All Business – Style Six

It’s Wednesday and that means I’m joining my Style Six sisters sharing our fave thing….fashion and each other! Today I’m all business but that doesn’t mean it won’t be fun. Grab your favorite look and link up.

As much as I love a great pair of faux leather leggings and some over the knee boots, I still equally love a professional look for the office. In my younger days a suit was truly my preferred look along with a killer pair of heels. Although the office environment has relaxed quite a bit in recent years, I still gravitate towards a look that is all business when my calendar is full of meetings or a presentation is on the agenda.

One of my major roles in my job is capital planning and while I work on the funding side, many of the meetings I attend can be technical in nature. We convene to review the future plans for new buildings and large scale renovation projects as well as manage a $22M deferred maintenance budget. In the majority of these meetings I’m the only female at the table.

So while I want to be taken seriously, I also love to have a great outfit. Dressing professionally and pulling a look like this together gives me confidence and makes me feel more sure of myself. Over the years I’ve had to shift a little as my body has changed and my hips grew a little wider. A pencil skirt or sheath dress is no longer the easiest to pull off so I definitely look for pieces with a little more of an a-line cut and enough stretch in the material to keep me from feeling too restricted.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I always have for women, or really my boys too, at the beginning of their career is to dress for the job they want to have one day. Even at 24 when I was fresh out of college I shopped the sales at the end of each season and grabbed business clothes that were timeless for my closet. It really only takes a few pieces of basics to create a professional closet for those days when you know you need to make a great impression. Some of my favorite places to shop for suiting separates are Express, Ann Taylor (40% off right now) and White House Black Market.

Building my confidence in the workforce has definitely helped advance my career. It is just a fact, the higher up you move in an organization the more you will sit at the table with your male counter parts. Even outside of the office in professional organizations and philanthropy boards the male presence is larger. Dressing in a way that makes me feel good about myself goes a long way to allowing me to feel comfortable and confident enough to share my thoughts even when I may be the only female voice in the room.

So while I’m all for the yoga pants, unless you are a fitness instructor if you want to be taken seriously taking pride in your look is important. Whether your role is CEO or you are volunteering at your child’s school, presenting yourself in a way that is reflective of how you want to be perceived can make a difference. Unfortunately during our first interactions perception is reality so I really do try to make a good first impression.

All this being said, it is pouring down rain today and with zero meetings on the calendar it is very possible I’ll be trading in my suit for my red rain boots, a cozy sweater and some black jeans!

Do you find some confidence in the way you dress when faced with your different roles?

Shop the Look

Now it’s your turn to link up a look you love! In the spirit of office looks, my pick from last week is coming from Fonda at Savvy Southern Chic. This girl knows how to wear a blazer like no other and is always showing off ways to look professional even in a more casual work environment.