Shannan Rouss | The Guide to all Things of Fashion, Gifts and Shopping

Posts Tagged ‘clothes’

Do you have a love for fashion? Whether you make your own clothes or fashion accessories or if you regularly find yourself giving fashion advice to those that you know, have you ever thought about a career in fashion? If you haven’t, you may want to take the time to do so. Despite the common myth that a career in fashion is one that is difficult to obtain, it is more than possible with the right amount of willpower and the need to succeed.

When it comes to having a career in fashion, many individuals wonder exactly what they can do. The good thing about fashion is that there are a number of fashion focused jobs and careers out there. Some of these jobs involve working for someone else, like another company, but there are also opportunities out there where you can start your own business and be your own boss. If you would like to know more about some of the many careers in fashion that you may be able to have, you will want to read on.

One of the most popular and sought after careers in fashion is that of a fashion designer. Fashion designers are individuals who design clothing and fashion accessories, like jewelry or handbags. Many fashion designers start out small by making clothes and fashion accessories for themselves and their friends, but many later decide to start selling their own fashions. What is nice about being a fashion designer is that you can continue to make your own clothes or you can hire a manufacturer to do it for you. You may also want to think about selling your own clothes either locally or online.

Speaking of selling the clothes or fashion accessories that you may have designed, that leads to another fashion career. One other fashion career that you may be interested in is being the owner and operator of a fashion store. Fashion stores come in all different size, shapes, and styles. There are some fashion stores that focus on a particular type of clothing, like elegant eveningwear, and others who offer all different types of fashions for all different individuals, like men, women, and children. You also have the option of selling your own designs, if you are fashion designer, or buying other designer’s products to sell inside your stores, whether they are online stores, offline stores, or both.

Another fashion career that may be of interest to you is a fashion consultant. Fashion consultants are individuals who advise or consult with their customers on the latest in fashion trends. The clients of fashion consultants are often ones who are unsure about what to wear for a new job, a job interview, an elegant dinner, a wedding, or another important event. If you have a love for fashion, enjoy keeping up with the latest in fashion news and trends, and enjoy giving fashion advice to those that you know, you may want to look into a career as a fashion consultant.

Another one of the many careers in fashion that you may want to look into is one that is relatively unique. Each year, thousands of fashions shows take place in the United States. While a select few of those shows are able to make it on the national news, not all are that popular. Did you know that many local stores and fashion designers have their own local fashions shows? They do, but many do not realize that they can or have the time to plan a fashion show and this is where you can come in. You can make money as a fashion show organizer. Fashion show organizers often target local fashion stores and fashion designers to explain the many benefits of having a fashion show to them. As a fashion show designer, you may be in charge of making the show run well. This often includes booking the fashion show space, designing the stage, hiring the models, and so forth.

As you can see, there are a number of different fashion focused careers or jobs out there for you to choose from. What is even more amazing is that the above mentioned fashion focused careers are just a few of the many that exist.

Do you ever wonder where all the dress rules have gone? Depending on when and where you are on any given business day, the words “distant past” might come to mind. It’s difficult to decide if people don’t know what to wear to work or if they have lost sight of the relevance of appearance to professional success.

The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles, “Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot.” Clearly, she was saying what many people are reluctant to accept; that people judge us by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward appearance sends a message.

Try going to a busy restaurant at lunchtime. Look around you at what people are wearing and see if you don’t make judgments about who they are, their line of business, their personalities and their competencies. Think about how you feel when you are dressed in your usual business attire as opposed to casual dress. Your choice of business apparel speaks to your professional behavior and credibility. It is important to understand how to dress for business if you wish to promote yourself and your organization in a positive manner,

How you dress depends on four factors: the industry in which you work, the job you have within that industry, the geographic area in which you live; and most importantly, what your client expects to see.

