What Are You Wearing to Work?

One of the most common mistakes people make with their work wardrobe is dressing in a way that is too casual. Yes, it is comfortable but it can also portray you as someone who doesn’t take their work seriously. For example, if you visit your financial planner on a day where she is wearing clothing more appropriate for the beach, you will wonder if she will make appropriate decisions with your money and most likely take your money elsewhere.
Take a look at this picture. This mannequin is wearing a t-shirt and skirt paired with my version of a fancy flip flop. She looks great but is dressed in a very casual way.

Based on her outfit, what does she do?

A sales clerk? A Mom running errands? Someone on their day off?

Now look at this picture. This mannequin is wearing the same outfit paired with a jacket and more professional shoe.

Based on her outfit, what does she do?

Interior Design? Architect? Marketing expert? Web Designer?

Putting on a jacket and heel took a total of 3 seconds. What a difference it makes. Her new look is still casual but much more professional, giving her and her business credibility and interest.

What are you wearing to work?

If you feel overwhelmed by this season’s multitude of trends, concentrate on these 5 key pieces for Fall. These pieces add versatility and “trend” to your existing wardrobe.

This Season’s Most Versatile Pieces:

1.      Scarves- Scarves are a very fun wardrobe addition because they offer a fun and sophisticated pop of color to an outfit, and can also be used for the functional purpose of warmth. They can be worn many different ways and look great paired with dresses, jackets, cardigans, and tops.

2.      Jacket or Cardigan- Wardrobe pieces like a jacket or cardigan instantly tie a look together, making you look more put together. Pair a jacket over your favorite summer tank or dress and you’re ready for fall.

3.      Belts- Try wearing a belt at your waist or at the narrowest part of you. Belts help define your shape, add visual interest, and allow you to give wardrobe pieces different looks.

4.      Tights- Tights are an underrated accessory that you will see everywhere this fall. They add pizzazz and style to an outfit. Go bold with a contrasting color, or chic with a tonal patterned tight.

5.      Boots- When you put on a pair of boots you are ready for fall. They are one of the most versatile shoes you can own because you can pair them with skirts, dresses, and pants.

Let Charleston Style Concierge help you build a wardrobe that is versatile and fun for every season. Contact us by visiting http://www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com.

Getting dressed can be quick and easy. Look great in ten minutes or less with these time saving style tips from Charleston Style Concierge.

1.      Get rid of clothing that doesn’t fit. Clothing that doesn’t fit tricks you into thinking you have more outfit options that you do. When you’re not happy with an outfit, you’ll take it off and start again wasting precious time.

2.      Edit your closet at least twice a year. A closet edit helps you know exactly what you have so you can put together outfits quickly.

3.      When adding pieces to your wardrobe, be a disciplined shopper. Only purchase items that can easily be mixed with your existing wardrobe.

4.      Hang pants together, shirts together, skirts together, etc. This helps you walk into the closet and grab an outfit easily.

5.      Take pictures of outfits you love. Put them in a Look Book as a reference for fool proof outfit ideas.

Charleston Style Concierge is a personal styling company that teaches women how to get dressed in ten minutes or less. For more information, visit http://www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com.

What to Wear This Fall

Join us for a fabulous feminar and discover

how to transition your summer wardrobe into fall.

Wednesday, September 16

 6-8 pm

Mary Mojo Boutique

1405 Ben Sawyer Blvd.

During this feminar you will discover how to:

• Transition your summer wardrobe into Fall.
• Make YOUR wardrobe more interesting and versatile.
• Make Fall trends work best for YOU!
• Get more miles out of your current pieces with simple accessories.
• Create one cohesive “year round” wardrobe.
• And much MORE!

The feminar will be offered by Lee Heyward of Charleston Style Concierge and hosted by Mary Mojo Boutique and The Shoe Fairy

This fun feminar is free of charge. Light refreshments, discounts, and door prizes will be offered. Style experts will be on hand to assist you with any and all things fashionable for Fall!

Click the link below to reserve your space today!

http://www.getgreatstyle.com/feminar.html

As you build your work wardrobe, it is important to think about which pieces you need to invest in, and which pieces you can save on. Investment pieces for work are a great suit, jacket, dress, classic trouser, and classic skirt. You can save and be more budget friendly with blouses, shoes, and accessories.

