When you get invited to speak at an event or to deliver a presentation to your team, is ‘What should I wear?’ one of your first thoughts?
Knowing what to wear for any situation that’s even remotely formal can be really stressful on its own, but that stress is often compounded by our preconceived ideas about what we should wear.
I’m saying enough!
I’m going to challenge the ‘shoulding’ in this equation and empower you to dress in a way that makes you feel amazing and perfectly appropriate for the occasion.
Dress for you, no one else
When you feel great in your clothes, you automatically relax. You behave more authentically so the world gets to see the real you, rather than you in disguise!
Each one of us has different colouring, a different body shape and we suit different styles, so there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for an outfit for any given occasion.
And what makes matters worse is that we don’t get taught this stuff at school or college; we are left to figure it out by ourselves through trial and error.
Some women find their way fairly quickly and just seem to always look fabulous. But it’s not that simple for most women: shopping becomes a real drag, and they hide away in the same old black stuff thinking that at least if it’s black then it can’t be wrong.
It really doesn’t need to be this way.
You CAN bend the rules on what you feel you should be wearing to find outfits that make you look and feel like the very best version of you.
Know your style
I’d like to open your eyes to some more exciting possibilities that might just transform the way you approach your wardrobe.
But before you can know your style, you need to know what your options are. There are four essential style categories:
Classic – Smart, tailored and neutral.
Dramatic – Edgy, colourful, statement dressing.
Girly – Soft and pretty styles.
Natural – Casual and comfortable looks.
Whoever you are, whatever your colouring or body shape, you’ll suit a particular combination of these styles. Some women can wear all four in different proportions, while others find that one or two of the styles just doesn’t suit. them at all.
More than just looks
Sure, dressing well will make you look great. But more importantly the right outfit will make you feel more confident and enhance your wonderful personality. Delivering a presentation dressed in clothes that are perfect for you will not only make you feel more confident but also help you to build rapport with your audience.
Outfit Inspiration
Try out one of my formulas for dressing for an important business occasion:
- A well cut pair of trousers with a silky blouse and a beautiful necklace. This look is somewhat softer than a suit or a structured dress, but just as smart.
- A textured pencil skirt and a great quality T-shirt with a beautiful necklace. If your authentic style is more natural, you can get away with wearing a T-shirt for a more formal occasion but it needs to be great quality and dressed up with accessories.
- A blank canvas dress. This is an item that you can dress up or down to suit the occasion, but it is a fairly relaxed style. Check out my video on the subject for more inspiration.
So ladies please, please throw away any pre-conceived ideas of what you should wear and start tuning into the styles that make you look and feel authentic and gorgeous.
And if you need a helping hand, there’s good news!
I’m sharing exactly how you can ‘Get Your Style Sorted’ at a one day workshop on Saturday 3rd October. I’ll teach you how to decipher the styles and shapes that are right for you, how to perfectly accessorise your outfits and lots, lots more.
- Use Your Outfits to Boost Your Mood - January 11, 2024
- Guest article: What do your clothes say about you? - February 16, 2022
- Guest blog: Just use the lotion! (How to put yourself first) - April 1, 2021
