August 6, 2021

Workwear Tips & Tricks

Happy August everyone! This summer seems like it’s flying by so fast, am I right?! When we were in quarantine it seemed like everything was going by so slowly and now that we’re out of it, it’s going by so quickly. It also seemed like quarantine’s casual wear was going to still be a thing for 2021, but my personal shopping clients who are going back to the office have proven it wrong! It looks like some companies are still wanting a dress code of business casual, or even professional wear! Not only are people turning to thrifting because there’s nothing in the stores, but they’re also finding out that you can walk out of Arc’s Value Village with 7 bags full of items for maybe under $250 while on the other hand, when you get 7 bags from the mall = $1000+! 

 

At every personal shopping appointment, although I’m only with them for 75 minutes, I try my hardest to explain the “why’s” behind every piece so they truly understand everything including what to wear and what not to wear according to their body, complexion, hair color, etc. So let’s just say I make it into a workshop 😉 

 

With all of that being said, I thought I would post about some tips and tricks I give to my clients so you can utilize them too! So here we go: 

 

  • Exploring with color: If you’re scared of color or it’s new to you, there are ways to ease into it. I always suggest wearing it in your accessories such as jewelry, handbags or even your shoes! You can also try wearing it in your pants. If you want to jump right in and wear color in your top but then realize it might be a little too much, layer it with a darker color such as a navy or a black! Gives you that sense of comfort, or as I like to call it, a type of security blanket.

 

  • Exploring with pattern:  Everything mentioned above about exploring color ALSO goes for exploring patterns. Patterns can sometimes be a little more scary than color so I always suggest starting with some basic, year-round prints that will never go out of style so you have ample time to get used to it: Stripes, polka dots, floral, leopard print (yes, I consider this a basic pattern), buffalo check or a plaid, window pane or hounds tooth. Now if those patterns still seem scary, try a texture instead – a good go-to texture I always suggest is a tweed!

 

  • Branding yourself:  Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a business professional, you should have your own image so you can create a name for yourself. The saying, ‘Dress for the position you want, not the position you have’ is a real thing. Research has shown that people who dressed like a boss were more likely to be appointed and get promoted quicker. Additionally, one study found that people who were told they were wearing a doctor’s coat seemed to have more mental agility compared to the people who were told they were wearing a painter’s coat (source: Huffington Post).Some great ways to brand yourself is by having a signature piece in your closet and/or if you’re an entrepreneur, wearing your brand’s colors. A signature look could be fun shoes or a crazy hat. For guys, it could be a fun bow tie and a pocket square. By having one of those pieces on during a big meeting, speaking engagement or presentation, people will associate you with that look which allows them to remember you more so than others. You’ll see this often with tv personalities. Now when it comes to your brand’s colors, someone that has done a great job with this is Target! When you see red and tan together, how many of you automatically associate it with Target? I know I do, along with a lot of my clients! That’s good branding on Target’s part so who is to say that a small business owner or business professional can’t do the same?! 😉

 

  • Balance yourself out:  The majority of the time my clients talk to me about how they feel frumpy, especially for those clients that wear suits! The key is balancing yourself out. If you have a boyfriend fit blazer, wear a more form fitting bottom such as a pencil-like skirt or a skinny dress pant like an ankle fit. If you have wide leg trousers or something a little more flowy on the bottom, you want a more form fitting blazer that cuts in at your waist and curves with your back. You can also wear a nice top and tuck it in. This brings the eye in and defines your waist.

 

Being a business professional myself and now a creative director at my new branding agency, I could probably go on and on….but I won’t 😉 I’ll save that for your appointment – August availability is up and September will start to go up mid-August. You can book at https://www.arcsvaluevillage.org/shop/personal-shopping-service/

 

Hope to see you all soon! 

 

–Melissa

MHstyleconsultants.com / IG: @MH_style_consulting / Facebook @MHstyleconsulting