Seven Tips for Dressing for the Workplace

I once attended a workshop where the instructor stated that every workplace has a dress code, whether it is written down or not. She advocated writing it down because not everyone is as observant as one might hope.

Anyway, over the years I've developed some guidelines for looking professional in the workplace. And since your workplace probably does not have a written dress code, here is a starting point for you.

One Word: Grooming

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But I don't get it. . .
why isn't she smiling?

         

The scary thing is that customs and security agents are supposed to recognize this as the same person as in the previous picture.

I have hidden that picture from you for, lo, these many years. Aren't you glad?


And it really didn't take all that much to go from the before to the after. Both were taken on the same day within about half an hour of each other.

• Smile. It makes people feel like magicians when they can make your face transform into something beautiful. (Plus you'll scare fewer babies on the bus.) Caution: don't walk around with an open-mouth smile. People will compare you to Dopey.
• Comb hair and pull into a controlled style. 
• Wash face. (I have the dreadful habit of sleeping in my makeup.)
• Concealer and a little bit of neutral eye shadow, a soft fluff of blush, and mascara. I also always wear lipstick because I have no natural lip colour and people keep thinking I am dying. In this case, I painted carefully around the cold sore (so I wouldn't contaminate the lipstick). 

"Business Casual" does not mean "casual."

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Be presentable enough at all times that you could meet your boss's boss or your top client. Even in a relaxed workplace, as where I work now, you need to look pulled together. My rule-of-thumb for business casual is that either the top or the bottom can be casual, but the other half needs to be business dress.

Some examples:

• Jeans with a crisp white button-down shirt, or a jacket (but not a jean jacket), or a twin set.
• A more casual top (but still modest, of course) with dress pants.
• A fun-printed skirt with a tank top and sweater.

Just make sure the casual part is in good repair with no stains or rips.

"Sexy" is a four-letter word in the workplace.

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Cleavage? No.
Intentional hints of undergarments? Bad idea.
[Don't even consider going full Lewinsky!] 

Despite what shows like House and The Practice might indicate, dressing like Dr. Cuddy or Ally McBeal will not help you gain credibility in the workplace.

It's not a question of potential harassment; it's a question of showing off your best asset. If your best assets are your ass and cleavage, well then maybe the Dr. Cuddy look is your best route. However, if you want to be recognized for your brains, your work ethic, or your skills, then showing your curves is just . . . throwing a curve. [OMG, I am so funny!]

I will allow an exception to this guideline: you are allowed one saxy thang. As with the business-casual look, if everything else about your outfit is CEO-worthy, then you may slip in one small hint of sexy.

For example, if Dr. Cuddy's top were long-sleeved and slightly less fitted, she might be able to get away with that much cleavage (but without the lace showing). Or if the top showed no cleavage, she could allow her camisole to peek out the top.

Tread carefully, though. I once wore fishnet stockings with an otherwise staid suit and got several comments on it. Oops..

BTW, rule-of-thumb for decolletage: your top should come to two inches above your cleavage. If it doesn't, add a camisole.

Accessorize!

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The right scarf, necklace or ear rings can make an otherwise plain outfit stand out. I often buy a necklace or scarf at the same time as I buy a dress or suit. Not only is this convenient, but when the seasons change the available colours will also change.

Pearls and simple chains are timeless, of course, and can lift a simple dress to Jackie O status.

Just be careful not to overdo it. Choose which item you want to receive the attention. If you have a busy top, then skip the necklace. A patterned jacket and a patterned scarf may work well on the runway, but may make you look like a runaway train. [And they just keep on coming!]

Remind yourself that you are neither Gisele Bundchen nor Rachel Zoe.

Enjoy the trends, but invest in classics.

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A few weeks ago I saw a young woman wearing a trench coat in a Burberry-type print. I knew immediately that it was a knock-off because the stripes of the plaid were not lined up at the seams. She would have been further ahead to buy a decent trench coat in a neutral fabric.

Quality materials and workmanship will show.

On the other hand, some things are so trendy that you should not pay top dollar for them.

Dress for your size, not your fanta-size.

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As someone who has lost and gained more pounds than I care to admit, this is really hard for me. I hate buying a larger size! Hate it, hate it, hate it. But nothing says "overweight and gaining" faster than a too-snug top or pants.

I've also erred by buying clothes that I'm sure I'll fit into next month when I lose just a little bit more.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

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It happens to everyone: pantyhose slide down a silky girdle; coffee spills down a white blouse; a classic hairdo slides miserably during a job interview. As my brother commented on that hairdo post, "If it is any consolation, the guy interviewers were oblivious to your situation, and the girls would have totally understood and given you bonus points."

There are, of course, haters who will hate, but I always have great respect for anyone who can soldier through when things are falling apart. It says much about their characters.

Remember this:

This is what bravery and grace look like.

According to Lady Bird Johnson, who was also present, "Her hair [was] falling in her face but [she was] very composed ... I looked at her. Mrs. Kennedy's dress was stained with blood. One leg was almost entirely covered with it and her right glove was caked, it was caked with blood – her husband's blood. Somehow that was one of the most poignant sights – that immaculate woman, exquisitely dressed, and caked in blood."

Source: 40 of the Most Powerful Photographs Ever Taken

Happy Dance!

Yippee! I start next Wednesday as Communications Manager at a high-tech organization with its headquarters here in Ottawa.
 
