A modern professionals guide to dressing for work
January 31, 2019
By Brian Maynor
The rules governing what to wear for work have changed a lot over the years, but that doesn’t mean we now have carte blanche to wear whatever we want.
It doesn’t matter how relaxed or formal the dress code is, deciding what to wear to work takes thought, planning and a little skill, because what we wear matters. Even if it doesn’t matter to us it matters to someone who is going to see us, work with us, or interact with us during the day.
Often people forget that others form opinions about us, our status, competency, professionalism and even level of respect based on what we wear. It doesn’t matter if you agree with it or not, the clothes we wear are a form of nonverbal communication, which we have complete control over and others interpret.
In a landscape of continuous change and ever increasing casualness, it can be more than a little frustrating pulling together an appropriate look for the job we have, the job we want, and the people we have to interact with every day. Here are a few tips to help you out by industry:
1. Finances. This industry is one of the last holdouts of a traditional dress code. When you’re dealing with money, it’s always better to err on the side of conservative and traditional. While you can work in some personalized accessories, the majority of the look should be classic, formal business attire.
2. Customer Service. The key to any successful customer service look is to project trustworthiness, which means being relatable to the customers. In order to achieve that, we have to know our audience, what they expect and what will make them feel comfortable. This usually means saving the avant-garde styles, loud prints and even high-end designer pieces for the weekend.
3. This industry probably has the most relaxed dress codes, and is even stylized for its lack of fashion sense. But no matter how relaxed or laid back the industry is, we still need to project that we care about our work, ourselves and jobs. That means putting some amount of effort into what we wear. Even if we choose to wear casual pieces, opt to elevate them
4. Probably the most fashionable industry, there are still boundaries and it’s important not to go overboard. There is a fine line between wowing and inspiring others with bold fashion choices and alienating them. The best advice is to stick to your message. Having a consistent theme to reinforce by the clothes we choose will help insure the message doesn’t get lost in the noise.
No matter what industry we work in, what we wear is important and an extension of ourselves. If we keep that in mind every morning when we’re deciding what to wear it will be much harder to go astray.
I’m always excited to hear from you, so please email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
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