Your investment pieces are the ones that are:

1. The highest quality you can afford.
2. Wearable for at least three seasons of each year.
3. Compatible with many other pieces in your present and future wadrobe.
4. Timeless in style.

If you remember these parameters you will start to build your core wardrobe. The investment pieces are basics that you should spend most of your clothing budget on.

“The basic wardrobe is the core of any fashion scheme, and it is hard to be consistently well dressed unless some all-over plan built around such a core is used. The items in the basic wardrobe…are the really good things you buy to wear for a long time and to combine with other things that may be more frivolous and of the moment.”

-Todd Lyon

Bamboosa can help you go green in style. Enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Bamboosa and discover the comfort and style of bamboo. This eco-friendly clothing line offers products for men, women, and baby. All of the products sold by Bamboosa are made right here in the USA.

Click here to enter!

Bamboosa is committed to being a responsible company and uses all recycled packaging, hangtags, and printed materials. Learn more about the comfort and style of bamboo by visiting www.bamboosa.com, but first enter to win your $50 gift certificate.

Stay up to date with what’s new at Bamboosa on Facebook and Twitter.

Entries will be accepted the entire month of July. One lucky winner will be randomly chosen on August 1, 2009 and notified via email. Good luck!

Success is made up of multiple factors, but the way you dress plays a big role in the lifespan and path of your career. Studies show your appearance can even influence the perceived quality of your work. A go-getter assistant who’s always wearing a tailored suit will be thought of as highly promoteable, whereas an equally ambitious woman who has poor clothing might not be thought of at all.

We live in a very visual society. It takes 7 seconds for someone to form an impression about you. In that short timeframe your potential boss or client can actually determine your career path. From your appearance alone they’ve decided whether or not you are competent and someone they want to do business with, or a flake that cannot be trusted. It’s harsh, but true. We all make snap judgments about people. It’s human nature. The way you present yourself, from your handbag to your hair, creates a thumbnail sketch of your character.

And that sketch is always subject to instant interpretation by your colleagues, potential bosses, and clients. So dressing for success is an important part of making success a reality for you.  

Whether you own your own business, or you are the receptionist at a giant corporation, at work you ARE your brand. And your look IS your logo. You are telling people what you do simply by the way you look.

To learn more about how to dress for success download our free seminar on “How to Dress for Success on Any Budget.” Charleston Style Concierge is a personal styling company comitted to making women feel more confident through personal style. Contact us to determine what your clothing says about you.

• Choose organic: Hemp is NOT the only choice anymore! Organic and alternative fibers have come a long way since the 70’s. Support clothing lines and textiles made with organic cotton, organic bamboo or other sustainable fabrics. Look for organic certifications online and hangtags and labels that say organic. Organic clothing materials come from plants that have not been radiated, genetically modified or treated with synthetic or chemical pesticides. Any product labeled organic has to meet national standards set up by the United S­tates Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Buy less, but better: Quality clothing last longer, washes and wears better. Buying one top that won’t shrink or twist after washing is worth a few extra bucks and makes it a favorite for comfort and look. Also, over-washing your clothes not only wears down the fabric, it wastes water and can introduce excessive pollutants into the water stream. Wash less often and try wearing bamboo fabric , which is naturally antimicrobial and therefore won’t hold odor.

• Look for less chems: Raw materials that aren’t treated with pesticides have been shown to produce organic and natural fiber products with a longer lifespan and durability. Look for clothing lines not treated with bleach and dyed with low impact dyes. Low impact dyes don’t mean dull and boring – beautiful and vibrant colors can be achieved without bleaching fabric and using less toxic dyes. Check out this Tahiti Blue scoopneck and matching duo-tone scarf – flattering and wow!

• Buy local: Lesson your carbon footprint by choosing clothing that is locally designed and manufactured. Buying American made, and even better – made within your state, means your clothing didn’t have to travel the world to get to you. Where were your clothes made and by whom? Check the labels and think about how, where and in what conditions your clothing was sewn.  Shift your spending to companies who manufacture in a sweatshop-free and safe environment  and provide a living wage to their employees. Speak to the owners of your local clothing shops and let them know what you want to see and buy … and encourage them to buy from local and USA Made manufacturers and source sweatshop-free products. Don’t support companies who use child labor. Did you know that The International Labor Organization has estimated that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries? 

