterious. Most of my teachers, now that I think about it, did the uniform thing as strictly as anyone I've ever met, although we hardly noticed at the time - which is, I guess, the point.

Specific ideas: One of my friends, Catherine, who teaches high-school math, is especially genius at being totally adult while managing to be herself: she wears almost all vintage, or 40's shapes which, she says, are "flattering but inherently modest."

IF YOU WORK IN FASHION
In my opinion, this is actually the toughest one of all. If you work in a fashion environment, it's nearly impossible to keep up with the Wintours - you'd be broke. At the same time, people expect you to look the part. It's easy to either spend everything on a few "statement pieces" and live on Ramen, or else just give up. The thing I've heard over and over again from women in the industry - especially ones starting out - is that the easiest course of action is what I recommend in general: to develop a uniform of some kind - something that won't date, go out of fashion, or require too much thought. "Otherwise, I'd go crazy," says one who works for a big-name fashion mag. Black is always an option, as a million assistants and photographers can tell you. (Personally, I've always thought that if I ever had to work at Vogue, I'd promptly have four solid, identical dresses made in different sober colors, get a weird Colette haircut, and call it a day. ) Amber, who works in fashion PR despite "not being a natural fashionista," had a slightly different approach: she always - always - wears a plain white shirt, tailored men's-style trousers, and Oxfords. And yes, she looks awesome and takes all the guesswork out of it.

THE HOME OFFICE
For those of us who work from home, it's a constant struggle to maintain our dignity and humanity and not just give up, sartorially-speaking, and wear pajamas. And it's true: it does help to be comfortable when you're working at a furious pace and sitting all day. But we need not regress to babyhood: knits, jerseys and layers - over comfy underwear, of course - look okay even if you need to hit the deli or talk to Jehovah's Witnesses.

And do I recommend actually laying out your wardrobes, digitally or otherwise? Well, yes — for those of you who are visual (or neurotic), it's very helpful. However, we all know you're not all going to do that, so that's why we're here! Got an interview? A different career altogether? A meetup with an ex? A family reunion? Hit me up with a specific wardrobe query and we'll put our virtual heads together and give it more specialized thought.

What Your Clothes Color Says About Your Personality Type

A person’s clothes are the best way to find out about their personality. You can quickly tell if a person is timid and quiet or noisy and attention seeking just by looking at what they are wearing. To choose the right color – means that this color perfectly combines with your character, mood, style of life and it can make you look even more attractive and elegant.

Before you choose your clothes color for the day, think about how you want other people to see you and interpret your personality.

Here is some information about colors that will show how color of clothes affects personality:

- Red is symbolic of dominance, passion and sensuality. It is a color meant for bold and firm men who love to lead the world. If you want to make a distinctive fashion statement, red is the trick. The person who favors red wants his own activities to bring him intensity of experience and fullness of living.

- Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed. It’s a fabulous shade that can be found in almost every man’s cupboard. Blue is the least “gender specific” color, having equal appeal to both men and women.

- Black: The color of darkness is undoubtedly the most popular color in fashion. A man wearing black suggests elegance, authority and power. When worn properly, black clothing also conveys neatness, simplicity and great versatility.

- White clothing is a sign of virtue and can give you an extremely clean appearance. This obviously implies that your white clothing should be spotless. White clothing can also point towards a higher social status, and looks very preppy. It indicates purity and simplicity. It is the perfect summer color.

- Yellow is the color of beautiful sunflower. It conveys anxiety and alertness of mind. But do not forget it is also the color of deadly fire.

- Pink color usually suits to romancers, people who need tenderness. This color emphasizes their wish to meet new people. People who wear this color may often be emotional and selfish.

-Green comes from greenery. It is a color of nature with beautiful green leaves, fresh green vegetables. It represents freshness, relaxation and calm. Green is primarily a color of youth and hope. This is a color of persistent people, sometimes stubborn, accurate and critical, but they are always ready to give a helping hand, even to their detriment. Green color is calming, it helps to concentrate.

- Brown. This color is chosen by people, who are looking for cosiness, serene life and the feeling of safety. A wish to overcome a conflict, discomfort or depression is associated with a choice of brown color. It conveys reliability and trust.

- Gray is indicative of the fact tat you are a balanced person in life. It looks elegant and is considered to be brainy.

So, decide for yourself as in which type you are judging your personality traits.

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Date: 2014-12-21; view: 788