Working Life > Business Clothing

Right Clothing in Business

Definition, Explanation

Styling experts know that the choice of your clothing enhances your personality and expresses your attitude towards others. With your choice of clothes, you can influence how you are perceived by others. In business life, there exist certain dress codes, respectively, for certain occupations and positions, certain business- and professional clothing have established which to go along with is as essential for career as is appropriate behaviour.

Besides the typical uniformed occupations of doctors, flight attendants, policemen, chimney sweepers, also employees in certain sectors, especially in banking and insurance, have their defined looks.

Many of the rules for right business clothing apply to both women and men alike, while some of them are gender-specific. Dress codes, by the way, are independent of outdoor temperature.

Tips, Checklist

• Besides neat clothing, be sure to have neat, cultivated hair and hands. Long finger nails do not seem businesslike in the sphere of European culture
• Have a critical look at your clothing by yourself
• Ask your partner and friends how you appear and what you might better change
• Respect the dress code of your branch and company. Orient yourself by the clothing of your colleagues
• If you are an executive, you should set yourself apart from your employees, even with casual clothing
• If you are a regular employee, you should not dress more elegant than your boss does
• For casual clothes, components should be high quality: dressy jeans with a belt, fashionable shirt and neat shoes
• Indicate your function by your clothing: If you are a seller or adviser who is in permanent contact with clients, wear a suit. As a craftsman, wear a smock
• In top managements of big concerns, most formal business attire is required, comprising dark-grey, midnight-blue or black classical-cut suit and waistcoat. The shirt is pure white or pastel-coloured, with no fancy extras, socks are dark and match the colour of the suit, shoes are black and simple, tie and pocket square are decent-coloured. Jewellery is used quite sparsely
• When you participate in top-management meetings, also wear formal business attire
• Semi-formal clothing is appropriate if you meet clients. Allowed are suits without a waistcoat, combinations, patterned suits in any decent colour and shirts of various collars and colours
• Wear a plain leather belt that matches your shoes and fits in the look when the jacket is closed
• When you buy clothes, mind the following:
  • Consider, for whatever you buy, possible combinations and where you can wear it
  • Rather buy timeless-classic elegant clothing than modern trendy parts
  • When having bought new parts, dispose of old ones, keeping your wardrobe a collection of parts that you like wearing and that look good on you and that are well-combinable
  • For special occasions, rent the fine apparel. Keywords “tailcoat” or “gown” bring you some results in the Yellow Pages
• Follow wardrobe recommendations:
  • Black Tie or Smoking means for men a smoking, white shirt with a stiffened collar and double-button cuff-links, cummerbund, pocket square and a black bow tie. Women wear a gown with a stola and gloves or extravagant ensembles
  • White Tie or Tailcoat means for men a black tailcoat, a white dress shirt, white waistcoat, French cuffs and a white satin bow tie. For women, an evening gown.
  • “Cocktail” usually is on from 4 pm and means for men a full-buttoned dark suit, trousers with creases, a shirt and a dark tie. Women opt for the cocktail dress or trouser-suit or suit. For this occasion, shoulders, décolleté and legs may be uncovered
  • “Cut” is on until 3 pm. Men wear a stroller with striped trousers, grey waistcoat, white shirt and silver-grey tie. Women wear a long dress or a very elegant suit
  • Business Casual means for men no tie, combinations with decent patterning. For women, no dress but three-parts ensembles
• Get advice in special shops or from style advisers

Articles

• Laid Off? Check Your Look ... and Your Attitude; WSJ.com, August 28, 2009

Last update: 06/17/2010