Dressing for Success

Arthur Ashe once said, "Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance." And true are his words in the corporate world. In order to make an impression you need to be able to deliver goods but the right attitude and image play an important role when you finally do deliver! It’s like icing on the cake!

Here are some things to be kept in mind while dressing for success:

• Your clothes SHOULD BE neat, ironed and clean
• Shoes should be in a good condition and clean. Men should polish their shoes as often as possible
• Your hair should be neat and clean. Styling should be conservative.
• Women - Lots of make up should be avoided. Wear light pastel shades. No make up look should be also avoided unless you have flawless complexion. Wear lip gloss and kajal if you prefer the no make up look
• Nails should be clean, neat and should be of reasonable length. Avoid very long nails.
• Skirts should be of conservative lengths and should not be too short. Preferably stick to knee length skirts.
• Heels should be low. It’s all about being comfortable.
• Teeth should be clean. Your smile says a lot about you!
• Carry tissue instead of a hanky. A tissue is cleaner and germ free as you usually dispose it after one use.
• Men - Shirts should be tucked in!
• Women - Avoid wearing gajras as much as possible.
• Women – Bindis should be conservative; not too big!
• Sun glasses should not be worn indoors. It is NOT cool and fashionable unless you work for a fashion house.
• Jewelry should be simple. Don’t come bedecked in diamonds and gold to work / interview.

Finally, wear your best smile and have confidence in yourself. You do not need to wear expensive designer clothes to make an impression. Clean, neat, conservative and ironed are the keywords to be kept in mind.

Dressing Table

Dressing YES	Dressing NO
Clean clothes, polished and clean shoes	High heels, sports shoes, slippers, colorful socks
Cut Nails	Jeans and other casual clothes
Combed hair and conservative hairstyle	Body piercing, tattoos that are visible
Conservative colors	Bright vibrant colors
Smell good – take a shower / bath before you go	Sweaty, un - bathed, straight out of bed look