Even when dressing down, it is important to keep in mind, on these business casual days, that you still need to be sharp. Since your external appearance can directly impact your daily performance, it is easy to feel sloppy at work when wearing more casual clothing. Here are some tips to maintain looking polished and professional:
1) Tailor your pants/skirts - properly fitting bottoms is key to not looking as if you’ve been playing around in your mom’s closet. As a petite girl myself (standing at 5′2″), I find that I need to hem most of my trousers, unless they are specified shorter lengths. I usually like my pants to show 1.5″-2″ of my heels, so that they don’t drag on the ground. My skirt hems come to just above my knees, since anything lower cuts off my legs, and stunts my vertical lines. Also, make sure bottoms are not too tight, since they can be distracting.
2) Wear a belt - this is usually the finishing touch on a work outfit. It pulls the whole look together, and is useful for more casual days to prevent looking too undone. Nothing too flashy: one brown and one black belt is enough for different color schemes, and they should have simple buckles. I’ve had an Esprit and Calvin Klein belt that I liked.
3) Heels! A classy look. There are many different heights to choose from nowadays. For pants, a 3″-3.5″ is fine. To balance skirts, I like shorter heels, nothing higher than 2″. I know flats are getting more and more popular now, but heels make me stand a little taller (which never hurts) and feel more professional. No patent leather or metallic colors, no open-toed shoes, and the tips should not be super pointy (these scream too sexy). I’ve found Nine West, Seychelles (padded footbed!), and Enzo Angiolini heels to be comfortable.
4) Do your hair - a girl’s hair is her crown, so why not make sure it’s clean and polished? A few minutes to brush your hair, clean up your part, straighten it, curl it into loose waves, add some shine serum, or matte down flyaways can help you look neater and ready for work. A simple ponytail also works to keep hair out of the face.