Professional Dress for Men

In men’s clothing, fashion does not change significantly from season to season but business attire is about being professional and not about being fashionable. It’s about presenting yourself in a way that makes your clients feel comfortable and confident with you. Dressing for success is still the rule. The professional businessman should keep in mind these few points when deciding what to wear to work.

Choose a conservative suit in navy, black or gray either pinstripe or solid. The quality of the material speaks as loudly as the color and can make the difference between sleaze and suave.

A solid white or blue dress shirt with long sleeves offers the most polished look. The more pattern and color you add, the more the focus is on your clothing, rather than your professionalism.

Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric. Avoid the cartoon characters and go for simple and subtle if you want to enhance your credibility.

Socks should be calf-length or above. Make sure they match not only what you are wearing, but also each other. A quick glance in good light before heading out the door can save embarrassment later in the day. Check for holes as well if you’ll be going through airport security and removing your shoes.

Shoes should without question be conservative, clean and well polished. Lace-up shoes are the choice over slip-ons or flip flops. Don’t think for a minute that people don’t notice shoes. Many people will look at your feet before your face.

Belts need to match or closely coordinate with your shoes. Once again, quality counts.

Keep jewelry to a minimum. In a time when men sport gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, the business professional should limit himself to a conservative watch, a wedding band and maybe his college ring.

Personal hygiene is part of the success equation. Freshly scrubbed wins out over heavily fragranced any day of the week. Save the after-shave for after hours, but never the shave itself.

The finishing touch for the business man is his choice of accessories: briefcase, portfolio and pen. When it comes to sealing the deal, a top of the line suit, a silk tie and a good pair of leather shoes can lose their affect when you pull out the ball point pen you picked up in the hotel meeting room the day before.

Professional Dress for Women

When women entered the workplace in the 1970′s and 1980′s in greater numbers than ever before and began to move into positions which had traditionally been held by men, many of them believed that they needed to imitate male business attire. The result was women showing up at the office in skirted suits or coordinated skirts and jackets with tailored blouses finished off with an accessory item that looked very much like a man’s tie. Happily those days are gone. While the business woman may now wear trousers to work, she does it out of a desire to appear professional and at the same time enjoy the flexibility and comfort that pants offer over skirts. Her goal is no longer to mirror her male colleagues.

The same overall rules apply to women’s work attire as apply to men’s. Business clothing is not a reflection of the latest fashion trend. A woman should be noticed for who she is and her professional skills rather than for what she wears. Her business wear should be appropriate for her industry and her position or title within the industry.

Start with a skirted suit or pants suit for the most conservative look. A skirted suit is the most professional. With a few exceptions, dresses do not offer the same credibility unless they are accompanied by matching jackets.

Skirts should be knee-length or slightly above or below. Avoid extremes. A skirt more than two inches above the knee raises eyebrows and questions.

Pants should break at the top of the foot or shoe. While Capri pants and their fashion cousins that come in assorted lengths from mid-calf to ankle are the latest trend, they are out of place in the conservative business environment.

Blouses and sweaters provide color and variety to woman’s clothing, but they should be appealing rather than revealing. Inappropriate necklines and waistlines can give the wrong impression.

Women need to wear hose in the business world. Neutral or flesh-tone stockings are the best choices. Never wear dark hose with light-colored clothing or shoes. Keep an extra pair of stockings in your desk drawer unless the hosiery store is next door or just down the street from the office.

Faces, not feet, should be the focal point in business so chose conservative shoes. A low heel is more professional than flats or high heels. In spite of current fashion and the sandal rage, open-toed or backless shoes are not office attire. Not only are sandals a safety hazard, they suggest a certain official agenda.

When it comes to accessories and jewelry, less is once again more. Keep it simple: one ring per hand, one earring per ear. Accessories should reflect your personality, not diminish your credibility.

Business attire is different from weekend and evening wear. Investing in a good business wardrobe is an investment in your professional future. For those who think it’s not what you wear but who you are that creates success, give that some more thought. Business skills and experience count, but so does personal appearance and that all-important first impression.