Dressing for Success

Courtesy of Instyle Fall 2010 Fashion Trends

Business Casual. What does that mean? Two years ago I switched industries from a casual retail management position where I literally wore jeans and sweat pants to work and dove into entrepreneurship where I had to quickly grasp the meaning of dressing "business casual". Apparently you look more sophisticated when you're not donning sweats and flip flops. I don't know, it was new to me. Now, I figured if I was at a loss for how to dress to impress in this category then I'm sure there are many others who feel the same way. And after two years of mastering this game (once I figured it out) I have to say that yes, there are MANY out there who might like a few pointers. So over the next few days we'll be chatting about how to make your work attire work for you, without looking stuffy, trashy or boring. 

Today we'll start with the rules. Thank you to all who participated in helping me come up with these. There are a multitude of other Do's and Don'ts but these have been hand selected by the crew at Live the Dream (my other love) to kick things off. 

The Top 12

1. Invest, Invest, Invest.

2. 100% Polyester is usually not an option either. It flatters no one. 

3. When in doubt accessorize with pearls. Jackie O did and look where that got her. 

4. The shoes and the bag DO make or break the outfit in nearly every case so choose wisely.  

5. Spend more, buy less. (especially in shoes and coats and in neutrals or reds).

6. Trends don't always work in the business world…this will be a fun topic for later in this series…but classic is always classy. Leggings and jeggings will be covered. (Thank you, Erin for your input). 

7. Find a fashion icon (a good one, I'd steer clear of Courtney Love) you admire and ask yourself, would they wear this? I love to ask myself, “Would Grace Kelly or Jackie O approve?”

8. Accessories in proportion. FYI: cell phones are not accessories. Not now, not ever so don’t even try. This includes blue tooth pieces.

9. Less is not more in the length category however way more isn't so stylish either. (I do know that floor length maxi dresses are trending but ankle biting fabrics are not.)

10. Certain patterns and colors are only ok when in certain patterns and colors. Example: the fabric you used for your country rose colored hand made pillow case should never be seen in another form such as a dress or really any piece of clothing. And to be honest we should probably talk about tossing the pillow cases.

11. Sequins, studs, and embellishment of any kind can be done in ultra fashionable and up to date ways (think J.Crew, or Bebe and the new must have, a sequined cardigan or blazer) but the perfect planning is necessary. The day of the flasher is over and never was appropo for the business world anyway.

12. Gentlemen, when in doubt look to the studs of the series Mad Men for your iconic garment inspiration…it won’t be hard to attain these pieces nor will they be extremely pricey since they are all outfitted by the geniuses at Banana Republic. LOVE.

Tune in tomorrow to tackle the topic of Investing in your wardrobe. In the mean time, visit the poll and tell us: Which piece of clothing would you most like to invest in? 

-The team at Chandelier Skies.... (this now includes my husband who has much to add on these topics!)