Do you judge people based upon what they wear? If you don’t already do so, you should start, because people are doing the same to you.

I know you’re thinking “How superficial; to say, judge people based on appearance”; so let me clarify. What I’m referring to here mainly refers to the workplace (if you’re lucky enough to have a workplace in these rough economic times). Based on my personal experience working in small businesses with casual attire, world-renowned law firms, and high level government agencies (Headquarters of Department of Defense and Department of State) with “The Suits” day in and day out, appearances are around 47% of how you are judged. Depending on your individual industry, it can be even more vital. Your competency at fulfilling your job responsibilities is important of course, but how your employer views you is also tantamount to your success.

Ponder this: The new biopic of Barack Obama is coming out in theaters soon. CNN reports that they have chosen Daniel Radcliffe (from the Harry Potter movies) to play Obama. Pretty ridiculous, right? Who in their right mind would believe Harry Potter playing Obama? No one. You’ve got to LOOK the part if you want to succeed in your career.

Wait, another newsflash! Nick Cannon will now play the part of Obama. Eh, a step up on looks, but still not quite believable that lil’ ole Mr. Mariah can pull off the President’s swag. My point here is that you can’t half-ass it. Doing so will only cast doubt in your employer’s that you only do enough to “just get by.”

If your career wardrobe fits well, has great shoes, and great style, you’re in there like swimwear. Just be on time to work and you’re on the fast track to that corner office….

FIT
Fit is key for any clothing or shoes you wear. It doesn’t matter how much your suit costs, nor the quality of the Italian wool comprising it if you are swimming in it and looking like you played dress-up in your parents’ closet. Nor is it cute, ladies, when no one notices your perfectly pleated linen pants because they are too small, your buttcrack is showing every time you sit down and your beautiful cashmere sweater fails to cover the muffin-top caused by the sqeeeeezin waistband. How are you going to explain how your computer screen broke because your pants button popped off with the force of a .22 caliber bullet after you ate that big lunch today?

Buy things that fit you. No matter what your size, there is a store to service your needs and still remain stylish. Rarely do things fit properly unless they are tailor-made, so a quick solution to that is to…take your things to a tailor! Seriously, Banana Republic does most tailoring for a $10 flat rate. Nordstrom’s tailors your purchases there for free. Also your neighborhood dry cleaners usually tailors for a small fee. There’s usually a tailor in every mall, you just may not have noticed or thought tailoring was an option for you. Clothes that do not fit well make you look sloppy and for all the effort you put into buying said clothes, ironing them, showering, makeup-etc to look your best, all that means nothing when the hem of your pants is dragging the floor and the shoulder pads of your suit make you look like a Goomba from the Super Mario Brothers Movie walking down the hall.

Not a good look.

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Shoes.

OMiGOD
Shoes …

SHOES
Now by no means am I saying develop a shoe collection to rival Carrie Bradshaw. However, you should update your work shoe collection every season. NEVER EVER wear cheap, low quality shoes to work. Let me be clear that neither price nor brand define a shoe as cheap, since it would be a lightning-strike-worthy lie if I denied shopping on sale racks. However, your shoes are what hold you up every single day, and having a good foundation is key to achieving any goal regarding your career. Take the time to invest in a few quality and attractive pair of shoes every season. Unless you have a job working at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Jimmy Choo may not be your zapato of choice, but there are several cute options available from stores like Nine West, BCBG, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Stacy Adams, etc. I find Endless.com to have the best shoe selection from every designer you can think of, and customizable searches so that you can find that “needle in the haystack” shoe amongst the 8 bajillion offerings that the internet has.

STYLE

Um … no.