•  Recycle, trade or donate clothes you no longer wear: Invite co-workers, family and friends to bring old clothes they no longer want and swap them for ‘new’ fashions. Has a shirt been hanging in your closet for 2 years, never worn? Take it to Goodwill and donate it to someone who needs it. Let’s put less clothing into the landfills and more clothing onto the bodies of those in need.
• Be a responsible shopper! Think before you buy. It’s a lot to think about when it’s so easy to walk in the nearest super store and buy a cute inexpensive dress, but these small changes in how you shop can lead to big changes for you and your friends and family. The conscientious changes consumers make can mean huge changes for the clothing industry in providing products that are safe, non-toxic, manufactured responsibly and less harmful to the Earth.

A FREE ONE-TIME ONLY TELESEMINAR EVENT
Is your professional wardrobe keeping you from receiving the promotion you deserve or the job you want? Do people talk about your skirt length instead of the impressive report you gave at last week’s meeting?

55 percent of the message you send at work comes from the way you dress. What you wear to work is the key to your professional success. Whether you are looking for a job or trying to break out of your professional-wardrobe rut, this seminar will provide easy ways to dress for success on any budget. Join me as I share the secrets to dressing for success in this FREE ONE-TIME ONLY TELESEMINAR.

(In a hurry click here to sign up.) 

On this call, you will discover …

• How to decipher your office dress code.
• When to splurge and when to save.
• How details give you a “power look.”
• Why your work wardrobe doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
• How to make 5 outfits from 1 suit.
• Why black isn’t the only power color.
• How to create a wardrobe that takes you from work to dinner in style.
• Why your image is the key to success.

Sign up here to reserve your spot on this complimentary call.

Please feel free to tell a friend, but don’t forget to sign up first.
 
 
 

Okay, we all have the little black dress, black power suit or favorite pants. Now, the challenge is wearing them over and over again without telling the world you are wearing them AGAIN! All women, in my opinion, want to be pretty. However, in today’s economy, there is less to spend on the pursuit of style. Style can be effortless. There are ways to enhance and even create the look you want to achieve without overspending. The key is versatility and convertibility in your wardrobe. Jewelry instantly and dramatically changes any outfit. Today there are countless options for jewelry from costume to Cartier. Look for pieces that can be worn multiple ways with various settings. Here are a few tips:
Earrings are great. They come in every shape and size. Don’t be afraid to dangle. Drop earrings are hugely popular and look great any time of day. Many dangles look great at the office, and then look amazing with you hair pulled back at an evening event. I recommend that you stay lightweight or else your gorgeous drops will be a big headache, literally! The perfect earrings can complete a style and the right dangles are ageless. You can find great earrings in every budget. Even you lovely ladies without pierced ears can find clips that look phenomenal!

Necklaces, ooh, la la. You can do so much with a necklace. Necklaces add personal style to any outfit. Long necklaces offer a lot of versatility. They add length (therefore you look thinner, yay!) Beyond the benefit of looking trimmer, they are convertible. Look for pieces that offer multiple looks. Choose necklaces that look good with your power suit and favorite pair of jeans. Many long necklaces can be doubled for a completely different style. Best yet, choose a long necklace that can be worn doubled over and has a removable pendant. That is a jewelry staple that offers versatility and instant style.

Bracelets are perfect for quick added color and fun! They fit every budget and can morph to match any ensemble. When you are wearing a dress or shirt that has a neckline or print and you have no necklace that “fits” throw on a fun pair of earrings and a bracelet. Bracelets that are very dainty can get lost on a person in the summer with short or no sleeves. Try a bangle or even two worn together. Just be cautious not to “over stack” and look like you could not make up your mind so you just wore EVERYTHING. There is a fine line between tastefully chic and “bad idea.”
You thought we were done….but, brooches and hair pieces are great accents. Don’t be afraid. Just remember that “fine line.” You may be the lucky girl who has all these in her closet. Just choose carefully and do not wear it all at once. . I challenge you to be creative. Find new ways to change your old favorites. (PS a pair of awesome shoes always help….I find lots of favorites at Susan Michelle Boutique in Mount Pleasant.)
About the Author:
Feel that you may want a quick jewelry in-service? Visit http://www.lellafoster.com and send me an email. I am Lella Foster, a jewelry artisan in Charleston SC. I love working with clients to make custom pieces that are “perfect” for any outfit or event. I also love creating my own designs. I feel strongly that all women should have the opportunity to feel beautiful and bring out their inner fashionista. I work to make jewelry that is striking but attainable, and can be worn in multiple ways and settings.