As a business person we should always remember that we never get a second chance to make a first impression so we must always, dress for success. How to, dress for success, we have all heard the saying don't dress for the position you have now; but the position you want to get. 

Since I was a little girl I could pick out the women who had money. They would be dressed in suits or what I believed to be expensive clothing, with their hair and make up perfectly done. When they passed me, they smelled like heaven. But looking back, I realized that to, dress for success, did not mean that you had to be wealthy and have a closet full of expensive clothing. For all I knew these women that I admired, could have had only one suit in their closet or one, dress for success, frock.  It is not the quantity of your wardrobe, but the quality. 

In my personal experience as well as reading business books and looking at movies like 50 Shades of Grey and the Proposal with Sandra Bullock,

Here is the formula for dressing for success Men   

 

Men if you have not seen 50 Shades of Grey, you should rent in on Netflix. Not only does it show you how to pleasure your woman; but at the beginning of the movie, it shows you what the closet of a  rich successful business man looks like.  Dozens of dark color suits, dozens of white shirts and dozens of ties. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Google have all tried to change the dress code to tea shirt and jeans; but take a look at the Senate or President Trump or Wall Street. The business suit is still the, dress of success, 

I have always seen movies with the men being fitted for a suit; but I have always bought my man a suit from off the rack! Apparently that is bad! 

 

A carefully fitted suit is worth it's weight in gold.

Even if it is off the rack it shouldn't fit like a sack!

Get it altered to fit. It does not matter how much the suit cost; but it must fit!

That is the secret to looking successful. That is the way to, dress for success, 

 

The consensus is that a, business suit, should be single breasted and either dark blue or dark grey.   

Heading back to Christian Grey in, 50 shades of Grey. Notice that all his shirts were white. I have never seen President Barack Obama, in nothing other than a white shirt. Your white shirt should be one hundred percent cotton with button down collars and always long sleeves. Short sleeves are out! Complete the look with a pair of black loafers, well shined and with a new looking heel. If your heal wears down to one side, get it replaced at the shoe maker. 

 

Here is the formula for dressing for success Women

 

As from my intro I have been trying to copy Sandra Bullock's look in “The Proposal” for some time now.  That is my, dress for success, look. If you haven't seen the movie, she rocked the black pencil skirt with a white shirt and pumps with elegant heels.  

Find a look that flatters your figure. As women we come in all sizes. I don't have time to get into the best look if you are busty, hippy or made to wear clothes like a super model. The formula to, dressing for success women, is to invest in a few classic, simple suits in dark colors. 

The same as the men, grey or blue. I still have the suit jacket I purchased from my first big pay check as a salesperson, 20 years ago. It was a grey wool blend double breasted skirt suit. I paid $700 for it from my $30,000 pay check. I felt successful so I went out and started, dressing for success,

 

Nice simple fitted dresses also work wonders, especially if paired with a blazer and some fashionable jewelry. The great thing is that you can loose the blazer for the after work parties and still be, dressed for success,. 

As women we like to flaunt our sexually, but avoid wearing bright colors, tight pants, mini skirts, plunging necklines or blue jeans. It may get you in the door short term; but it be paid for with long term loss, because men will hit on you, since they will feel that is what you are selling. Then a whole can of worms is opened up that doesn't end well. 

Dressing for success shoes,

Shoes. I love the look of the thin healed pumps. It makes any foot look elegant. Not everyone can wear those including me. I just purchased a pair from the Ivanka Trump line. Don't judge me they were on sale! And of course we have the Sex in the city reruns with the iconic Carrie Bradshaw for inspiration on how to, dress for success, with shoes.  

So there you have it. Some ideas how to look the part before you get the part. As you lean your ladder against the wall of success, my wish for you in 2019 is that you get to the top of the ladder or at least make progress up the rungs. 

Additional Resources

https://www.royalfashionist.com/dress-successful-man-every-occasion/

https://www.pinterest.com/gwcareercenter/dress-for-success-women/?lp=true