Archives for September 2018

When you see one of these style faux pas, you know it’s wrong to stare, but you just can’t help it. Some blunders are not so noticeable, but others are glaring.

In professional settings the time has come that managers and HR departments are paying the price for the creation of “business casual” attire. When business casual became popular, it fulfilled its purpose: helping some employees relax from the matched suit day after day. It was usually just for Fridays, but over the decades, it has become everyday, and from what I’m seeing and hearing, in some businesses, it’s often weekend wear seven days a week. Oh my, that wasn’t the intention. Now we see sloppy, dated, ill-fitting clothes every day. Here is a list of some of the worst image “killing offences.”

Women:

Leggings are not pants – even if you do have a nice tush.

Head-to-toe trend or designer – wearing any animal or flower print from head to toe, including accessories. Wearing Michael Kors everything doesn’t show style; its shows that you don’t know what personal style is and you need to borrow it. This also communicates that you are more about fashion than business.

Flip-flops – only appropriate at the beach! Unless your office has sand in lieu of carpeting, leave the flip-flops at home.

Over accessorizing – putting on all your favorite and then some doesn’t make you appear serious for business and will be distracting to everyone.

Too much make-up – totally distracting, and with all the free videos and advice available at one’s fingertips, completely avoidable.

VPL – with all the billions of dollars women spend on undergarments, why in the world would you not take the time to avoid all those lines? It’s distracting, especially to the opposite sex. This photo also shows the hazard of too tight clothing, a caution to being mindful of what your image is telling others about you.

Men:

White socks with leather shoes – need I say more?

Dress shirts not tucked in.

Know the difference between a dress shirt and a sport shirt, and wear appropriately.

Avoid clunky, rubber-soled, square-toe, unpolished or fake leather shoes.

Both Men and Women:

Price tags on the bottom of your shoes? . . . Really?

Cut your vents! That big X sewn across the vent of your jacket, blazer or coat is only for shipping purposes- it is not a style detail. I see this more often than you might think, so much so I’m going to start carrying a tiny scissors to snip it when I see it!

Lack of tailoring. It’s true – if you spent $1,000 on a suit or dress and wear it without tailoring, it will look like a cheap suit. Tailoring is so key, it can also make a $100 suit look like a $1,000 bucks.

Poor grooming. The quickest way to miss out on opportunities is to not take this seriously. Hair (on the head and anywhere else it grows where others will see it), teeth, skin, breath, nails, brows.

This faux pas list could be much longer, but I wanted to give my top picks and what I see most often in offices across our city. My advice is to always be mindful of the message you are communicating as you walk through your life so that you avoid killing your image.

ABOUT TRACI MCBRIDE: TRACI IS THE WARDROBE STYLIST AT TEEMCBEE IMAGE CONSULTING. SUBSCRIBE TO HER NEWSLETTER, SCHEDULE A STYLE STRATEGY CALL, OR REQUEST TEE SPEAKS TO INFUSE YOUR ORGANIZATION WITH PASSION AND STYLE.

We spend our lives investing — investing in a belief system; investing in relationships, from romantic to partnerships, and our children; and investing in life experiences. Although those investments are not financial, they are time investments — a commodity nonetheless.

Throughout our lives we are also investing in our skills, education, training, and knowledge, expecting a return on investment. When we take a course to learn a new skill, such as a new language, we expect it to help us communicate, perhaps while traveling in that country or to receive a promotion at work or to build our resume and make us more desirable for other opportunities. Obviously if you get that much out of learning a new language, it pays off in so many ways. Likewise, when you invest in professional support, such as a CPA, Realtor, business consultant or health coach, you have a expectations of having benefits to save money, choose the right area to live in, make more money, and improve your health.

If you invested in college (or if you parents did), you did so to become a well-rounded individual in order to make a difference in the world and earn a living for your entire life. When we invest our time, energy or money in anything, we expect something in return. Even with the simple act of purchasing a ticket to the movies, we expect to be entertained for our investment.

We invest in grooming (nails, hair, skin etc.) to look our best and feel good. Americans invest billions of dollars in clothing. Yet most do not have a plan for the return on investment (ROI) and hardly even think about it. We randomly purchase whatever is on the mannequin at the local mall – not giving any thought to how that investment will pay off. We shop the latest trends or stock up from the clearance rack without a plan. I often watch teens and 20-somethings shop, and I can tell no one has ever taught them to be mindful consumers. It is a skill that is not being taught to the up-and-coming consumers.

I would like to suggest being mindful of what you are investing in. Do you want to just purchase a fad item ($25) for the summer (divided by five wears equals cost per wear of $5), knowing it will have a quick expiration? That’s fine, but what are you willing to invest and what do you expect to receive for that investment? Are you mesmerized by a leather motorcycle jacket for hundreds of dollars or will a faux version be a more practical investment?

Purchasing a men’s suit ($500-plus) is a substantial investment; knowing the right style, fit, and color is important to know up front. What criteria do you use to decide if it’s the right investment? Wear it one time a week for five years equals CPW $1.92, plus dry-cleaning it one time a month equals $180 a year divided by 52 equals $3.46 CPW.

Do you get overwhelmed in your closet not knowing what to keep and what to shed? Do you find you often have buyer’s remorse? Value, not price, is the best focus when shopping. Perhaps investing in a wardrobe stylist is your next step. Want to invest in your personal brand? The key to being successful and reaping the benefits of a clear message that is communicating 365 days a year is to have a professional support you in what you are visually communicating. Learn what you want your visual branding to communicate and know how to do it with the right cuts, colors, fabrics, and a multitude of other details.

Suggested criteria for investing in your closet:

1. Will this create five or more outfits from what I already own?
2. Is it in my power color palette?
3. Realistically how often will I wear this item?
4. Is this item a transitional piece between seasons?
5. What is the quality; have I ever owned this brand and how did it hold up?
6. Does this item need special care? Am I willing to take care of it?
7. Is this a classic from which I can get years of wear?
8. How do I feel when I wear it?
9. Do I need to invest more into this item to make it fit properly?

ABOUT TRACI MCBRIDE: TRACI IS THE WARDROBE STYLIST AT TEEMCBEE IMAGE CONSULTING. SUBSCRIBE TO HER NEWSLETTER, SCHEDULE A STYLE STRATEGY CALL, OR REQUEST TEE SPEAKS TO INFUSE YOUR ORGANIZATION WITH PASSION AND STYLE.