In a previous post, I mentioned that I had been offered a short-term ("casual") government position in the health sector, and that paperwork was already under way for that job. So I called them today to let them know that I would, regrettably, not be taking that job. I offered them the name of a friend who happens to be an excellent communicator and works as a contractor/consultant, and who might be able to help them out with some of their projects. Unfortunately, I had to do all that in voicemail, and they haven't called back yet.

The job I've accepted is the one described as Job 2 in my previous post. It looks like a demanding job, with plenty of satisfying challenges for me and even some travel opportunities (I'll be in Toronto on November 24 and 25). And the fact that I can start almost immediately is perfect as well. I've missed having my own income and all the extras that it brings for the family. Not to mention how it will take the axe to the pool costs. Oh, and have you noticed how close we are to Christmas?

So I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief this afternoon.

And you'll never guess how I plan to celebrate when I get my first paycheck.

Cleaning services. Yup. I hate cleaning floors and bathrooms, but even more than that, I hate dirty floors and toothpaste-scummed sinks and mirrors and revolting toilets. When I am unemployed, I do the work myself of course, but when I have the income, I am only too happy to let someone else do the job.

So - happy dance!

Pout.

Well, I finally heard back from the employer who interviewed me while my hair was doing reverse acrobatics. As you can tell from my title, I did not get the answer I was hoping for.

Here's what happened: they evidently wanted to offer me the job, but there was some internal budgetary ball-tossing and, essentially, no one was able to pick up my salary. Sooooo, the job does not exist as advertised.

While this is the kind of thing that one hopes they would figure out ahead of time, I've been in the position of hiring contractors before and know that sh!t happens. And I kind of figured, by how long it was taking them to get back to me, that the news was not going to be good. Honestly, I'm glad to hear it was an internal difficulty and that I hadn't mis-read the dynamic in the room, because I really had the impression that we all agreed that I would be a good fit for them.

I did take the opportunity to offer my services as a freelancer, and the manager seemed pleasantly surprised that I would consider this and sounded interested. (Hey, income is income! That pool ain't gonna pay for itself!) He also said he would shop my resume around to other managers, which is good news for me. Because you never know.

So, the bottom line is I still have a little more time to hunt for my work shoes (they're in the basement somewhere!). And if you hear of any interesting opportunities (short- or long-term), please do let me know.

How much is the stress worth?

Steve likes to say that the extra pay you get with career advancements is for the extra stress that comes with the greater job responsibilities. I'm inclined to agree.

I've been blessed to have a relatively stress-free job for the past four years, for the most part. There have been periods where the work load was heavy or the responsibilities were daunting, but those were sporadic. And, if I'm honest, they were the periods I enjoyed the most! I've found it far more grinding - and harder to get up on Monday mornings - when the days are slow and predictable.

As I've been idly scouring the Ottawa job market for communicators, I've been tossing around the question of how much responsibility (read, "stress") do I want? Part of me likes the idea of applying for "writer" or "communications officer" positions, which are below my qualifications but would be jobs that I could do with little or no stress. Another part of me looks at the more senior positions and thinks, "I could do that!" and relishes the challenge.

Which brings me to the question of "good stress" versus "bad stress." I happen to believe that some kinds of stress are actually productive and can be energizing. A 2004 article at management-issues.com supports this, in terms of your immune system. The article states that short bursts of stress can actually help your immune system.

"But long-term stress such as an injury or trauma that caused permanent or life-changing damage, such as having a long term disability, losing a partner or spouse or being abused as a child, appeared to wear out the immune system, leaving people more prone to infections." Read the article here.

Another site says,

"Positive stress--known as eustress--is what helps you write your best report, ace your tennis game and deepen your relationships." It goes on to say, "You don't have to eliminate stress so much as manage it--to determine the level that's optimal for you."Read the article here.

I guess "eustress" is what I'm looking for. I liken it to "hypomania" - that condition where you aren't truly out-of-control manic, but you're full of energy and enthusiasm. And I think, for me, that means I need a challenge. But I'll also need to learn how to manage that stress.

What are your tips for managing stress? What would you choose: higher stress or lower stress? Will choosing more stress just send me to an early grave? Share your thoughts.

Air head

It's happened, just as I feared: I have nothing to say. I was so excited when I started this blog, thinking that something must happen in every day of my life that is worth sharing with you.

But I have to admit that my life is really rather boring. It's pretty much conflict-free, and everyone knows that conflict is what creates the drama in any story.

• I was going to write about my diet failure today: I ate 3/4 of a panini for lunch, then had a piece of birthday cake to help celebrate a colleague's special day. (Yeah, right, I ate the cake so he would feel better. As if.) But that's just too depressing.
• I thought about writing about our breakfast-for-dinner inspired by a friend's Facebook post about bacon. Instead I just posted a reply to his post. More appropriate.
• Our cat, Elly, is adorable and started licking my arm after she finished her own bath; she almost inspired me to write about her. But that is a little too old-cat-lady-ish. (Won't stop me from posting her picture, though. Isn't she sweet?)
• I could write about my nascent job-hunt in Ottawa, but that really hasn't started in earnest, although I've actually applied for two government jobs and I check the new listings daily. And I've spread the word to friends and former colleagues that I will be looking for work. But it's still too early to be taken seriously, I think. What do you think? Is it too early? We won't be "up and running" in Ottawa until about mid-August, though I could fly up earlier and let the family join me later, for the right job.
  

So, from today's meanderings there are four topics you could comment on: diet struggles, bacon as an all-day food, cat-lady tendencies, or timing of the job hunt. Weigh in!

(Sorry about that pun. But I'm leaving it there anyway.)