Brian Maynor April 24, 2014

Remember trying out for team activities back in school? 

Along with the pressure you placed on yourself to standout and perform at your best you also had the stress from knowing current team members were watching and critiquing you throughout.  It could be quite unnerving, and now employers are adapting that same scenario to their hiring process.  Trial periods and/or projects are becoming more common with the specific intent of evaluating how well a potential employee performs and accumulates to the working environment. 

The process of auditioning for a position makes sense if you want to build the strongest team, and the same principle applies to your wardrobe.  Here is a new way to look at your clothes to determine if they work together to building a strong wardrobe:

1.    Tryouts.  Before diving wholeheartedly into a new style, trend or color palette, take the opportunity to try on different options while you are in the stores.  For example: pleats are all the rage for spring and summer, but there are a lot of mixed messages about pleats.  Will they make you look wider?  How many or how large should they be?  Do they impact the perceived length of the hemline?  Before you invest in multiple pleated skirts or pants it would be smart to know how well they work with other your current wardrobe and if you will actually wear them.

After you’ve found the right style, pick one moderately priced option for a tryout with your wardrobe.  Think about the other similar items you currently wear and find a new one that resembles them.  If you buy something for the first time that is totally different from your norm it will hang in your closet unworn and wasted.  You are more likely to wear something new if it feels familiar.  My suggestion when trying anything outside your comfort zone is to stick with a favorite brand.

2.    Track your progress.  Once you have introduced new pieces into your wardrobe keep track of how often you wear it in the first few weeks.  If you find that it works well with several outfits and you want to wear it frequently, then you should feel comfortable and confident adding additional pieces or investing in better quality ones.  However, if you only wear it one way or with one specific outfit, you either need to push yourself to expand the use, or make the decision that style does not work for you and move on.

3.    Only keep what works.  Trends are so short lived if you do not see immediate integration with your current pieces move on and save your time and money.  There is no need hanging on to something that you aren’t going to wear.  Having that whole will be motivation and justification for trying another option the next time you go shopping.

Treating your wardrobe like a job applicant may sound odd, but a lot of the same principles apply.  You are looking for team players that work well with others and perform at the set and expected standard.  Just like anyone can fake it through an interview, any piece can pass the dressing room test.  Before you invest, or cut the tags off, put it through a tryout and see how well it works with what you already have in your closet.

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

I am always curious to hear from you and what you see in the workplace.  Send your questions, comments and pet peeves to [email protected].   Also find each of these storyboards athttp://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.

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.