Style is not something you’re born with, it’s something you learn and nurture and develop….much like your career. You obviously want to get a feel for your workplace culture before purchasing any pieces to update your career wardrobe. Wearing a suit every day is probably not a requirement for your job unless you’re an executive and the like, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with a clean suit that you feel stylish AND comfortable in. I, mean that IS the definition of a “Power Suit.” Everyone needs a few of those, not only for interviews, but for daily office wear as well. Why not dress up? Most people don’t like it because either A) they don’t like the style of the clothes they’re wearing; or B) Dress clothes can be uncomfortable. Well, Tailoring takes care of the uncomfortable part, but style is not something that everyone has. I’ve got a few simple steps to developing style for your work wardrobe:
1. Figure out your office culture. If everyone’s walking around with a suit on every day, it would behoove you, even if you’re the secretary, to hop on the bandwagon.
2. Assess your current wardrobe. Figure out what outfits you like that you already possess that match your office culture.
3. Look for style inspiration. Turn on E! Channel, people-watch on the Metro, or flip through some magazines and find some pieces/style combos you like. See if you have any similar pieces already in your wardrobe, and rip out the pages with items you want to buy.
4. Go Hunting. Look through the magazine and see if there are any paper or online coupons you can use to get discounts on those featured items. Find out when sales are going on in the stores by asking salespeople.
5. Also consider getting a store credit card. Many stores (like Banana Republic, Nordstrom’s, NY & Co.) have store credit cards that almost anyone can get. Often, they have loyalty programs that give you deals on exclusive sales and reward points and cash back for all your in-store purchases. Just be diligent about paying them back. Interest rates can be high on these cards, evaporating your savings. The easiest thing to do is make sure they have an online payment system and as soon as you return from your shopping spree, use your check card to pay off your store card.

On another note, while you’re reading those magazines, ignore one tip that all of them seem to give out: Jeans are a NO-NO for work. Unless you have Casual Friday and most of the office is wearing jeans, you probably shouldn’t incorporate them into your work wardrobe. No matter how stylish, embellished, cut, or dark, jeans scream everything except “PROFESSIONAL.” If you want to stay ahead of the pack (and that’s what you are doing already, simply by reading DMVUnplugged) don’t wear jeans to work, period. There are so many options to keep you stylish, and you don’t have to dress down to do so.

Oh and on one final note:

IF YOU HAVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, STAY AWAY FROM FOREVER 21.

Yes, I said it. That store is the kryptonite to your Superman/woman work wardrobe! For little accessories, maybe a cute necklace or bracelet, or even a scarf to complete your look, Forever 21 is fine. But PLEASE ladies, don’t waste your money on any dress-clothes from there! A night out at Tom Tom’s in Adams Morgan, completely XXI-appropriate ; but clothes that will be trendy and last through six months of washing, sorry Forever 21, you get the EPiC FAiL.

Understandably, not everyone is shopping on a Club Monaco budget, but you still want to purchase investment pieces for your work wardrobe. The cute sweater for $19.80 will look cute on the first wear, but after one washing, the fabric is pilling and you just look like Raggedy Ann. For $20 you could’ve gotten a wool/cashmere blend sweater on sale from Abercrombie or Banana Republic that’s going to last you much longer than one wear.

You still may be wondering, why are looks so important. Well, connections and networking is just as important as the qualifications on your resume. In a job pool of possibly hundreds of qualified workers (thanks to the recession) you have to stand out more than ever. Odds are, your biggest human capital assets are not going to be who YOU know, but who THAT person you know, knows. Your boss probably knows someone who could be the hiring manager for your next job. Whether you’re looking for a vertical or lateral move in your career, if the move is in the same industry you currently work in, in an interconnected city like DC, your boss probably has wayyy more useful connections than you. So when your supervisor is out attending a professional luncheon and his/her former colleague mentions a new position opening up in their firm/company/office, don’t you want to be on the tip of your current supervisor’s tongue? The trust and respect that your supervisor has for you is valued by their colleague as well. In order to recommend you, your supervisor has to trust that you will do the job well, but also trust that you will come on time to the interview, looking sharp and dressed impeccably. At this point, you’re not just a reflection upon yourself, you reflect upon your supervisor too and no one wants to be associated with lazy, sloppy, lacksidaisical people. Let your work speak for itself, and let your clothes speak for you.

Peace Outside

Meaghan Diana