Why is personal appearance one of the most important aspects of a professional brand?
Professional branding has become and continues to be, a buzzword in career progression; encapsulating the elements of competency, attitude, communication and appearance.
The last element in that list, personal appearance, is the only aspect which is a) consistently within your control; and b) can be edited swiftly. Competency, attitude and communication skills take some time to prove.
What is the most important thing to remember when putting together your personal image?
When considering this issue, the most important thing to remember is that image in the workplace is not maintained by spending money, but by spending time on outfit creation and organisation.
Cost-per-wear is the most important factor when purchasing any item, but it is even more crucial when you wear these pieces the 262 work days in a year; far more than occasion or casual items.
Where does one start when it comes to office attire?
Start with what you already have in your closet for a corporate workplace. If you have to ask yourself the question “can I get away with this”, the answer is no! Then, make a list of missing items that would enable you to create new looks from existing pieces.
What do people need to put together a proper professional wardrobe?
This is how you begin to create a capsule wardrobe, by aiming to have a definitive collection of items that mix and match with each other, optimising both the number of outfits and the potential to re-wear individual pieces in lots of different ways.
For most people, to create a capsule wardrobe for work, you'll need the following:
Women
Buy these 12 items to create 40 looks – that’s eight weeks of work!
1 coat + 2 jackets + 3 skirts / trousers + 6 tops
Men
3 suits + 9 shirts + 7 ties
Any tips for style and colour?
For women, you will notice that there are no dresses on my list. Dresses work well for the interview stage, but don’t offer any mix and match options for a capsule wardrobe, therefore, they’re off the list.
For men, when purchasing suits, it’s a good idea to buy two pairs of trousers for every suit jacket. This means fewer trips to the dry cleaners and less fading of the trousers compared to the jacket, since the jacket sits on the back of your chair for a large part of the day anyway. Also, by in odd numbers to optimise rotations.
Navy is the most advisable colour to purchase, alongside pastel shirts and then brighter ties to add some interest and variety. Ties are the most cost-effective way to change your look and update a suit and shirt.
Purchasing the above items, or indeed sourcing them from your wardrobe, is not enough to create that capsule of looks. Allocate some time to work out the combinations and rotations that will maximise your options for the work week ahead.
Remember that the ultimate aim of the game is to afford yourself a consistency in image that reflects your competency and skill in the workplace.
Laura Jordan is the founder of StyleSavvy.