Employment Tips
Its 6AM and the buzzer on the alarm goes off, I hit snooze and roll over on my back; I tell myself I will spend the next 7 minutes, that my snooze button has just granted me, thinking about what I am going to wear that day to work. I could wear those black pants and that white blouse again, but I just wore it last week on Thursday and today is only Tuesday, is it too close to the last time I wore it to repeat it again? I could wear that white skirt with the blue shirt, but that isn’t business enough is it and the neck line is a little low or is it? Inevitably the alarm clock starts buzzing annoyingly again, screaming at me to get out of bed this time or I will be late. Still haven’t figured out what to where: The story of my life.
Every one of us has been in this position at one point or another, struggling to make a statement about who we are at work and be taken seriously as an equal-partner in a business environment, yet at the same time wanting to be proud to be a woman and not wanting to be intimidated into hiding our femininity and the elements that make us women. Not to mention, we want to do all this while trying not to break the bank. In North America, Stats Canada, for example reports that while women may have the same education as men they are still somewhat less likely to gain employment than their male counterparts. Knowing our battle is already slightly uphill creates a sense of feeling as though every small element is factored into whether or not we can do the job as good as our counterparts. While a man can get away with a shirt, a tie, and a suit; a woman’s battle is slightly more complicated. Do we wear a dress? How tight can it be not to give the wrong impression? Can we wear a skirt and what hemline is appropriate? These choices however do not need to be so hard though if given some careful consideration. After all it is how we carry ourselves also that has the greatest effect on how we are perceived.
When looking in your wardrobe first and foremost we need to leave a lot of space for confidence and a sense of self. If you know who you are and what you stand for, getting dressed in the morning can be a lot easier because you know what message you want to send. Having key pieces in your closet is a must; a pair of well tailored black or grey slacks as well as a well tailored white button collar blouse. A pencil skirt is flattering on any body shape and for a business environment usually its best to keep it no shorter than two inches above the knee, navy blue is also a crisp classy colour that can be easily mixed and matched. Adding elements of colour through sweaters and accessories is much more cost effective and adds a lot of variety to your wardrobe as well as character to your style. For example, everyone has a basic black dress in their closet here are two ways to wear the same dress: Style One Classic: Black stockings with a classic black heel and possibly a string of pearls, will announce to anyone you are a serious business woman. Style Two A little Colour: Wearing opaque stockings with a coloured heel that also ties into the same coloured scarf and/or necklace says you know who you are and aren’t afraid to show it. At the end of the day no matter what industry you work in, it is important to be self assured and know that you can achieve any goal, the perfect outfit is only an accessory to the smarts and preparation you have put into landing that great job!
JID Management
